Saturday 5th September 2015

You probably guessed it, we are still stuck with this cold north-westerly wind! Bring back some warmer weather! Several migrants are still trickling through the observatory.

Migrants today came in the form of 10 Blackcap, 5 Lesser Whitethroat (above), 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Common Redstart, 22 Teal, 21 Gannet, 10 Common Tern, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Curlew, 2 Sanderling, 1 Ruff, 17 Siskin, 2 Redpoll and our first Goldcrest of the Autumn.

This Poplar Hawkmoth is one of  the partial second generation that sometimes occurs but we don't see them here this late in the season very often.

Ringing: 17 birds ringed during the morning including 4 Blackcap, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Starling, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Robin, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Wren.

Friday 4th September 2015

A small arrival of Blackcap's, the first Song Thrush of the autumn migration season & the first Merlin of the autumn went south offshore. Also worth a mention heading south 106 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 7 Goldfinch, 3 House Martin, 3 Grey Wag, Swift & Yellow Wag plus 9 Siskin northbound over the docks. Offshore 6 Teal, 2 Redshank, 2 Golden plover & Great-crested Grebe went south. On site yesterdays Pied Fly is still with us and it's always good to see a couple of Porpoise offshore. The north-westerly wind is making it feel a lot later in the autumn than it actually is.

8 birds ringed: 4 blackcap, 1 grey wag, 1 willow warbler, 1 song thrush, 1 starling.

Thursday 3rd September 2015

Still we are stuck with this north-westerly wind and this morning was no different. A cold start with heavy cloud and a rather active observatory.

New migrants today came in the form of 10 Willow Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 7 Common Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 10 Robin, 520 Swallow, 55 House Martin, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Common Redstart, 1 Wheatear, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Common Tern and 2 Oystercatcher.

A stunning Long-eared Owl appeared in the first few hours of the morning, showing very well indeed and stayed all day. An early record as we usually have our first reports in October. Let's hope for more of these beauties.

A large national influx of The Vestal is under way so it's pleasing to get the 1st LBO site record.

Ringing: 21 birds ringed during the course of the morning including 8 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Robin, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Coal Tit.

Wednesday 2nd September 2015

Clear skies overnight and a calm north-westerly wind at dawn produced several new migrants to the observatory and nature reserve today, albeit in small numbers.

Migrants today included a huge passage of 1,090 Swallows along with 4 Sand Martin, 3 Swift and 2 House Martin. Also, 15 Willow Warbler, 6 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 14 Common Tern, 4 Cormorant, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ringed Plover, 23 Siskin, 8 Goldfinch, 11 Pied Wagtail, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Wheatear, 2 Common Redstart, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Tree Pipit and 1 White Wagtail.

White Wagtail with 11 Pied Wagtails this morning out on the reserve.

Ringing: 16 birds ringed during the morning including 4 Blackcap, 3 Robin, 3 Starling, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Goldfinch.

Tuesday 1st September 2015

Again, a north-westerly breeze greeted us at dawn and with a selection of light and heavy spells of rain during the day, it certainly felt like Autumn today at the observatory with migrants appearing all day.

It's not often that grasshoppers turn up in the moth trap. This one is a Common Green Grasshopper.

New migrants today included 15 Willow Warbler, 13 Common Whitethroat, 4 Reed Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 411 Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 7 Wheatear, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 House Martin, 20 Goldfinch, 4 Siskin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 13 Teal, 4 Barnacle Geese, 10 Common Tern, 6 Cormorant, 4 Gannet, 2 Fulmar, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Knot and 1 Snipe.

Knot Grass is a common enough moth but this is the first one to turn up here this year.

Ringing: 10 birds ringed during the morning including 4 Common Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Robin.

August Ringing Totals

A total of 441 birds of 33 species ringed this month, a decent start to the autumn migration. 

Willow Warbler	99		Blue Tit	2
Chiffchaff	1		Great Tit	2
Wood Warbler	3		Wren	16
Reed Warbler	9		Dunnock	6
Sedge Warbler	1		Robin	28
Common Whitethroat	13		Chaffinch	1
Lesser Whitethroat	4		Greenfinch	56
Garden Warbler	5		Goldfinch	16
Blackcap	10		Linnet	37
Common Redstart	1		Blackbird	3
Spotted Flycatcher	1		Song Thrush	2
Pied Flycatcher	6		Starling	65
Nightingale	1		Sparrowhawk	1
Pied Wagtail	2		Kestrel	2
Grey Wagtail	5		Woodpigeon	8
House Sparrow	31		Collared Dove	1
Tree Sparrow	3

Monday 31st August 2015

A north-easterly wind and heavy, thick cloud with heavy rain throughout the day proved difficult for observations today but despite the weather we ventured out to record what was about. Several migrants were evident, most likely arriving overnight in the bad weather.

New migrants today included 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Shelduck, 3 Common Tern, 9 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Whinchat, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Wheatear and 7 Goldfinch.

A tatty Convolvulus Hawk-moth showed up - but then again if you had just flown here from Africa then you would look a bit tatty.

Orange Swift (above) is common enough here at this time of the year but as it's rained the bulk of the day it's the best photo you are likely to get!

Ringing: 3 birds ringed during the morning before the rain arrived which included 2 Robin and 1 Starling.

Sunday 30th August 2015

A trickle of expected late August fare in small numbers with 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Grey Wags, 3 Blackcap, 2 Lesser 'throat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wags & singles of Tree Pipit, Garden Warbler, Redstart, Whinchat, Pied Fly &  Spot Fly. Starring offshore tedious and next to none hirundines going past this morning.

Moth traps busy including 467 Agriphila geniculea, which is pleasing as it's about time a mass emergence of them took place.

7 birds ringed: 2 blackcap, 2 grey wagtail, 1 reed warbler, 1 garden warbler, 1 starling.