Shorebird Fencing

Weather permitting it is intended to erect the Shorebird Fencing for the benefit of ground nesting birds plus the rare shingle flora on the beach Tuesday 24th March 2015. Many hands make light work so if you want to come & help then you are more than welcome. Please meet at the garage alongside the cottage at 0930hrs and wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the task in hand.

Saturday 21st March 2015

Yet another cold and windy day, with light rain showers in between. Still very little signs of spring, when will this warm weather arrive?

Early this morning, 2 Woodcock put in an appearance but weren't seen again. This might be a sign of more to come, looking at the upcoming weather forecast - a cold weather front next week.

Offshore, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver, 3 Oystercatcher, 4 Shelduck, 12 Brent Geese, 21 Cormorant, 45 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull and 2 Ringed Plover were the best of the rest.

At the observatory, 5 Redwing, 7 Carrion Crow, 1 Jackdaw, 6 Pied Wagtail, 31 Starling, 4 Magpie, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Siskin, 1 Yellowhammer, 3 Grey Wagtail, 5 Chaffinch and 3 Song Thrush.

A Firecrest was heard briefly on-site and 3 Black Redstart are still with us, mainly favouring their time out on the nature reserve.

Interestingly, during the litter pick this morning, a decent sized piece of amber was picked up.

Ringing: 3 Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Chaffinch.

Friday 20th March 2015

Continued overnight thick cloud and murky conditions proved to be beneficial on the bird front, albeit only a handful of birds around. During the morning, 10 Redwing, 21 Starling and 3 Fieldfare came out of their overnight roosts. Elsewhere on-site were 6 Song Thrush and 25 Blackbird.

Also on-site 5 Wren, 20 Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Black Redstart, 7 Pied Wagtail and 1 Chiffchaff. Offshore, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck, 11 Cormorant, 72 Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Common Scoter, along with 1 first-summer Caspian Gull and 4 Yellow-legged Gull, (3 Adults and 1 2nd summer).

Plenty of gulls lingering offshore too, following many of the container ships in-and-out of Felixstowe. Estimates of 2,000 Herring Gull, 300 Great Black-Backed Gull, 250 Lesser Black-Backed Gull and 30 Black-headed Gull were made.

A small number of new Blackbirds around this morning with some showing signs of continental origin.

Ringing: 4 Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 1 Wren and 1 Robin.

March Litter Pick

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

Thursday 19th March 2015

Yet another bleak and foggy day today, with fewer birds around on-site than yesterday. Thick cloud and overnight fog grounded 14 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare and 40 Starling. Other birds of note came in the form of 3 Goldcrest, 20 Dunnock, 20 Blackbird, 1 Firecrest, 22 Linnet, 6 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Snipe and 1 Yellow-legged and 1 Caspian Gull, picked out by a few lucky observers.

Just 3 out of the 5 Black Redstarts were still around this morning, favouring the area near the cottage.

Offshore was a little quiet but 1 Oystercatcher, 7 Brent Goose, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 1 Mute Swan with 1 Female Common Scoter and 1 Grey Plover lingered.

Ringing: 2 Dunnock, 1 Redwing, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Wren and 1 Collared Dove.

Wednesday 18th March 2015

Finally spring appears to have arrived, as the early morning fog lifted to reveal several grounded migrants. Both returning summer visitors and departing wintering ones. The first Chiffchaffs appeared with at least 10 on site, plus 5 Black Redstarts, several thrushes, including 3 Fieldfare, along with Redwings and Song Thrushes moving through along with 128 Starlings, at least 1 Goldcrest and also Corn, Reed and Yellow Buntings for good measure. On top of that 2 Woodlark were noted briefly before flying off high south, whilst offshore along with 3 or 4 Red-throated Divers, a full summer Great-northern Diver was reported to be flying north by one lucky observer.The Ringed plovers are starting to return, with 4 seen today, along with a Turnstone (above) feeding on the point.

11 birds ringed, including 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Greenfinch and 1 each of Goldcrest, Black Redstart, Robin and Chaffinch.

Tuesday 17th March 2015

Bleak conditions again this morning with fog and mist, but despite this, it didn't put the birds off too much.
15 Brent Geese during the morning heading North offshore was the most notable, but quiet otherwise.

A few migrants around this morning with 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Goldcrest, 25 Dunnock, 10 Blackbird and 5 Song Thrush.

Notable species today came in the form of 1 Rook, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Stonechat and 1 Yellowhammer, (pictured above).

Ringing: 2 Chaffinch, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Robin, and 1 Woodpigeon.

Ringing Recoveries

Willow Warbler ringed here 6th September 2014 retrapped 16 days later 926km away at Etang-de-Molsen, Messanges, France on it's way south to Africa, Blackbird ringed here on autumn passage 20th November 2013 found dead 18th January 2015 239km away at Halesowen, West Midlands & a local Wood Pigeon ringed here 12th October 2013 found dead 10th February 2015 10km away at Walton-on-the -naze.

Monday 16th March 2015

To start the day off, just to mention that Christopher Bridge, our new Warden for the 2015 season has now arrived on-site with us and will be here until mid November.

The bleak conditions continued throughout the day, further haltering spring migration. The best of the rest on-site came in the form of 1 male Black Redstart and 1 female Stonechat, along with 6 Song Thrush, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Long-tailed Tit, signs that spring is slowly making an appearance.

Our resident Little Owl put in an appearance early on, as did a brief Firecrest.

Offshore, sea watching produced 8 Red-throated Divers, 4 Gannet, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Drake Shoveler and 1 Yellow-legged Gull.

Ringing: 2 Song Thrush, 1 Long-tailed Tit and 1 Robin.

Sunday 15th March 2015

The bleak conditions have temporarily put a block on spring migration, however some of our breeding species are beginning to return to the site, including this Linnet. Otherwise there is very little to report, the best being the 2 Firecrests that are still around, but that is about it on site. Offshore 3 Red-throated Divers and a Kittiwake flew north, and 3 Gannets lingered close inshore for a short time.

Only 1 bird was ringed today, that being a Wood Pigeon.