Saturday 22nd October 2016

The northerly wind still blows bringing even fewer migrants to the observatory today but it did bring a small scattering of new arrivals.

These include 198 Starling, 52 Meadow Pipit, 37 Goldfinch, 20 Robin, 15 Blackbird, 15 Long tailed Tit,  9 Redwing, 8 Song Thrush, 7 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Chaffinch, 6 Skylark, 5 Rock Pipit (below), 5 Goldcrest, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Siskin, 2 Swallow, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Brambling and 1 Common Buzzard.

The Shorelark is still here with us for it's third day now.

Sea watching produced 7 Brent Geese, 4 Cormorant, 3 Shelduck and 1 Lapwing.

Green-brindled Crescent is an autumnal moth that doesn't turn up here very often, (above).

Ringing: 16 birds ringed this morning including 3 Blackbird, 3 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Long tailed Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Swallow.

Friday 21st October 2016

The continuing winds from the North and West brought a new arrival of birds to the observatory throughout the day including a few late migrants.

Pictured above, the view that we have from our main watch point looking Southwards.

Migrants came in the form of 630+ Starling, 68 Goldfinch, 38 Meadow Pipit, 22 Chaffinch, 20 Goldcrest, 20 Blackbird, 16 Skylark, 15 Tree Sparrow, 15+ Long tailed Tit, 14 Linnet, 10 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Song Thrush, 6 Siskin, 5 Reed Bunting, 5 Swallow, 4 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 4 Rock Pipit, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Black Redstart, 2 Brambling, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Short-Eared Owl.

The Shorelark is still here with us out on the nature reserve.

Sea watching produced 34 Black-headed Gull, 21 Cormorant, 11 Brent Geese, 6 Lapwing, 3 Turnstone and 1 Guillemot.

Ringing: 48 birds were ringed during the morning including 13 Goldcrest, 11 Long tailed Tit, 10 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 3 Wren, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Great Tit, 1 House Sparrow and 1 Song Thrush.

Thursday 20th October 2016

Yet another cold and windy day today. The winds are still from the North, to a certain extent stopping birds from migrating but in this weather their instinct is too strong to migrate and as a result today produced smaller numbers than previous days, as well as a real nicety.

Best of the rest came in the form of this Shorelark that was found out on the nature reserve mid morning and performed for the rest of the day.

Other birds on the move and the few that had arrived to feed up include 185 Starling, 113 Goldfinch, 34 Woodpigeon, 24 Lesser Redpoll, 21 Meadow Pipit, 20 Redwing, 20 Song Thrush, 13 Fieldfare, 12 Blackbird, 11 Chaffinch, 10 Skylark, 8 Siskin, 7 Tree Sparrow, 6 Greenfinch, 6 Swallow, 6 Goldcrest, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 5 Grey Wagtail, 4 Brambling, 4 Reed Bunting, 3 Rock Pipit, 3 Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Woodlark, 1 Stock Dove and 1 Ring Ouzel.

The 'blythi' Lesser Whitethroat is still here.

Sea watching produced 20 Cormorant, 13 Wigeon, 13 Brent Geese, 10 Black-headed Gull, 2 Eider, 2 Snipe, 1 Shelduck, 1 Lapwing and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

Ringing: 26 birds ringed this morning including 6 Robin, 5 Blackbird, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Redwing, 2 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch and 1 Dunnock.

Wednesday 19th October 2016

The brisk north-westerly wind has slowed down the migrant activity somewhat, although there are still plenty of birds passing through, just not quite as many as there has been. Most birds were overflying with 872 Goldfinch being the most abundant, with lesser numbers of other finches on the move south including 20 Siskin, 41 Redpoll and smaller numbers of Chaffinch and Brambling + 25 Skylark, 30 Meadow Pipit, 8 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtail along with a small number of Swallow and House Martin. Offshore the highlights were 1 Long-tailed Duck north and a Marsh Harrier and Short-eared Owl south. On site the "Siberian" Lesser Whitethroat is still about along with a Firecrest, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Wheatear, a few Goldcrests and this male Eurasian Stonechat (above).

14 birds were ringed: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Goldcrest, 2 each of Blackbird and Goldfinch and 1 each of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail.

Tuesday 18th October 2016

The wind still continues to blow from the South and West and with a few dribs and drabs of rain there were a few new arrivals noted.

Land migrants and others included 495 Goldfinch, 126 Meadow Pipit, 61 Linnet, 48 Starling, 25 Robin, 21 Siskin, 20 Pied Wagtail, 20 Blackbird, 18 Swallow, 17 Redpoll, 12 Wren, 11 Redwing, 10 Goldcrest, 10 Chaffinch, 9 Greenfinch, 6 Grey Wagtail, 5 Song Thrush, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 4 Wheatear, 4 Rock Pipit, 4 House Martin, 3 Skylark, 1 Brambling, 1 Stonechat, 1 Reed Bunting and 1 Peregrine Falcon.

Sea watching produced 7 Brent Geese, 5 Cormorant, 5 Wigeon, 3 Common Gull, 1 Turnstone, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

Still a handful of migrant moths turning up including Rush Veneer (above).

Ringing: 19 birds ringed this morning including 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Wren, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Blackcap and 1 Woodpigeon.

Monday 17th October 2016

The winds have changed in the last few days and are now bringing a warmer feel to October. A southerly air flow and birds began to move in good numbers throughout the morning and into the afternoon today.

Birds on the move, on land and heading South included 775 Goldfinch, 200 Linnet, 169 Meadow Pipit (above), 70 Swallow, 60 Chaffinch, 60 Starling,  50 Lesser Redpoll, 33 Greenfinch, 25 Siskin, 16 Skylark, 11 Pied Wagtail, 7 Reed Bunting, 6 Grey Wagtail, 4 Brent Geese, 4 Blackcap, 2 Brambling, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wheatear and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Sea watching produced 12 Cormorant, 5 Brent Geese, 5 Turnstone, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Oystercatcher.

Ringing: 30 birds ringed this morning including 13 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Song Thrush, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Blackcap and 1 Greenfinch.

Sunday 16th October 2016

More a case of birds leaving & very few new birds arriving. Offshore movements poor although 8 Gannet north, 5 south plus a Bonxie south. Also a Short-eared Owl south out to sea. Passerines moving south included 50 Goldfinch, 32 Swallow, & 5 Siskin. Still a couple of Wheatear & Firecrest still present but not a lot else to get excited about. Although foreign Blackbirds have started moving into the country for the winter some of the locally bred birds are still completing there post juvenile moult.

10 birds ringed: 3 Robin, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chaffinch