Saturday 3rd March 2012

Migrants on site today include a handful of new Chaffs, Robins, Blackies, Redwings, single Fieldfare, Golden Plover & Lapwing. Rock Pipit still on the point with a Woodcock either a spring migrant or one leftover with us from the cold spell. Misty offshore making observations difficult although 35 Brents, 4 Wigeon, 3 Shelduck plus single Gannet, Teal & Oystercatcher all going south. A Mute Swan, 2 Gadwal & 2 Grey Seals spent the morning offshore. An immature male Peregrine with a couple of primary feathers missing in one wing is not one of the regulars which are both adults. Finally a freshly flattened Water Rail was doing a poor imitation of a pancake on View Point Road opposite the Butts Pond late morning.

Friday 2nd March 2012

Damp fog thinning a bit late morning. New Robin, Great Tit & Blacky on site but couldn't see much - bit of a waste of time really in these conditions. At least a few other jobs got done.

Thursday 1st March 2012

3 Egyptian Geese south over the roof of the obs then turning inland up the river Orwell at 0905hrs is only our 4th site record of this species and doubles the grand total of the number of individuals seen. Migrants new in today include a couple of new Blackies, Songies, 3 Long-tailed Tits, a Dunnock & a Water Rail. On the move overhead were 3 Crows & 3 Jackdaws south plus single Skylark & Yellowhammer going north. No Yellowhammers were seen at all last autumn for the first time ever. Early March is the traditional time for a handful of records each spring of this declining species. With spring passage underway its good to get some variety in the sightings. In the moth trap Acleris cristana is notable for us.

Wednesday 29th February 2012

Migrants today in the "turdus" department include 10 Songies, 6 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare & a Blacky weighing in at a massive 129.8 g which is more than enough aviation fuel to cross the North Sea. 4 Skylarks on the reserve with another 2 going south are presumably on there way back to the continent. A single Reed Bunting went south. Offshore not a lot, but not helped by the poor visibility and light drizzle early on. The 4 Snow Bunts reappeared having been missing for several days & the Peregrines are on the near dock cranes.

Tuesday 28th February 2012

On the move this morning were 5 Chaffinchs in off the sea, 2 Mipits & a Crow south. A couple of new Songies & Great Tits in the bushes are obviously on the move. 11 Magpies are less welcome as birds wander around in search of nesting sites with one of our pairs getting keen carrying sticks to suitable nesting locations.

Monday 27th February 2012

Mist nets put up for the season this morning. 3 Skylarks & a Siskin going south overhead were today's migrants. The male Peregrine was on one of his regular perches but little else of note.

Sunday 26th February 2012

Pleasant late winters morning. Migrants almost non-existent. A handful of Brents & a Shelduck on the move offshore is about the sum of it. The Rock Pipit is still with us and was the highlight of a walk round the site..