Saturday 1st April 2017

Fairly predictable early April fare with a handful of new Chiffchaff & Robins on site plus 2 Black Redstart. Some Vis Mig in the form of southbound 10 Carrion Crow, 4 Jackdaw, Rook, Mipit & Goldfinch. Offshore highlight was 6 Oyk south from which one can assume not a lot.

Blossom Underwing is the first site record of this species and part of an overnight immigration along with other sites on the coast. The first Diamond-back Moth of the year also noted.

7 birds ringed: 3 Robin, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Wren

March Ringing Totals

121 of 21 species is about 20% down on the last couple of years largely due to very few Blackies, thrush's & no Greenies.

Chiffchaff 28 Song Thrush 2
Long-tailed Tit 21 Chaffinch 2
Robin 15 Willow Warbler 2
Goldcrest 13 Black Redstart 1
Blackbird 11 Firecrest 1
Dunnock 7 Grey Wagtail 1
Wren 6 Starling 1
Blue Tit 5 Wood Pigeon 1
Collared Dove 4 House Sparrow 1
Redwing 3
Goldfinch 3
Linnet 3

Friday 31st March 2017

Small influx of arriving summer visitors & departing wintering ones including 8 Chiffchaff, 4 migrant Robin, 3 Swallow, Willow Warbler, Fieldfare & Brambling with 2 of both Jackdaw & Siskin going south overhead. Offshore southbound 7 Shelduck, 4 Oyks, 3 Turnstone, 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shovelar, Curlew with northbound 1 Red-throat plus a Bonxie loitering off the river mouth for a while.

Ringing 14 birds: 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, 3 Linnet, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Blackbird, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Thursday 30th March 2017

A harbinger of spring in the shape of the first Willow Warbler of the year was most welcome and always cheers one up. Other migrants this fine mild morning were 3 Mipits, 2 Wheatear, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Black Redstart, Yellowhammer & Merlin. Offshore not a lot but with it feeling a lot more spring like - who cares ?

Emperor moth is a stunning beast and another good reason to be cheerful.

4 birds ringed: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Starling.

Wednesday 29th March 2017

Despite the weather relenting finally, to give us at least a hint that Spring is on its way, most interest was on the sea. The highlight was a Sandwich Tern that plodded north after leaving the river mouth. Apart from that, most sightings were of Red-throated Divers with 7 going back north, along with 12 Brent Geese and 2 Shoveler, whilst southbound 6 Dunlin, 5 Golden Plover, 1 each of Red-breasted Merganser, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew and Gannet. On site only 2 Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were the highlights.

2 Birds ringed : 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Long-tailed Tit.

Tuesday 27th March 2017

The dreaded north-easterly airflow has gone to be replaced by FOG. A real "pea souper" earlier is only now starting to thin out (and they promised us a glorious sunny day !). A few migrants have battled through regardless with roughly five each of Goldcrest & Chiffchaff on site plus single migrant Robin & Song Thrush. Difficult to know what's out on the reserve as one can not see a lot of it from in here. As the fog lifted the first White Wagtail of the spring was noted towards the point early afternoon.

8 birds ringed: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin, 1 Great Tit, 1 Song Thrush.

Monday 27th March 2017

Purgatory at the moment - not sure what sins we have committed in a previous life but we are sure being made to pay for it ! Today's migrants on a cold dreary morning were a couple of Mipits, single Brambling, Grey Wagtail and a new Robin. The Linnet numbers are steadily increasing but apart from that it's bleak out there, but not as bleak as it was for one of the Collared Doves that was taken by a Sparrowhawk (that's 2 Collared Doves predated in recent days so one must assume they taste pretty good). Misty & murky offshore which obscured what little was out there.

Ringing: 1 Robin.

Sunday 26th March 2017

Still hard graft due to the north easterly airflow although the odd migrant is battling through as evidenced by a Ring Ouzel alongside View Point Road early on and this Chiffchaff with a mass of sap & pollen above its bill which it will have acquired during the winter from vegetation around the Mediterranean area. Single Skylark & Mipit went south and a couple of Goldcrest are loitering on site. Offshore, apart from a mass of seagulls, just a couple of Red-throated Divers & Gannets noted. The Iceland Gull put in another appearance as the Stena Britannica went out.

2 birds ringed: 1 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff.