Saturday 29th June 2013

Handful of Curlews going south but little else to report except that we have baby Ringed Plovers on the beach.

Friday 28th June 2013

A fully fledged juv Nightingale is a bit early in the autumn with passage in this species not normally starting until mid July. A dispersing juv Great-spotted Woodpecker also put in an appearance this morning. Baby Whitethroats out today which is good. Offshore 27 Curlews, single Whimbrel & Barwit went south.

13 birds ringed: 6 Greenies, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Wren, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Nightingale.

Thursday 27th June 2013

Off note this morning a dispersing juv Grey Wag & a visit by a Stock Dove which is a species that formerly was here all summer but one that now only visits infrequently at this time of the year. Going south 18 Curlew & 2 Sand Martin plus Common Scoter north & 3 Mute Swans in off the sea. It's good to see the baby Wrens have emerged today. Finally a Dark Sword Grass was in the traps - migrant moths have been scarce so far this year. Meadow Brown was the first of the year.

Wednesday 26th June 2013

Landguard Mega - Nuthatch - only the 3rd site record. Total of 50 Sand Martins south is indicative of autumn passage as is the continuation of Curlews going south with another 43 past so far this morning. 3 Avocets went east out to sea. It's pleasing to report that one of the pairs of Lesser 'throats have got their babes out today. Just prior to scripting this blog a Skylark burst into song overhead & a Clouded Yellow fed on the Viper's Bugloss at the observatory watch point.

29 birds ringed: 8 Greenies, 7 Great Tit, 5 Robin (pulli), 4 Linnet, 2 Dunnock, 2 Lesser 'throats, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 25th June 2013

Cool start but it has finally started to feel like summer as the morning went on. 42 Barnacles north at 0445hrs - what on earth is going on with this species that was a distinct rarity here up to 25 years ago ! Going south 20 Common Scoter, 12 Curlew & 8 Swallows plus a Little Egret north and a handful of terns coming & going. Baby bird time of the year with us finally ringing our first baby Blackbird of the year illustrating just what a struggle some species are having trying to rear any young this year down here. A couple of Painted Ladies have shown up in recent days which are hopefully the harbingers of more to come.

Ringing 9 birds. Apologies for the lack of ringing totals on several days this month but totals have been pathetic at what should be a busy time for baby birds. Worth a mention today is the retraping of our local male Chaffinch who has been with us since March 2007 - it's not often he makes a mistake & gets caught.

Monday 24th June 2013

Still windy but now north-westerly & not very warm for the end of June. Are we going to get a summer this year ? 2 Turtle Dove are notable - late spring migrants or failed breeders going walkabout ? Just a handful of terns offshore plus a couple of Curlew going past this morning. Numbers of moths in traps still very low not helped by windy conditions & temperatures.

Sunday 23rd June 2013

Still windy. Going south 398 Swifts, 9 Goldfinch, 8 Swallow, 3 Curlew, 2 House Martin, 2 Oyks, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Kittiwake plus a Gannet north. Good views of a Hobby were had & an Arctic Tern was amongst the Common Terns offshore.