Saturday 26th April 2014

The morning started with a strong south-east wind and clear skies but by about 8am it had started raining. Few birds were about apart from single Siskin, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and a singing Garden Warbler in the compound and 10 Wheatear on the reserve. Offshore 17 Barnacle Geese, 15 Common Tern and 5 Fulmar flew north and 23 Barnacle Geese, 7 Grey Plover, 2 Whimbrel & a Bar-tailed Godwit flew south.

Ringing; 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Siskin.

Friday 25th April 2014

A misty start with a stiff northerly breeze and occasional rain in the morning. Generally a quiet day apart from 5 Lesser Whitethroat, a Brambling and 4 Yellow Wagtails, a Blue-headed Wagtail & 15 Wheatear on the reserve, whilst overhead 17 Swallows headed north. Offshore a Great Skua wondered in and out of the mist and 4 Common Tern, 5 Whimbrel, 54 Grey Plover and a Goosander headed north.

Ringing; 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

Litter Pick

Litter pick this Saturday 26th April 0930hrs start. Further info on the events page of www.lbo.co.uk

Thursday 24th April 2014

A warm calm day. Migrants were in short supply this morning apart from 14 Wheatear & 2 Yellow Wagtails towards the Point and 3 of both Common & Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler & our second Garden Warbler of the spring most of which were in the trapping area. Overhead 4 Yellow Wagtail & 9 Swallow flew south. Offshore 10 Common Tern & 4 Sandwich Tern flew north.
At least 4 Porpoise were seen several times off the Point. The first Sloe Carpet for the site was found on the outside of one of the moth traps, this is a local species in the county.

12 Birds ringed; 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet and single Robin, Garden Warbler, Collared Dove, Wheatear & Blackcap.

Wednesday 23rd April 2014

A clear sky overnight with light easterlies. A fresh collection of migrants were in this morning with another Nightingale that was singing behind the Obs after being ringed, a nice male Redstart also caught early on, other birds included 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff & a Black Redstart. The only Ring Ouzel of the day was seen briefly along the road and on the reserve 14 Wheatear were located including one that gave a brief song. A few Yellow Wagtails, Swallows and a Sand Martin passed overhead. Offshore a couple of Kittiwake & Fulmar flew past and a Little Tern headed north.

12 Birds ringed; 2 Blackbird, 2 Willow warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat and single Chiffchaff, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat & Nightingale. A control Dunnock was also caught.

Tuesday 22nd April 2014

The overnight rain had cleared leaving a damp and misty morning with light southerly winds. Expectations were high for some quality birds, and at last we were not disappointed. A Nightingale was singing around the entrance gate from before dawn and later flew into a net. Several migrant warblers turned up on site including 10 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, and a small number of Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers. A Dotterel was heard calling by several observers but alas could not be located. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were displaying in the aggregate yard before being flushed, and 15 Wheatear, 5 Ring Ouzels, 3 Fieldfare and a superb male Pied Flycatcher showed off and on behind the obs lookout. A few Yellow Wagtails, Swallows and Goldfinchs passed overhead, while offshore 3 Little Tern, 20 Curlew, 8 Whimbrel, a Fulmar and a Little Gull all passed by. On the ringing front a much better days total was had.

Birds ringed 25.  6 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Nightingale, 1 Swallow, 1 Wheatear, 1 Robin, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Linnet.

Monday 21st April 2014

A north to north-easterly breeze gradually increasing as the morning progressed. Following overnight rain there was a nice selection of migrants about. On the reserve there were 14 Wheatear and a nice group of 4 Ring Ouzels, other migrants included 4 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Yellow Wagtails (north), 6 Swallow(1 south, 3 north & 2 west) and single Black Redstart, Sand Martin, House Martin & Jay (the last 3 all north). Other birds of note were a Common Tern that flew out of the river and then north and a Grey Heron also north.

A Hairy Dragonfly put in an appearance at the southern end of the compound, a species that is not frequent here and was as far as I am aware the earliest record for the site. Also of note was a Brimstone on the Butts which was the first since 2004.

8 Birds ringed; 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff and single Greenfinch, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & Linnet. The was also a control Blackcap.

Sunday 20th April 2014

Despite the conditions having the potential for a good fall of birds, the cloud and rain came too late to drop anything in. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. The days  meagre offerings consisted of 1 Gannet and 2 Swallows north and 1 Whimbrel south, plus 1 Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff on site.

Ringing was equally poor with the only birds ringed being the 1 Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff.