Saturday 18th May 2013

A quiet day with the only passerines of note being a Black Redstart and 2 Jay. Offshore was more productive with a Black Tern heading into the river from the north,  19 Gannets, 13 Little Terns, 5 Great Crested Grebes and a Fulmar all south and heading north were 47 Gannets, 24 Common Scoter and a Greenshank. Late news - male Red-backed Shrike found on the reserve mid- pm.

3 birds were ringed; 2 Linnet and a Willow Warbler.

Friday 17th May 2013

5 porpoise are the most thing notable today as this is a site record count. Bird wise just a handful of common migrants in the bushes & on the reserve incliding a Turtle Dove. Offshore 14 Gannets north plus 22 south, 48 Common Scoter north,  2 Gadwal north, 2 Fulmar south as well as a couple of waders & terns moving. Temperatures a bit on the low side for mid May is not ideal all round.

Thursday 16th May 2013

The wind had abated from yesterday to a light southeasterly. A  few migrants were in evidence with a Firecrest, 9 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Warblers and a Tree Pipit all present. Offshore movement involved 2 Wigeon, 12, Little Terns, 15 Common Scoter, 19 Kittiwake and 2 Pochard all south and 28 Common Scoter and 10 Little Terns north.

8 birds were ringed; 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and single Wren, Chaffinch and Firecrest

Wednesday 15th May 2013

Gale force winds overnight continued during the morning, Seawatching was slow but productive this morning with  a Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 4 Fulmars, a Gannet, a Manx Shearwater and a Kittiwake all heading north and heading south were 4 Tufted Ducks, 29 Common Scoter, a Dunlin, a Pochard and another Manxie. Other birds seen were 84 Swifts, 22 House Martins, 10 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins all south, a Whinchat near the Butts and a Honey Buzzard 'inoff' before continuing inland.

Tuesday 14th May 2013

Wasn't expecting much this morning so both Marsh & Wood Warbler were a bit of a surprise - but hay ho it's May so anything can happen despite the weather not looking ideal. Other migrants present in very small numbers were a small handful of Whitethroats & Willows plus single Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Garden Warbler. At least 11 Wheatear on the reserve. Visible migrants included 21 Swallow, 4 Jackdaw, 3 Goldfinch, 2 House Martin south plus a Hobby north. Starring out to sea is a bit like watching paint dry with the highlights being 2 Barwit & a Red-breasted Merganser north. The moth traps have produced abysmally low numbers of moths so far this spring with the results from three traps this morning being just one Angle Shades - consequently readers will appreciate why the moths have had very few mentions so far this year.

6 Birds ringed : Marsh Warbler, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Linnet.

Monday 13th May 2013

On the move in a southerly direction 90 Swallows, 19 Dunlin, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Sand Martins, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Kitts, 2 Rook, Red-throated Diver, Little Egret & Yellow Wag. 9 Wheatear on the reserve but next to no other grounded migrants on an increasingly windy morning.

Ringing: 1 Whitethroat - well worth getting up at 4 am for !

Sunday 12th May 2013

A bright but windy day. Vis mig produced 45 Swallows, 3 Sand Martins, 8 Swift, a Yellow Wagtail and 18 Goldfinch. Other migrants about were a Reed Warbler, 4 Jay and 5 Wheatear. Offshore 5 Common Scoter, 2 Little Egrets, 9 Little Terns and 2 Turnstone were the highlights.

2 birds ringed; Willow Warbler & Reed Warbler.