COVID-19

Members accessing the compound are asked to -

·      Follow government advice, rules & regulations as posted & updated on www.gov.uk. Relevant points are:

·      Minimise close contact with others.

·      Maintain a high-level of hygiene through handwashing, cover your coughs & sneezes & practise good hygiene.

·      Wear a face covering over your nose & mouth in crowded & enclosed spaces if others are present.

An updated Risk Assessment is available on accessing the site. Measures are taken to help prevent the unintentional transmission of Covid-19 in line with government recommendations.

Tuesday 28th March 2023

A wet and windy morning, observations were bleak. A few interesting birds either present or moving through, a single grey plover south, and yesterdays group of 2 goldcrest and a firecrest moved from the holm oaks into the observatory compound. A single chiffchaff was also seen.

Landguard is the only site in the UK where Agonopterix curvipunctosa is regularly encountered.

Birds Ringed: Chiffchaff 1.

Monday 27th March 2023

A change in wind direction and no rain! Still slow on the migrant front, with a couple of goldcrest, a firecrest and 6 chiffchaff the most notable birds in the compound, and a small 'fall' of 3 robins and 3 female blackbirds being the only real sign of passerine movement. A few of the local species are singing daily now, dunnocks have been at it for a week or more, along with linnet, song thrush, blackbird and sporadically great tits and wrens. Another lone long-tailed tit was clearly looking for a partner, in the wrong place because they don't breed here. It's the greylag goose time of the spring, where pairs of noisy geese wander around looking for new breeding sites, despite the lack of suitability here. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 3, Goldcrest 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Robin 3. 

TEMPORARY FENCING for GROUND NESTING BIRDS

It is planned to erect the temporary fencing on the nature reserve to help protect ground nesting species from disturbance and the sensitive flora from trampling on Wednesday 29th March starting at 0930 hrs. Please meet at the cottage & wear appropriate clothing & footwear for the task in hand. Many hands make light work.

Sunday 26th March 2023

Rain up to early afternoon, although regular readers will know that such grim weather can drop in migrants which this morning included 180 Redwing, 25 Starling, 2 Fieldfare & a Chaffinch. These will be departing winter visitors but with birding conditions difficult who knows what else was skulking away? Temperature dropped early afternoon following the rain also not pleasant for birds or birders.

Only the third site record of Blossom Underwing which is scarce resident in very few areas of the country and a migrant to this neck of the woods.

Ringing: 1 Chaffinch.

Saturday 25th March 2023

Very blustery today with strong south westerly winds and sporadic rain showers. Despite this, there was still some interesting movement, our first black-tailed godwit of the year flew south along with a scattering of other waders, a single golden plover and 13 dunlin. Chaffinch numbers picked up a little, with 40 flying south along with 12 siskin. The male firecrest was still present from yesterday and a black redstart (or two) were in and around the compound during the morning. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1.

AGM Reminder

Reminder that this years bird observatory AGM will be on Saturday 1st April 2023. Members will have received an agenda plus the minutes of last AGM. If this is not the case it could be that we do not have your up to date email address so please email landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk for details.