Saturday 29th September 2012

On the move 535 Swallows, 201 Goldies, 152 Mipits(+80 grounded), 123 House Martin, 120 Chaffs, 8 Pied Wags, 5 Siskins, 3 Reed Bunts, 2 Redpolls, Sand Martin & Yellow Wag. A selection of migrants on site including 6 Blackcap, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Wheatears, 3 Skylarks (1st of autumn), 2 Redstarts, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Brambling, Lesser throat, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Rock Pipit, Golden Plover & Merlin. A Shag just offshore may have been clobbered by Greater Black-backs. Convolvulus Hawk-moth in good condition was in the moth traps. A nice selection to keep us amused.

Friday 28th September 2012

Barred Warbler found on the reserve late morning 30 yards due south-east of the "what's about" board. Apart from this it's a fairly typical late September morning in south-westers. New in are a dozen Chiffs, 5 Blackcaps plus a handful of Songies, Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrests, Brambling & a Whitethroat. Left overs from recent days are Pied Fly, 2 Redstart & Whitethroat. 3 Tree Sparrows were whizzing around first thing & 2 Jackdaws explored the Fort for a while. 5 Wheatears & a Tree Pipit are on the reserve with a Reed Bunt on the point. On the move 1,000 hirundines south plus 156 Mipits(+40 on reserve), 84 Goldies, 38 Chaffs, 3 Pied Wags & a Reed Bunt. Offshore 100 assorted dabbling ducks, 3 Great-crested Grebes & a small handful of waders going south. Migrant moths have been low in numbers so it was good to get a Scarce Bordered Straw today. Finally a Painted Lady put in an appearance on the Icky ridge. Pm update of 8 Black Terns & a Merlin in off early afternoon.

Thursday 27th September 2012

Fairly predictable end of September sort of morning considering the weather with a selection of migrants in low numbers including  a handful of new Robins, Dunnocks, Songies, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Wheatears, 3 Redstarts, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Willows, Chiff, Whitethroat, Lesser throat, Pied Fly & Reed Bunting. Only a couple of hundred hirundines moving this morning plus 52 Goldies(+25 grounded), 34 Mipits(+50 grounded), 16 Chaffs, 5 Pied Wag & 1 Grey Wag. Offshore movements pathetic.

SPANISH SPARROW REPORTED TO PAGER NORTH OF LANDGUARD ALONG VIEW POINT ROAD MIDDAY.

Wednesday 26th September 2012

Almost a thousand Swallows heading south plus 35 Wigeon, 34 Mipits, 34 Brents, 29 Goldies, 11 Chaffs, 10 Teal, 9 Siskin, 9 House Martin, 3 Sand Martin, 2 Pied Wags & a Mallard. Quieter in and around the bushes with a small handful of new Songies, Robins, Blackcaps, Chiffs & a Willow new in. 4 Wheatears & at least 3 Redstarts are scattered around the site. Finally, what is presumably yesterdays Pied Fly is still with us. After a reasonably pleasant morning it's now bucketing down again. Today's ringing total has just squeezed into double figure.

Tuesday 25th September 2012

A bit more of a hint of Eastern Migrants today with 5 new Redstarts and a Pied Flycatcher ringed. A Rock Pipit was the first of the Autumn and Meadow Pipit numbers on the reserve had swelled to 45 birds. Amongst them the odd Blackcap, 2 Wheatear, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and a single Whitethroat. 200 odd Swallows passed through with 300 Brent over the sea being the main passage of wildfowl.

Ringing totals: Redstart 5, Robin 4, Goldcrest 1, Chaffinch 1, Chiffchaff 1, Song Thrush 1, Whitethroat 1, Swallow 1, Pied Flycatcher 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Reed Warbler 1 = 18

Petrol Mower

We are on the scrounge for a petrol driven mower to help keep the vegetation under control. If anyone has one that they are willing to donate to our good selves then please drop us a line to landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk On the other hand if anyone knows a source of second hand machines at a reasonable price then please also get in touch.

Monday 24th September 2012

The easterly influenced conditions brought us an arrival of new birds including 25 Robins, 5 Songies, 5 Redstarts, 4 Wheatears, 3 Willows, 2 Chiffs, 2 Blackcaps, Mistle Thrush, Great-spotted Wood & Lapwing. Overhead going south 10 Mipits, 2 Jackdaws & a Grey Wag plus 46 Swallows going north. Offshore going south 771 Wigeon, 629 Teal, 25 Brents, 17 Shoveler, 12 Cormorants, 6 Sanderling, 5 Tufteds, 4 Gadwal, 4 Eider, 2 Pintail, 2 Red-throated Divers (+ 1 in the river out the back), Razorbill, Kitt, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew & an Oyk. Going north 15 Common Scoter, 6 Gannets, 3 Guillimots, 2 Arctic Skua plus a handful of terns offshore including 2 Little's. Only 11 Meds noted so far today. Apologies for the long lists but at least a nice selection of birdies to keep us entertained. The weather changed suddenly early pm to a south-westerly gale & a torrential downpour soaking everyone & everything.

27 new birds ringed including our 3rd great-spot in the past week.

Sunday 23rd September 2012

With little in the way of passerines in the bushes this morning the main passage was out at sea. 2 Leaches Petrel, a Pomarine Skua, a Short-eared Owl, a Sooty Shearwater and 2 Manx Shearwater were the highlights amongst the gaggle below...

350 Wigeon, 200 Brent Goose, 350 Teal, 90 Common Scoter, 30 Arctic Skua,  2 Guillemot, 8 Med Gulls, 190 Gannet, 2 Razorbill, 4 Fulmar and a bakers dozen of Barnacle Geese.

The lonely 4 birds ringed were a Great-spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, Blue Tit and Greenfinch, all this years juveniles. 2 Redstarts out on the reserve were about the only other passerines new in.