Saturday 18th January 2014

On the move heading south 63 Kitts, 34 Cormorant, 9 Wigeon, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Brent & Guillemot plus going north 15 Red-throats & 15 Brent. 122 Cormorants flew out first thing to feed. The 7 Snow Bunts are still with us. Finally both Peregrines are about with the male knocking a wader into the sea offshore, a gull then picked the wader up & dropped it, the wader flew off and the Peregrine then clobbered it good and proper. Entertaining for the observers but less so for the poor wader (possibly a knot ?).

Friday 17th January 2014

Damp old morning. Moving south 24 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon, 12 Brent, 7 Turnstone, 4 Guillemot, Teal, Shoveler, Oyk, Bonxie & Razorbill plus heading north 98 Red-throated Diver, 3 Guillemot, 2 Gannet & Shoveler. Not a lot else to offer you folks !

Thursday 16th January 2014

Cracking Great-northern Diver south not far out this morning is always good to see. Also heading south 170 Kitts, 20 Brent, 6 Red-throated Diver, 4 Teal, 3 Pintail, 2 Oyk, 2 Guillemot, Shelduck & Common Scoter plus heading north 19 Red-throats & 7 Common Scoter. Only 155 Cormorants heading out to sea to feed off the sandbanks this morning. At least 2,000 sea gulls to look through - it would be nice for a large white winged gull to turn up as the only white winged gulls we see are the local Meds. 17 Mipits heading south is a bit odd for the time of year & conditions - but I said that the other day when some went past. Finally 7 Snow Bunts are still with us on the back beach this morning just south of the old jetty but as the little tinkers have wings they do move around the site a bit.

Wednesday 15th January 2014

Mild conditions with both elder & sycamore coming into bud. The daffs trying to come through are being grazed back by the rabbits despite being fairly unpalatable. Bird wise heading south 220 Kitts, 30 Common Scoter, 9 Shelduck, 8 Brent, 6 Kitts, 5 Red-throated Diver, 3 Wigeon, Goldeneye & Dunlin plus going north 7 Red-throated Diver, 6 Guillemot & Velvet Scoter. Not been down the point to check on the Snow Bunts but as a photographer with a big lens has been exhibiting behavioural characteristics of a man enjoying taking pics in that area I can only presume they are still there.

Tuesday 14th January 2014

Offshore heading south 56 Red-throated Diver, 10 Shelduck, 6 Guillemot, 4 Brent & Red-breasted Merganser plus going north 174 Red-throats & 6 Guillemot plus plenty of Cormorants coming & going. We do count the Cormorants - honest - it's just they go out in the morning, up & down all day and back inland to roost in the evening (if anyone is here to count them). 3 Guillemot also fishing offshore - after many years with few auks offshore we seem to be going back to the 90's with regular Guillemots offshore in the winter in small numbers. Most of the Red-throated Divers are in the mid to far distance with the movements related to tide times and weather and, as such, the direction they go in mid-winter is related to various factors rather than migratory movements at this time of the year. Finally 7 Snow Buntings still with us.

Ringing: 1 Greenfinch

Monday 13th January 2014

Cracking winters morning weather wise with Songie, Great Tits & wintering Robins singing their little hearts out. Plenty of gulls in the harbour to look through. Limited time spent starring out to sea into the bright sunshine but worth a note are 126 Cormorants heading out, 16 Shelduck, Goldeneye & Guillemot heading south plus going north 4 Golden Plover & 2 Brent. 7 Snow Buntings & 11 Ringos were on the shore near the point plus 3 Turnstone on the beach (we are still suffering from a distinct lack of Turnstones this winter).

Sunday 12th January 2014

Back to 7 Snow Buntings this morning - they are extremely confiding to the point whereby one can walk past them without seeing them and are tolerant of people & dogs going close by. Also noted 3 Mipits heading south for some reason. Offshore going south 140 Kitts, 78 Red-throated Diver, 30 Shelduck, 5 Brent & 2 Guillemot plus going north 17 Red-throats, 17 Brent & 2 Common Scoter.

Saturday 11th January 2014

Late blog for Saturday as your blogger was at Portland Bill for the AGM of the Bird Observatories Council. Back at Landguard birds noted included both Mr & Mrs Peregrine and an increase of Snow Buntings to 9. 152 Cormorants flew out to sea early on and on the move going south 50 Shelduck, 25 Kitts, 12 Brents, 8 Red-throated Diver, 8 Wigeon & 3 Guillemot plus going north 23 Red-throated Diver.