Saturday 3rd December 2011

56 Shelduck, 16 Common Scoter going south & a Black-throated Diver going north offshore were this morning highlights. Just the one Snow Bunting seen today. Silver Y in the moth traps is getting late in the year for this migrant species.

Friday 2nd December 2011

Cattle Egret flying south over the rear of the observatory & into Essex at 1030hrs was a most unexpected first site record for Landguard. Mist nets taken down for the winter this morning was today's chore followed by a fungus foray revealing Candlesnuff fungus, Sulphur Tuft & what is probably Common Cavalier (several similar species to this are only discernible under a microscope apparently). Bird wise 4 Snow Bunts & a Rock Pipit towards the point with a couple of Skylarks and Linnets going south. Moth traps still producing with 2 Dark Chestnut, The Satellite & a Light Brown Apple Moth. An entertaining morning.

Thursday 1st December 2011

A short time staring offshore produced 16 Shelduck, Goldeneye & Pintail going south plus a Pom north - or is the Pom just hanging around terrorising gulls following shipping ? A new was Chaffinch in the bushes but this mornings walk round produced nothing of note with the most impressive thing being a very low tide revealing several sandbars offshore that we don't see very often. In the moth traps a Grey Shoulder-knot indicating continued mild conditions. Please note that this blog will not be updated on a daily basis throughout the winter. "Blogger" is ten thousand times quicker than the recent reports page under the old system in use last winter, but with mild conditions it can get tedious repeating the same birds day in day out. Let's say i will just see how it goes.

DECEMBER LITTER PICK

Litter pick this Saturday 3rd December 0930hrs start. More info on the events section of the LBO home page. All welcome.

NOVEMBER RINGING TOTALS

713 new birds of 24 species ringed. Top three:

1st     Blackbird 400     2nd     Robin 66     3rd     Goldfinch 45

This is the highest month total of the year & the third highest November ringing total on record.

Wednesday 30th November 2011

Bit of a raptor sort of morning with 3 Marsh Harriers, Hen Harrier, Merlin & Kestrel going south, Peregrine out to sea plus Sparrowhawk around the bushes & 2 more Kes on the reserve. Offshore movements include 2 Great-crested Grebes, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Mallard, Golden Plover, Lapwing & a Merg. Only new bird in the bushes is a Chaffinch. One of the Kes flushed the Snow Bunts with only 7 seen near the point early on and none later on.

Tuesday 29th November 2011

Entertaining offshore. 5 Eider, 3 Bonxies, 2 Poms & a Guillemot north. Birds moving south amongst a wide range of species included the following: 37 Shelduck, 24 Common Scoter, 6 Gadwal, 5 Mergansers, 2 Pochard, 2 Great-crested Grebes, Guillemot, Black-throated Diver, Goosander & Goldeneye. Of interest was Mrs Peregrine hacking south at great speed offshore contemplating taking the Guillemot before deciding against it & then giving some Gadwal a look before changing her mind - no doubt something else less challenging took her fancy. 13 Snow Bunts with us but no sign of any new birds in the bushes.

Monday 28th November 2011

Autumn still grinding to a halt with a handful of Goldies & a Mipit still making their way south plus a couple of new Blackies, Goldies & Chaffinch in the bushes. Following yesterdays gale it was hoped that a bit more might have been on the move offshore in this mornings flat calm conditions - this was not to be with the highlights (!) being 2 Great-crested Grebes, a Red-throat & a Gannet relocating northwards. 15 Snow Bunts still with us as is Mrs Peregrine & at least 8 Meds. If any readers are ever down here throughout the winter in the late afternoon, when they tend to congregate, and get a decent Med Gull count please drop us an e.mail so we can update the records as most of the regular observers have gone home by then.

Sunday 27th November 2011

Blowing a gale this am. A drake Goosander went south just off the beach but it would appear that nothing is moving offshore. A new Chaffinch in the bushes but nowt else new in (although the wind is making observations difficult). 15 Snow Bunts on the beach as well as 2 Sanderling, 8 Turnstone & at least 11 Meds. Adult female Peregrine came and sat on the beach in the aggregate yard early on - we obviously have a pair with us at the moment but if they have regular perches on the dock cranes then they are mostly out of site from whence we view.