Saturday 1st June 2013

A quieter day today with the only migrants about being a Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, 8 Swifts, 3 House Martins and 16 Swallows. Offshore 2 Gannets and a Fulmar  headed south and a Shag was on the sea at the Point. The first Brown Argus of the year was found on the Common and an Azure Damselfly and 2 Large Red Damselflies were in the compound.

5 birds were ringed; 2 Greenfinch and single Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff & Woodpigeon

May 2013 Ringing Totals

A total of 126 of 28 species were ringed. This is the lowest May total apart from the first years ringing in 1983.

Jay	1	Wren	2
Firecrest	3	Starling	1
Blue Tit	1	Blackbird	2
Great Tit	3	Song Thrush	1
Swallow	1	Spotted Flycatcher	5
Wood Warbler	2	Robin	3
Chiffchaff	16	Redstart	1
Willow Warbler	19	Dunnock	2
Blackcap	6	Meadow Pipit	9
Garden Warbler	1	Chaffinch	4
Lesser Whitethroat	3	Greenfinch	6
Whitethroat	11	Goldfinch	1
Marsh Warbler	1	Linnet	18
Reed Warbler	2	Lesser Redpoll	1

Friday 31st May 2013

New in today 4 Chiffs, 2 Spot Fly, 2 new Wheatear, Garden Warbler & Blackcap prooving that spring passage continues for some species. A handful of hirundines moving but staring out to sea is a bit like watching paint dry. Warmer conditions as the day went on made it more pleasant not just for the observers but for the insects on site including a Painted Lady.

5 birds ringed - 2 Chiffchaff, Spot Fly, Garden Warbler & Blackap.

Thursday 30th May 2013

Migrants in short supply with just single Chiffchaff & Wheatear on site. The odd hirundine trickled through as did 3 Barnacles & 3 Mute Swans. Offshore 22 Scoter went north plus 5 south, 7 Gannet south, 3 Fulmar south & 3 Kitts north plus a handful of terns coming & going. Hard work not helped by the northerly airflow & below average temps.

Ringing 1 greenfinch.

Wednesday 29th May 2013

More migrants around today including 4 Spot fly, 2 Chiffs, 2 Willows, Reed Warbler, Cuckoo a new Lesser throat. A Kestrel & a Crow came in off the sea. A Grey Plover was sat on the beach & 4 Sanderling droped in on the beach later in the morning. 23 Swallows, 3 House Matin & 3 Swift went south & a Wheatear was on the reserve. Offshore Whimbrel & Barwit went north with 2 Great- crested Grebe & 6 Sandwich Tern south. Worth a mention is the RDB moth Ethnia bipunctella in the traps.

Ringing : 2 Spot Fly, 2 Chiffchaff, Lesser throat, Swallow & Greenfinch

Tuesday 28th May 2013

An overcast day with southeasterlies looked promising first thing but as the morning went on the only birds new were 6 Crossbills heading north, a Hobby, 2 Avocets leaving south and 3 Med Gulls offshore.

Monday 27th May 2013

Todays migrants were 2 Wheatear, Jay, Spot Fly & Wood Warbler plus 8 Sanderling on the beach. Going south 28 Swallows, 11 Goldfinch, 8 House Martin, 2 Swifts plus 3 Jackdaws whizzing around for a while before departing to the north. Offshore 47 Brents, single Greylag & Curlew north plus 9 Canada Geese, 8 Oyks & 2 Fulmar south. A Great-crested Grebe sat on the sea should really be nesting somewhere at this time of the year. In the baby bird department, apart from a dose of young Starlings, other youngsters are almost non-existent with just one brood of Dunnock noted so far this year and nothing else. This suggests, that not only are many species nesting later this year, but those that have tried to breed are struggling to churn any young out.

Ringing: Single Wood Warbler & Starling.

Sunday 26th May 2013

Spot Fly was todays new migrant in the bushes. 3 Wheatear on the reserve. 3 Crossbill went south & 5 Jayspaid us a visit. Other movers & shakers included 3 Barnacle Geese in off, 25 Swallows, 3 House & 2 Sand Martin south plus offshore 59 Brent, 46 Black-heads, Turnstone, Whimbrel, Arctic Tern & Grey Heron north with 2 Tufteds & a Fulmar south.

Ringing 1 Spot Fly & two broods of Mipits.