Saturday 21st February 2015

4 Siskin & 2 Jackdaw went south with 61 Brents coming out then north. The 2 Firecrest are still with us. Got no photo of any birds this morning so here's a cuddly bunny rabbit - many of them in the observatory compound are very tame as they are used to us coming and going.

Ringing: 1 greenfinch, 1 wood pigeon

Friday 20th February 2015

Flat calm so came across the 2 Firecrest in brambles on the reserve but the only other things of note out there were single Lapwing (that narrowly avoided being taken by Peregrine) & Skylark. Offshore heading south 7 Shelduck, 3 Brent, 2 Red-throated Diver plus north bound 13 Brent, 3 Shelduck & 3 Oyks. It's the time of the year when the Newts are starting to newt around in the pond.

February Litter Pick

Litter Pick this Saturday 21st February 0930hrs start. Usual arrangements on the events page of www.lbo.org.uk

Thursday 19th February 2015

Offshore heading north 63 Brent, 9 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shelduck plus south bound Black-throated Diver, Great-crested Grebe & Shelduck. New adult male + adult female Blacky's & a new Songie ringed are the first new ones this year indicating the start of spring passage for these species. Lichenised fungi identification is out of my league so don't expect to many of them to be identified by yours truly. Yellow Scales Xanthoria parietina however is doable that is an abundant species that can get to be very old the larger it gets and somehow manages to survive in some of the bleakest areas of Landguard.

Ringing: 2 blackbird, 1 song thrush, 1 greenfinch.

Wednesday 18th February 2015

2 Firecrest in the Holm Oaks again this morning (having reappeared yesterday for the first time since 27th January after yesterdays blog was done). The 6 Snow Bunting flew north along the beach to pitch in I know not where. A single Skylark was on the reserve and a Jackdaw flew south. Plenty of locals singing at the moment with male Greenfinch in competition with each other for mates & territories.

Ringing: 1 house sparrow, 1 greenfinch.

Tuesday 17th February 2015

An alien female Peregrine turned up to wind up the locals but soon departed after much vocal interaction between the birds. 2 Skylark flew north with another 2 on the reserve were signs of spring. A Lapwing was on the beach, Rock Pipit on the point with 6 Snow Bunting along the boardwalk nearby.

Ringing: 1 house sparrow

Monday 15th February 2015

Thick fog so early blog (if anyone has any sightings later this blog can always be added to). 7 Fieldfare, 2 Lapwing plus the return of the 3 Snow Buntings flying around appeared out of the murk but a gaggle of Barnacles heard flying north during a period when the fog was particularly thick could not be seen. Only 3 Collared Doves on the wires so the other one is presumably back incubating again.

Sunday 15th February 2015

2 Goldcrests in the Holm Oaks were unexpected. One of these birds is wearing a ring with the other not. The last Goldcrest seen here was in early December 2014 and as they were regularly calling to each other I don't think we would have overlooked them since then. It's a bit early for spring passage to start in this species so have they been wintering somewhere nearby like the grounds of Custom House or around Adastral Close ? Either way it is not thought that they have come far. The 2 Firecrest that turned up in mid-January have not been seen since the 27th so maybe these Goldcrests are a bit like them that were suspected of just wandering down here from not to far away. On the other hand all our theories on crest migration times could possibly be incorrect and they do migrate in the winter ! A couple of Mipits were wizzing around over the obs this morning is a more expected time for spring passage to get going in this species that regularly starts towards the end of February following mild conditions. Also on the move this morning several small groups of Barnacle Geese heading south totalling 100, 20 Brents out then north, 17 Shelduck heading out & a single Greylag going south. Mr & Mrs Peregrine are well established and will get down to business soon - they are a lot easier to photograph than Goldcrests as they sit still in the open.