Saturday 4th January 2014

Windy - again ! Apart from a dose of Kitts offshore (350 south + 400 knocking about) sea-watching a bit poor. Going south 26 Brent, Red-throated Diver & Knot plus going north Fulmar, Red-throated Diver & Common Scoter. 7 Snow Bunts still with us.

Friday 3rd January 2014

On the move going south 231 Kitts, 51 Teal, 48 Golden Plover, 40 Wigeon, 27 Brent, 3 Shelduck, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Common Scoter, Goldeneye, Oyk & Guillemot plus heading north Common Scoter & Guillemot. 5 Goldfinch went south and 6 Snow Bunts were on the beach.

Thursday 2nd January 2014

50 Lapwing on the beach towards the point early on was a bit odd - but they were soon shifted by the first dog walker of the day. The sun came out so the opportunity to wander around the reserve was taken producing 7 Snow Bunts by the board-walk, but little else, although a Song Thrush burst into song at one point. Offshore heading south 20 Brent, 16 Red-throated Diver, 13 Wigeon, 11 Teal, 3 Shelduck, Great-crested Grebe, Goldeneye & Common Scoter plus heading north 14 Brent, 8 Red-throated Diver & a Mallard. At least 70 Kitts are knocking around with many of them in the harbour. Finally a Gannet followed a boat in and the 2 Little Owls were out sunning themselves.

Wednesday 1st January 2014

Increasing southerly gale as the morning progressed. Going south 946 Kitts, 127 Brent, 96 Wigeon, 80 Common Gull, 26 Teal, 12 Red-throated Diver, 11 Guillemot, 10 Gannet, 9 Gadwal, 8 Shoveler, 5 Shelduck, 4 Mallard, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Fulmar, 2 Dunlin, 2 Grey Plover, Pintail & Bonxie plus heading north 4 Brent, 3 Wigeon, 3 Guillemot, 2 Fulmar, Shelduck & Bonxie (definitely  2 Bonxie as one coming south as the same time as one went north). One of the Wigeon was a leucistic individual. Not really sure why the ducks are moving as there is no cold weather anywhere to my knowledge to force any migration - maybe they are just being flooded out of some of their feeding areas ? A Great Tit is singing his little head off as they are prone to do as the winter progresses.

2014

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December Ringing Total

For what it's worth just 7 birds ringed: 3 Blackbird, 1 Wood Pigeon, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch.

Tuesday 31st December 2013

Only the sixth site record of Storm Petrel was totally unexpected this morning as it drifted north, loitering as it went, not to far offshore at 0945ish. When you consider that one of the previous site records was of two dead at the lighthouse, that used to exist here, was way back in 1883 then you can appreciate what a major Landguard rarity this is. What was presumably yesterdays Great-northern Diver was also knocking about over the observatory and then south just offshore. 11 Gannets were following shipping and a Bonxie was loitering offshore on & off during the morning. On the move going south at least 1,336 Kitts but with many turning around following shipping then it's a tad difficult to work out how many are actually offshore. Also south bound 108 Cormorant, 19 Wigeon, 12 Guillemot, 10 Brent, 6 Gannet, 2 Fulmar, 2 Mallard, 2 Teal, 2 Pintail, Goldeneye, Common Scoter, Oystercatcher & Grey Plover plus going north 8 Guillemot, 2 Brent, Gannet, Red-throated Diver & Shelduck. The 2 Fulmar are the first for ages and included a "blueish" one - but then again Fulmar go out to sea in the autumn to feed and moult only reappearing later in the winter.

Monday 30th December 2013

Increasing southerly gale as the morning progressed. Our best Guillemot count for many a year was achieved with 20 south & 3 north. A Great-northern Diver flew from the river, over the reserve, pitching in just offshore to commence fishing before drifting northwards. Also noted going south 230 Kitts, 8 Shelduck, 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Common Scoter, Gannet, Teal, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser & Curlew plus going north 2 Red-throated Diver.

Sunday 29th December 2013

Clear frosty start. The 8 Snow Bunting are still present and accounted for. A walk round the reserve produced 2 Skylark heading south but very little else. I say little else but what is meant by that is just the usual few Med Gulls & the other garden birds that frequent here at this time of the year. A Little Owl & the male Peregrine were out sunning themselves on the usual perches. Bit concerned about the lack of Turnstone this winter as they are definitely thin on the ground or even non-existent most days - hopefully they are along the prom up the town end and not just declining in numbers. Nil time spent staring out to sea this morning so nowt to report in that department.