Saturday 24th May 2014

A wet morning with a light easterly - to moderate south-easterly. The only migrants noted were a couple of lingering Wheatear on the reserve, a Spotted Flycatcher at the back of the Obs and a handful of hirundines heading south. Offshore 22 Gannet & 2 Fulmar south and a Gannet & a couple of Fulmar north.

Ringing; 1 Greenfinch, 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Friday 23rd May 2014

Hopes were high with a nice south-easterly wind, however the only birds of note were 3 Wheatear on the reserve, 42 Swallow, 3 House Martin & 1 Swift south and 134 Brent Geese heading north.

Ringing; 1 Blackbird.

Litter Pick

Litter pick this Saturday 24th May 0930hrs start. Further info on the events page of www.lbo.co.uk

Thursday 22nd May 2014

Strong winds greeted us this morning after the overnight rain. A steady trickle of birds by including 55 Swallow, 16 Swift, 8 House Martin, 8 Grey Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit south and 41 Brent Geese north, otherwise it was very quiet.

Wednesday 21st May 2014

An overcast but warm day with a slight southerly breeze. There was a good movement of Brent Geese heading back to their breeding grounds this morning with nearly 1000 logged. Other than these few migrants were about apart from 11 summer plumaged Sanderling, 4 Wheatear, a Blackcap, a few Whitethroat & Lesser Whitethroat and 31 Swallow & a Yellow Wagtail south. There were also a good number of young birds about which is reflected in the ringing totals.

24 Birds ringed; 6 Greenfinch, 5 Linnet, 3 Great Tit, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 House Sparrow.

Tuesday 20th May 2014

Pleasant light south breeze brings hope of a decent migrant - unfortunately it's largely a migrant free zone so far with just the usual birds in the usual places. 39 Brents came out high over the docks & headed north-east, a single flock of 12 Dunlin went south & an Arctic Tern headed north. In the land bird department 21 Swallow & a Swift went south but otherwise it's deadly quiet. Insects far more interesting with an Ingrailed Clay a notable moth for us. Lots of butterflies & tiny tots around the bushes in the warm sunshine with large numbers of Adela crosella on the privet (pic above).

3 birds ringed: great tit, pied wagtail, greenfinch.

Monday 19th May 2014

A hot day with a slight south-south-east breeze.  There are plenty of young birds out and about this morning but few migrants apart from a Spotted Flycatcher, and a Siskin, a Yellow Wagtail & 4 Swallows south.
In amongst the 41 species of moths in the traps was a Haworth's Pug, the first to be caught on the site.

12 Birds ringed; 7 Great Tit, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Greenfinch, 1 Linnet.

Sunday 18th May 2014

The potential for a good bird or two failed to materialise into reality despite the south-easterly winds. In fact very little of anything was seen today, although of some note maybe the 105 Barnacle Geese going south, along with 30 north. Apart from 26 Brent Geese that flew north after exiting the river, 3 sanderling were seen briefly on the tideline, 1 Greenshank north, and 5 Tufted Duck and 1 Pochard south. .

Ringing total of 12 birds was mainly recently fledged  juveniles and pulli, the only migrant ringed was 1 Chiffchaff. Of the other 11, there were 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Greenfinch and 1 each of Great Tit, Goldfinch, Linnet and Blackbird.  A controlled Chiffchaff was also processed.