The autumn's not over until the fat Blackies arrive ! Not a lot up to 9am after which a few "turdus types" started arriving with at least 150 Blackies, 79 Redwing & 39 Fieldfares making landfall and, then mostly, departing fairly quickly inland. Grounded passerines characteristically thin on the ground although including Brambling plus 17 Snow Bunts on the beach. Also over the reserve 17 Mipits south, Jackdaw, Snipe plus a Woodcock with the male Peregrine hotly in pursuit after it but failing as the Woodcock dived into a bramble bush for cover with the Peregrine to whimpy to follow in after it. Offshore interesting movements included south bound: 243 Brents, 190 Wigeon, 180 Dunlin, 165 Teal, 75 Shoveler (a very good count for us), 27 Lapwing, 11 Goldeneye, 11 Ringed Plover, 9 Common Scoter, 8 Mallard, 8 Gadwal, 7 Red-throated Divers, 5 Turnstone, 2 Oyks, 2 Bonxie, Arctic Skua, Great-crested Grebe, Heron, Grey Plover, Curlew, Snipe & Guillemot with the number of Gannets going back & forth difficult to ascertain as in recent days they seem to be in the habit of following the shipping & trawlers offshore. 2 adult Bewick's Swans came in straight off the sea late morning calling evocatively as they were obviously pleased to see land. The moth traps brought us only the second site record of Winter Moth with the previous one way back in 1997 - this is a common enough moth not far from here but it obviously does not find Landguard to it's liking.
Ringing: 43 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing.
