Saturday 8th April 2017

We only have a few pairs of Blue Tit resident at Landguard, as the poplar is coming into leaf the trees will soon be obscuring many things from view.

We continue to have clear sky and subsequently the movements of birds has not yet picked up. On the sea 4 Goldfinch were going South, 1 Turnstone going North and 3 Cormorant coming in. On the reserve 2 White Wagtail, 1 Black Redstart and 1 Wheatear. Resident birds are moving along with the spring and Song Thrush were seen gathering nesting materials.

In the moth traps Chamomile Shark is always a good moth to get and is not one we see every year.

2 birds ringed; 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch

Friday 7th April 2017

An increase to 3 Wheatear on the reserve this morning and a yellow Wagtail going over heading North were the only obvious signs of any migration, along with one new Robin and a meadow Pipit there was not much else to note.

Movement was also very quiet over the sea with 5 Cormorant and 4 Shelduck heading North and singles of Brent goose, Oystercatcher and Red-throated Diver going South.

Ringed birds: 1 Blackcap, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren

Thursday 6th April 2017

A Brambling was on site singing early morning along with small numbers of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Firecrest. Singles of Black Redstart and Wheatear remain on the reserve.

Little movement over the sea with 5 Common Gull, 4 Cormorant, 3 Rook and a Swallow going South and 3 Brent Geese going North.

Turnstone on the reserve

Early Thorn is a well camouflaged moth that appears in early spring and again in mid summer.

Ringed birds: 2 chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wren.

Wednesday 5th April 2017

Back to a cooler, northerly direction for the wind today, curtailing spring migration for a while. What little there was about included this Common Buzzard that went over mid morning, a rare visitor here, though relatively common nearby. Little else of note except 5 Chiffchaff, 1 each of Goldcrest, Wheatear and Redwing and a couple of migrant Song Thrushes and a migrant Sparrowhawk.

Some of the early butterflies are beginning to emerge including this Green-veined White.

Ringed 6 birds: 3 Chiffchaff and 1 each of Redwing, Song Thrush and Goldcrest.

Tuesday 4th April 2017

A sixth site record this morning of a Cetti's Warbler started an increase of migrants through including at least 15 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler & a White Wag on the reserve. Only 1 Meadow Pipit on the reserve plus a dozen flying south (compared with 40 grounded Mipits yesterday). The Black Redstart continue to show well.  Vis mig also included southbound 15 Goldfinch, 3 Siskin, Jackdaw & Kestrel. Offshore worth a mention were 2 Red-breasted Merganser southbound.

24 birds Ringed: 12 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, 2 willow warbler and singles of Cetti's, Goldcrest, Redwing, Chaffinch and Wren

Monday 3rd April 2017

50 Mipits on the reserve is a distinct improvement on just one yesterday. Other migrants today include 4 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Black Redstart & White Wagtail. A Golden Plover was flying around in the murky conditions early on but otherwise fairly quiet offshore.

The Herald is a common enough moth inland but one that does not appear here annually.

6 birds ringed: 3 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenfinch

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Glorious sunny morning. Handful of Chiffchaffs plus the first Blackcap of the spring noted plus at least 1 Black Redstart on the reserve. A couple of Siskins paid a brief visit and a Kestrel went south. Gull numbers have thinned out following shipping over the last week although southbound went 52 Black-headed Gull & 16 Common Gull presumably making their way back to their breeding grounds.

Small Quaker is a common enough moth in Suffolk but only occurs here in very small numbers.

9 birds ringed: 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Blue Tit, 1 House Sparrow.