Saturday 19th November 2011

A House Martin making it's way south needs to get a move on if it's going to get to Africa for the winter. 25 Goldies, 9 Mipits, 6 Skylarks, 4 Linnets & 2 Rooks also drifted south overhead. Offshore not a lot with the only record of note being a Goosander that came out of the river heading out to who knows where. The Snow Bunting flock has increased to 14, a Rock Pipit is still on the point & a Chiffchaff is still loitering on site. The ridiculously mild weather can't carry on for ever but while it does 2 Little Owls are enjoying siting out in the sun (have they finally evicted this years young or have any of the offspring kicked mum or dad out of the territory ?).

Friday 18th November 2011

An owl seen pre-dawn was re found early pm and as suspected it's a Long-eared. The day sheet is not overloaded with new arrivals today with 7 Lesser Redpolls the pick of the bunch. Brambling, Firecrest & Rock Pipit still with us. Offshore not a lot with 4 Eiders the best of a meagre amount going past. Overhead 16 Goldies & a Pied Wag went south - it's starting to signify that autumn movements are petering out. A nice sunny day so a late Red Admiral came out to play. Winds still onshore so it's not to late for some late autumn arrivals.

Thursday 17th November 2011

Pretty standard sort of morning for this time of the year with a small arrival of new Blackies, Songies & finch's. A Redshank was heard calling pre-dawn and a Lapwing was on the reserve early on only to be flushed by a dog walker. At least 1 Snow Bunt is still with us as are the lingering Brambling, Gold & Firecrest. Overhead migration has just about finished for the autumn with offshore movement also fairly poor, the highlights being a drake Eider, a handful of Common Scoter plus 3 Greylags going north (we don't get many Greylags at this time of the year with speculation that they might be wild ones rather than part of the feral population living just inland of us).

Wednesday 16th November 2011

A small arrival of new Blackies, Songies plus singles of Fieldfare, Robin & Common Redpoll today. Loitering leftovers from recent days are Brambling, Goldcrest, Firecrest & Chiffchaff - all of whom could do with making there way inland for the winter. 10 Snow Bunts are on the beach plus 2 Rock Pipits on the point. Migration overhead & offshore almost non-existent. A leucistic Starling has been with us for several days now with the locals. Finally i will give the male Peregrine a mention as we don't see him so often of late presumably due to the fact he has found some new perches on the new dock cranes out of sight from the obs.

Tuesday November 15th 2011

Weather consisted of a moderate to fresh easterly wind. There was no cloud cover early morning but by mid morning complete cloud cover. A very quiet day with not a great deal seen passing through or grounded. Migrants observed passing through were 1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Cormorant, 2 Skylark and 7 Goldfinch. The ringed female Firecrest and the ringed male Brambling were still present within the Bird Observatory compound. The usual 9 Snow Buntings were found out on the beach. 6 Mediterranean Gulls were seen, 4 adults, 1 2nd-winter and 1 1st-winter bird. A Short-eared Owl, Sparrowhawk and 5 Turnstone were also recored. 1 bird ringed today; 1 Blackbird. A Weasel was seen.

Monday November 14th 2011

Weather consisted of a south south-easterly wind, there was complete cloud cover, it was murky. Migrants observed passing through were 2 Mute Swan, 33 Pink-footed Geese, 253 Brent Geese, 111 Shelduck, 3 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 5 Mallard, 1 Common Scoter, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Cormorant, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Pomarine Skua and 7 Redpoll. The highlight of the day and one of the highlights of the year was a 1st-winter Red-flanked Bluetail trapped and ringed within the Bird Observatory compound! This is the 2nd record for Landguard. Red-flanked Bluetail is a species that has become in recent years much more common in Britain, although it is still a very rare bird; this was a very unexpected surprise and this particular bird could possibly be the latest ever British record! Also present today was the ringed female Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 2 Pied Wagtail, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Brambling and 9 Snow Bunting. 26 birds ringed today, 1 1st-winter Red-flanked Bluetail, 1 female Brambling, 3 Song Thrush, 14 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Wren. A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

Sunday 13th November 2011

Poor today compared with yesterday with next to nothing moving offshore & only a handful of new birds in the bushes and almost nothing migrating overhead. A couple of feathers found in a mist net early on suggest a Long-eared Owl is here somewhere but we have failed to find it. A Water Rail is in the compound, a Black Red was on the Fort & one of the Firecrests and Brambling from recent days is still with us. On the beach 3 Sanderling as well as the wintering Turnstones. A Red-throated Diver appears to have set up residence in the river in recent days. On shore breezes suggests that we are still in with a chance of some birds this week.