SATURDAY 31st DECEMBER 2011

26 Shelduck, 26 Wigeon, 21 Common Scoter south offshore & two drake Goosanders came in off and up river late morning. Early on when the tide was very low c.40 Seals could be seen hauled out on the Cork Sands in the far distance. Later news of the Pom Skua putting in an appearance mid-day.

FRIDAY 30th DECEMBER 2011

60 Red-throated Divers north 12 south, 53 Cormorants south, 14 Greylag Geese south (unusual record for this time of the year), 5 Brents & 3 Shelduck south. Apart from that it's assorted seagulls with the male Peregrine putting in an appearance.

RECENT RINGING RECOVERIES

In the most recent bunch of a fairly standard batch of recoveries we have a Long-tailed Tit ringed here in September 2010 taken by a cat in Ipswich in September 2011. Starling ringed here in June 1997 found as a skeleton in the fireplace of a house in Manning Road in September 2011 - but we wonder how long this one was down the chimney for ? Great Tit ringed here on 25th September 2011 retrapped in Wivenhoe, Essex on 30th October. Chiffchaff ringed here on 27th September 2011 retrapped three days later 183km WSW of us at Brimpton Gravel Pit, West Berkshire. Of greater interest was a Firecrest ringed here on 7th April 2010 retrapped at Kings Wood, Kent on 22nd September 2011 as we don't get a lot back on this species.

CHRISTMAS LITTER PICK

This years xmas litter pick takes place on Saturday 31st December 0930hrs start. Further details on the events section of http://www.lbo.org.uk/

Thursday 29th December 2011

2 Guillemots, Pom Skua, Cormorants & seagulls offshore. Otherwise it's same old same old.

Wednesday 28th December 2011

29 Wigeon south in small groups in an hour is a bit unexpected as autumn passage should be over by now and the mild conditions is not conducive to cold weather movements. Also on the move 6 Common Scoter, Shelduck & Great Crested Grebe. Peregrine came in off the sea carrying its breakfast & a Pom Skua is again offshore harassing gulls behind the shipping.

Tuesday 27th December 2011

Fieldfare is today's migrant. 9 Linnets are indicative of the mild conditions as they are largely absent at this time of the year but reappear on mild days suggesting that some of them are wintering not to far away (the bulk of our Linnets go to Spain for the winter). Juv Pom Skua quite close offshore dragged a Herring Gull into the water a couple of times before it finally gave up it's meal & then had a job swallowing it's victims discarded puke - entertaining prolonged views for us, but less amusing for the poor Herring Gull. Also offshore Guillemot & Grey Seal.

Monday 26th December 2011

Very mild for the time of the year. 2 Siskins went south with a Grey Wagtail record a bit unseasonal. Mid-morning a gang of 19 Barnacles & 2 Brents went south just off the beach. Apart from that it's the usual birds in the usual places.

Sunday 25th December 2011

Brief observations offshore produced 3 Guillemots, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-crested Grebes south and at least 45 Kittiwakes following very few boats on the move. Purple Sandpiper is on the point this am.