Saturday 14th January 2017

Apparently this is the fellow responsible for the high tides with the predicted storm surge only coming up slightly higher than the expected height with the overnight high tide line nothing special to write home about. After pathetic numbers of Cormorants all week it was pleasing to count 940 going out fishing this morning. First-winter Glaucous Gull about again following shipping as is becoming the norm recently. Also noted southbound 6 Common Scoter & 2 Red-breasted Merganser plus northbound 6 Brent, 5 Teal & Red-throated Diver in limited effort put in as the currant bun was up and in one's eyes. A single Linnet was the highlight in the small bird department as with this cold wind it really is a bit bleak down here in recent days.

Friday 13th January 2017

The photos on this blog are getting as bad as another well known local blog but at least it proves the Glaucous Gull is still here. Bonxie also put in an appearance as did five auks one of which came close enough to be identified as a Guillemot. Other offshore movements almost non-existent but did include 2 Gadwal south. Signs of cold weather movement were a Skylark heading south and a new British race Song Thrush in the Helgoland trap that was pleasingly carrying plenty of fat that is presumably moving to milder conditions on the coast. Very few Song Thrush are wintering at Landguard this year & we have yet to get Greenfinch on the year list !

Ringing: 1 Song Thrush

Thursday 12th January 2017

Marsh Harrier south offshore fairly early on has presumably seen the weather forecast and has decided to depart for warmer climes. First-winter Glaucous Gull offshore up to c.11am when it went inland over the docks. Apart from seagulls offshore movements poor with southbound 2 Shelduck, Red-throated Diver, Brent & Grey Plover plus northbound 17 Brent & Red-throated Diver. Regular readers of this blog will have noted no mention of Cormorants as since the weekend numbers have plummeted to single or low double figures - has someone who doesn't like Cormorants been behaving badly at the roost site inland to move them on ?

Wednesday 11th January 2017

Just the one Glaucous Gull offshore this morning although it soon drifted back out to sea. Bonxie also put in an appearance. Also noted southbound 15 Brent, 2 Guillemot & a Great-northern Diver that went south not far offshore then cut inland presumably heading for the River Stour. Noticeable increase in Common Gull numbers to at least 500 is the best count of the winter and a return to form.

Tuesday 10th January 2017

Two first-winter Glaucous Gulls this morning off the river mouth with a Bonxie also putting in an appearance on one of those mornings when there was plenty of ships coming and going. This is quite possibly the first time more than one Glaucous has been seen here on the same day although we have had more than one individual turn up in the same winter. The "currant bun" coming out deterred any serious seawatching but noted south bound were 9 White-fronted Geese, 4 Brent, 3 Gannet & 3 Shelduck plus 3 Brent north.

Monday 9th January 2017

A few more Kittiwakes around this morning with at least 63 heading south offshore plus half a dozen in the harbour including this first-winter bird which is one of the few juveniles noted this winter. Also southbound 56 Common Gull, 11 Brent, 7 Shoveler, Teal, Velvet Scoter & Oyk. First-winter Glaucous Gull put in an appearance offshore again mid-morning.

Sunday 8th January 2017

You can tell it's milder this morning as 17 Linnet & a Meadow Pipit paid a visit - they obviously are not wintering to far away. Rock Pipit at the point & Turnstone at the View Point completes today's excitement.