Saturday 16th July 2011

Weather consisted of a strong southerly wind with complete cloud cover. There was rain throughout the morning. Migrants observed moving through were 8 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Golden Plover, 2 Curlew, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Tern, 1 Med Gull and 4 Swift. A Common Seal was seen offshore. Only 1 bird ringed today; 1 Dunnock. Two Small Ranunculus in the moth traps are worth a mention as is Pammenne aurantiana - a species we have only noted previously in 2004 and 2006.

Friday 15th July 2011

It was a west north-westerly wind with very little wind and cloud. Migrants on the move were 6 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow and 1 Yellow Wagtail. A Sedge Warbler was trapped and ringed within the Bird Observatory compound. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was also found. 10 birds ringed today; 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin and 7 Greenfinch. An Emperor Dragonfly was recorded. Butterflies seen included Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral and Meadow Brown.

RINGING RECOVERY

Hot of the press and just received is news of a Redstart ringed here as a first summer male on 24th May 2010 trapped this spring at Revtangen, Klepp, Rogland, Norway 802km to the NNE of us on 8th May 2011. This is all the more remarkable in that we only ringed two Redstarts in the whole of last spring and the recovery rate on this species is very low. Presumably this is a Norwegian reared bird that made an error on migration last spring that has sorted itself out this year.

Thursday 14th July 2011

The weather was wet and windy all morning. There was complete cloud cover. The highlight of the day was 1 Little Egret moving north. There was very little else of interest seen. 1 Common Whitethroat was heard calling in the bushes and there were 10 Common Tern seen fishing close offshore. No birds were ringed due to the mist nets not being opened due to the rain.

Wednesday 13th July 2011

Baby birds but little else this morning. Cooler breezy conditions with little moving. 3 Oyks south & 2 Sandwich Terns south were noted amongst a sparse selection of sightings. The 2 Herring Gull chicks on the museum roof were ringed and also fitted with red darvic rings with the letters CHN & CHP in white lettering on them. Hopefully they will be recorded further afield than scavenging in the View Point Car Park where their parents seem to spend the bulk of the time feeding - a junk food diet doesn't seem to have done them any harm so far.

Tuesday 12th July 2011

An increasing north-easterly breeze as the morning went on did not bring anything of note. Reed Warbler singing on the Butts is unseasonable. A handful of terns offshore, couple of waders south plus singles of Gannet & Teal going north. A Lapwing on the reserve was the highlight !

Monday 11th July 2011

3 Yellow Wags plus a couple of hirundines & waders went south. What was presumably yesterdays juv Wheatear on the reserve still. Today's highlight amongst a good selection of butterflies was a Clouded Yellow. Several Hummingbird Hawk-moths also noted.

Sunday 10th July 2011

Odd sort of morning. A juv Med Gull following an adult seems early as no sign of any other baby seagulls out and about just yet. A juv Marsh Harrier went south - its parents must have evicted it already. A juv Black Redstart suggests a pair might be nesting in the docks. A juv Wheatear is our second of the "autumn". A pair of Avocets were flying round displaying late morning - lord only knows what they were up to. Finally a Willow Emerald Damselfly is only our fourth ever record of this species that has recently colonised this part of the world. Weird selection of records today !