Saturday 1st July 2017

First Cuckoo of the year for us which is a sad reflection on the cataclysmic decline of this once common species. Back in the last century the peak autumn passage for adult Cuckoo was the last 10 days of June and the first week of July. Juvenile Cuckoo didn't used to start moving through until mid-July onward so this juv is a tad early. Offshore southbound  155 Swift, 3 Whimbrel & a Curlew but apart from the Cuckoo not a lot else.

The public moth event this morning produced a reasonable selection considering last night conditions including the odd pretty one including Elephant Hawk-Moth.

5 birds ringed: 2 Linnet, 1 Robin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cuckoo.

Ringing totals for June 2017

282 birds of 29 species during June, this is slightly above average over the past 10 years for overall numbers and is in forth place behind a couple of years with over 400 birds ringed.

Linnet	79
Goldfinch	29
Whitethroat	22
Blue Tit	21
House Sparrow	21
Dunnock	15
Chiffchaff	12
Greenfinch	9
Starling	9
Great Tit	7
Ringed Plover	6
Woodpigeon	6
Blackbird	5
Song Thrush	5
Wren	5
Blackcap	4
Lesser Whitethroat	4
Robin	4
Coal Tit	3
Pied Wagtail	3
Reed Warbler	3
Collared Dove	2
Great Spotted Woodpecker	2
Bullfinch	1
Grey Wagtail	1
Iberian Chiffchaff	1
Magpie	1
Treecreeper	1
Willow Warbler	1

Friday 30th June 2017

Young Bullfinch occur very rarely here although the nearest nesting pairs are on the other side of the dock, only a few pairs though.
A male Blackcap was a new bird seen on the reserve this morning and offshore 2 Med Gull and 2 Sandwich Tern were amongst the Herring Gulls. Some passage was noted with 17 Curlew and 6 Swift going South, going North were 13 Cormorant.

The Coronet is not common here and is extremely variable although one turned up like this last year that took some head scratching to work out! Late news is off a Bedstraw Hawk-moth that quickly flew off and would have been noted as just yet another Spurge if it hadn't been quickly photographed.

27 birds ringed: Starling 8, Goldfinch 6, linnet 4, House Sparrow 3, Pied Wagtail 2, Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Bullfinch 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1

Thursday 29th June 2017

Grey Wagtail is an unusual bird to get at Landguard in June but this dispersing juvenile going South over the reserve did stop off here briefly.
Quite a cool and breezy start to the day, which was reflected in the moth traps being quieter than usual this morning. Passage noted offshore this morning started with a Spoonbill going North just after 5:30am and then steady movement going South over the next few hours were 131 Swift, 54 Black-headed Gull, 38 Curlew and 2 North, 3 Teal, 1 Redshank.

2 birds ringed: Dunnock 1, Grey Wagtail 1

Wednesday 28th June 2017

Heavy overnight rain meant everything that was on site seemed to be sheltering from the weather. The most prominent species on show were 10 Whitethroat and 20 Goldfinch, both of which appear to have had a good breeding season locally so far. Things on the move were 54 Swifts, 27 Black-headed Gulls and 1 each of Lapwing and Curlew, all in off the sea.
Moth-wise, yet another Spurge Hawk moth to add to the growing list, also Pine Hawk, White Satin and this Coronet are all noteworthy for the site.

4 birds ringed: Chiffchaff 1, Goldfinch 1, Linnet 1, Starling 1

Tuesday 27th June 2017

Botanically the reserve continues to bloom as the Sea Holly is coming into flower.
A strong easterly wind over night and heavy cloud cover to start the day. Unfortunately passage was very quiet and only 2 Barnacle geese and 1 Cormorant going South recorded during the morning. Plenty of activity seen with the resident birds as the number of juveniles increase, 60 Linnet and 16 Goldfinch were noted moving around on the reserve, 15 Whitethroat and 3 Lesser Whitethroat not quite as mobile around the reserve were seen through the Butts pond area and around the Observatory.

Shore Wainscot put in an appearance for the first time in 20 years. It is a nationally scarce species that uses Marram so it may be present on the beach. The red data book species Shaded Fan-foot which lives on bramble also showed up this morning for the first time in many years too.

19 birds ringed: Linnet 5, Whitethroat 5, Goldfinch 4, Blackbird 2, Greenfinch 1, Robin 1, Woodpigeon 1

Monday 26th June 2017

The only migrants noted so far was a Grey Wagtail heading north and a female Blackcap (presumably a failed breeder going walkabout). At least 350 Starlings were present going out of roost first thing.

Silky Wainscot has only been noted in three previous years here but as it is a reed bed species this probably explains why.

4 birds ringed: 1 Blackcap, 1 Linnet, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Wren.

Sunday 25th June 2017

Sanderling in summer plumage on the beach this morning.
A cooler blustery start to the day on Landguard this morning but a few birds were moving through. New birds noted on the reserve this morning were 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Sanderling, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Reed Warbler and offshore moving South were 18 Swift and 6 Sandwich Tern.

This juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker would have only recently fledged, it is in active wing moult with four of the primaries having already been replaced.

11 birds ringed: House Sparrow 2, Linnet 2, Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldfinch 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Greenfinch 1, Reed Warbler 1, Wren 1