Saturday 18th August 2012

Todays excitement was almost restricted to the moths traps, a Beautiful Marbled being the first record for the site. Also of interest was a Cypress Carpet, usually restricted to pine forests.

Beautiful Marbled

Bird wise, a couple of Pied flycatchers and a Willow Warbler were ringed as well as a couple of Wrens, Linnets, and Greenfinches. The hot weather and monthly litter pick left for scant records elsewhere. A single Whimbrel, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Crossbills and the odd Swallow being the pick of the bunch.

Friday 17th August 2012

Particularly migrantless on site today, a Wheatear, yesterdays Garden Warbler and the odd Willow Warbler being about all of interest on the passerine front. 5 Arctic Skuas were seen offshore however, including a gang of 4 harrasing a passing juvenile Marsh Harrier. Yesterdays ringing totals were boosted in the evening with 21 juvenile Starlings and a moulting adult Little Owl.

August litter pick

Litter pick this Saturday 18th August 0930hrs start. Usual arrangements. Further info on the events page of http://www.lbo.org.uk/

Thursday 16th August 2012

The odd new visitor today with singles of Garden and Sedge Warbler ringed, and a Whinchat out on the Reserve. Wheatear count remained at 3 with the odd Swallow passing through. Highlight of passage being a couple of Dunlin and Barwits, 5 Grey Plover, 7 Barnacle and 2  Canada Geese. At least 4 Migrant Hawkers were in the compound along with an emperor and Ruddy Darter.

Wednesday 15th August 2012

The bushes seem to be a largely migrant free zone. Offshore assorted terns including 2 Blacks, an Arctic, plus amongst a paltry selection of other birds noted a Marsh Harrier, 7 Gannets north, 51 Teal south plus 11 Swallows & a Yellow Wag south over the reserve. 3 Wheatears are on the reserve but the easterly wind is unfortunately not producing much at the moment.

Tuesday 14th August 2012

The hint of East in the wind failed to bring us much at all today. A single Blackbird ringed and the only other obvious migrant being a Willow Warbler or two. Waders continue to move past with 8 Grey Plover, 7 Dunlin, a Sanderling, 17 Oyks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover, Knot and 4 Whimbrel.

Monday 13th August 2012

A busier day today with 24 birds ringed, sadly no further sign of the Barred Warbler today though.

Linnet 9; Willow Warbler 3; Pied Flycatcher 2;  Wren 2; Greenfinch 2; House Sparrow; Whitethroat; Garden Warbler; Chiffchaff; Great Tit; Woodpigeon.

On the move a Yellow Wagtail, 4 Whimbrel, 5 Wigeon, 16 Teal, 6 Grey Plover, a Gannet, 80+ Swallows, 4 Dunlin, a Fulmar, Bar-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover, 2 Common Scoter, Sandwich Tern, 3 Curlew and 4 Sand Martin. A few dragons continue to hang around with Emperor, Common Darter, Migrant and Southern Hawkers all seen.

Sunday 12th August 2012

A stiff easterly brought a Barred Warbler to the beach bushes opposite the "icky ridge", a new Pied Fly & Reed Warbler in the compound but little else in the form of small migrant passerines. Offshore singles of Pom & Arctic Skua went past in minutes of each other around 0700ish & a Black Tern fed with up to 35 Common Terns off the point on the falling tide. Also moving offshore 4 Gannets, 4 Common Scoter, Great-crested Grebe & Sandwich Tern north, 63 Teal, Shelduck, Whimbrel & Oyk south. Also 25 Swallows went south & a Lapwing north over the obs. Plenty of finchy things are feeding on the reserve at the moment plus 4 Wheatears. In the moth department Cydia amplana is a half decent migrant.