Saturday 1st September 2012

Ringing this morning just managed to edge into double figures with migrants being represented by a juvenile Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler. A good movement of ducks offshore with 106 Teal and 77 Wigeon. Also moving were 3 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, a Greenshank, 11 Sarnie Terns, 3 Med Gulls, 10 Golden Plover, 10 Yellow Wagtail and an Arctic Skua. A Redstart remained in the beach bushes with couple of Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and a few Lesser Whitethroats too. Late news concerns 13 Med Gulls in the evening plus the Spanish Sparrow seen & photographed coming into the roost along View Point Road in the evening.

August 2012 Ringing totals

A good month ringing produced 390 new birds of 33 species the highest total for this month since 2005 (416). Top of the charts were Willow Warbler 133, Linnet 76 and Starling 36. The totals for Willow Warbler and Linnet are considerably higher than last year when only 47 and 23 were ringed, respectively. Highlights included a Wood Warbler, Nightingale, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and a new adult Little Owl.

Willow Warbler	133		Chaffinch	3
Linnet	76		Wood Pigeon	2
Starling	36		Chiffchaff	2
Greenfinch	34		Blackcap	2
Wren	15		Sparrowhawk	1
Whitethroat	13		Swallow	1
House Sparrow	10		Nightingale	1
Pied Flycatcher	9		Redstart	1
Blackbird	8		Tree Pipit	1
Goldfinch	6		Pied Wagtail	1
Garden Warbler	5		Little Owl	1
Robin	5		Blue Tit	1
Reed Warbler	5		Wood Warbler	1
Dunnock	4		Kestrel	1
Great tit	4		Black Redstart	1
Lesser Whitethroat	3		Great-spotted Woodpecker	1
Sedge Warbler	3		Total	390

Friday 31st August 2012

We were blasted by North Westerlies all night and into this morning so only had 2 new Greenfinches to show in the ringing totals. A few things elsewhere though including a Redstart, Tree Sparrrow, 60 odd Common Tern, 33 Teal, A manx Shearwater being pursued by and Arctic Skua, 2 Black Tern, a couple of Kittwake, 27 Redshank, 4 Each of Curlew and Whimbrel, a Golden Plover and a Sanderling. Predictably the moth traps were poor with barely a dozen species and not many more individuals, however the usual characters in the butterfly department did make it out later in the day as the wind dropped.

Thursday 30th August 2012

Rain until mid morning curtailed catching efforts so only 3 new birds added today, Greenfinch, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. A few other Whitethroats dotted around along with a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warbler, male Blackcap and 3 Wheatears. On the move 37 Teal, Little Egret, 6 Grey Plover, a 1st Summer Med Gull, 9 each of Redshank and Wigeon, 1 Ringed and 1 Golden Plover, 4 Swift, 13 Knot and a Little Tern. Bordered Straw was the highlight of the immigrant moths in the decidedly quiet traps.

Wednesday 29th August 2012

A juv Merlin, the 2nd of the autumn, is also on the early side so let's hope they had a good breeding season up north. Apart from this it's hard work at the moment. The highlights of next to nothing going past were 2 Gannets, single Kittiwake & Golden Plover. 4 Yellow Wags going south overhead but almost nothing else noted in the vis mig department. On the reserve 3 Wheatears & a Whinchat with the bushes producing just a couple of Willows, Whitethroats & a Lesser.

Tuesday 28th August 2012

A quiet morning today with more butterflies than birds hanging around. New Lesser Whitethroat and a couple of Linnets ringed with 6 Wheatear on the reserve and the odd Willow Warbler and a long staying juvenile Chiffchaff flitting about. Passing by a couple each of Yellow Wagtail, Turnstone, Sandwich Tern, Curlew mixed with the odd few Swallows too.

Fencing for ground nesting birds

It's planned to take the fencing for ground nesting birds down tomorrow Tuesday 28th starting at the cottage at 0930hrs. Compared with putting it up, taking it down is a doddle but many hands make light work. All welcome. Please wear appropriate clothing & footwear for the task in hand.

Monday 27th August 2012

A Tree Sparrow here first thing with 6 more dropping in not long afterwards. A handful of new Willow Warblers & a new Sparrowhawk in today but little else of note in the grounded migrants department. The long staying Nightingale appears to still be here with us. On the move 100 Teal, 21 Swallows, 8 Turnstone, 4 Oyks, 4 Yellow Wags, 4 Sand Martin, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Grey Plover, Little Egret, Barwit, Tree Pipit, House Martin & Crossbill all going south. A Razorbill flew in from the north pitching in on the sea offshore is a good Landguard sighting.

Sunday 26th August 2012

A blustery morning making observing far from ideal. Nil birds ringed gives one a good indication of how exciting it all is. The highlights on the reserve are 2 Wheatear, Whinchat & Tree Sparrow. Very little going past offshore or overhead with a grand total of just 5 waders, 2 Yellow Wags & a Fulmar going south. A Painted Lady is worth a mention amongst a paltry selection of records on the pad to write up. Is the depressive tone of this blog due to the lack of birds or the ineptitude of the observers down here when it comes down to re finding the Spanish Sparrow ?