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September ringing total

520 birds of 32 species during September. This is a above average for this century.

Chiffchaff 133
Blackcap 94
Meadow Pipit 55
Blue Tit 33
Robin 32
Goldcrest 27
Willow Warbler 20
Grey Wagtail 15
Song Thrush 13
Dunnock 12
Great Tit 12
Chaffinch 9
Linnet 8
Wren 8
Wheatear 6
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Whitethroat 5
Blackbird 4
Goldfinch 4
Garden Warbler 3
Redstart 3
Reed Warbler 3
Woodpigeon 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
House Sparrow 2
Sparrowhawk 2
Tree Sparrow 2
Cetti's Warbler 1
Greenfinch 1
House Martin 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Swallow 1

Saturday 30th September 2017

The Red-throated Pipit is still present today - here's one of it taken a couple of days ago and sent to us. So far it has been visited by c.1,500 punters and at times is very obliging.

Noted on the reserve 90 Linnet plus 15 going South, 40 Goldfinch, 30 Meadow Pipit, 20 Robin, 20 Blackbird, 15 Chiffchaff, 15 Pied Wagtail, 6 Chaffinch, 5 Greenfinch, 5 Wheatear, 3 Blackcap, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Redstart, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Tree Pipit. Offshore 5 Med Gull.
Vismig going South, 675 Goldfinch, 120 Swallow, 117 Meadow Pipit, 92 Chaffinch, 42 House Martin, 21 Greenfinch, 16 Redpoll plus 1 North, 5 Grey Wagtail, 5 Skylark, 4 Siskin, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Rook, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Yellow Wagtail plus 1 on the reserve, 
Passage offshore going South 82 Black-headed Gull, 16 Teal, 9 Common Gull, 3 Shelduck & 2 Sandwich Tern. Going North 4 Brent Goose & 2 Grey Heron.

54 birds ringed: Meadow Pipit 14, Chiffchaff 8, Chaffinch 6, Dunnock 6, Blackcap 5, Grey Wagtail 4, Robin 3, Blackbird 2, Goldcrest 2, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1, Linnet 1, Song Thrush 1.

Friday 29th September2017

Juniper Pug is a second site record at Landguard and the first occurred 20 years ago.

Heavy Showers at dawn and again at midday did not completely subdue vismig, 140 Swallow went through going South as did 106 Goldfinch, 20 Meadow Pipit, 7 Chaffinch, 5 House Martin, 1 Grey Wagtail & 1 Skylark. Passage during seawatch going South 21 Wigeon, 15 Brent Geese, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Arctic Skua & 1 Common Gull. Going North 5 Gannet plus 3 going South.
On the reserve a Red-throated Pipit has remained for a third day, also noted 17 Pied Wagtail, 6 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Wheatear, 2 Redstart, 1 Brambling, 1 Reed Bunting & 1 Song Thrush.

20 birds ringed: Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 3, Robin 3, Goldcrest 2, Great Tit 2, Blue Tit 1, Chaffinch 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Swallow 1, Wren 1.

Thursday 28th September 2017

 A male Redstart seen on the "Ickie" ridge.

The offshore murky haze has lifted today. Heavy overnight showers, which continued past dawn, retained some of the grounded migrants from Wednesday and brought new arrivals too. Of particular note is the Red-throated Pipit staying on and has, on and off, provided good viewing opportunities during the morning. Also noted on the reserve, 35 Meadow Pipit, 25 Goldfinch, 25 Song Thrush, 20 Robin, 8 Wheatear, 6 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Redstart, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Caspian Gull, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Med Gull, 1 Red-throated Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Stonechat, 1 Tree Pipit & 1 Whitethroat.
Passage going South, 53 Wigeon, 24 Teal, 17 Brent Geese, 7 Swallow, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck & 1 Grey Wagtail. Going North, 3 Sandwich Tern.


Steady trickle of Delicate turning up in the traps on a regular basis in the last week.

22 birds ringed: Song Thrush 7, Chiffchaff 5, Blackcap 4, Robin 3, Goldcrest 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Wheatear 1.

Wednesday 27th September 2017


This Red-throated Pipit was the undoubted highlight of a very productive day. For most Suffolk birders it was a welcome addition to their lists, and duly pulled in a big crowd of admirers. Also turning up was a Cetti's Warbler which occurs close by but is still a major rarity here. The supporting cast of birds included 25 Robins, 15 Chiffchaff, 11 Song Thrush, 8 Blackcap, 5 Wheatear, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 each of Stonechat, Whinchat and a very nice male Redstart.



This Red Underwing was the pick of the moths, although there was also a few migrants which included another Palpita vitrealis, formerly a major rarity, but now fairly regular.

42 birds ringed: 11 Chiffchaff, 8 Robin, 8 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Linnet and 1 each of Wren, Goldcrest, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Wheatear, Blackbird, Goldfinch and Cetti's Warbler.

Tuesday 26th September 2017

 Guillemot at the point this morning.

A very changeable day as cloud covered and cleared, then covered again. The sea to sky divide remained hazy as the offshore fog did not fully clear throughout the day. Noted on the reserve, 40 Meadow Pipit, 30 Goldfinch, 25 Chiffchaff, 15 Robin, 13 Pied Wagtail, 12 Blackcap, 12 Song Thrush, 6 Chaffinch, 6 Wheatear, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Skylark, 2 Common Tern, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Caspian Gull, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Spotted Flycatcher.
Going North, 15 Meadow Pipit, 2 Swallow, 1 Gannet & 1 Grey Wagtail.
Going East, out to sea, 1 Greenshank.
Going South, 36 Wigeon, 25 Brent Goose, 25 Teal, 8 Black-headed Gull, 8 Meadow Pipit, 7 Chaffinch, 2 Common Gull, 2 Curlew & 2 Grey Wagtail.


Clancy's Rustic is a half decent immigrant only noted for the first time in the UK in 2002 and at Landguard in 2006.

51 birds ringed: Chiffchaff 16, Blackcap 11, Meadow Pipit 3, Blue Tit 2, Goldcrest 2, Goldfinch 2, Great Tit 2, Grey Wagtail 2, Whitethroat 2, Wren 2, Blackbird 1, Dunnock 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Redstart 1, Reed Warbler 1, Robin 1, Woodpigeon 1.

Monday 25th September 2017

Single Reed Bunting have been seen on Landguard during the last few days.

A warm and hazy morning with light fog. Plenty of butterflies seen today on the reserve, Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Large and Small White.
Birds noted on the reserve this morning, 25 Meadow Pipit plus 3 going South, 21 Pied Wagtail, 20 Robin, 6 Goldcrest, 6 Wheatear, 4 Swallow, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Med Gull, 1 Redstart, 1 Reed Bunting & 1 Sparrowhawk.
Passage going South 32 Brent Geese plus 2 coming in West off the sea, 25 Wigeon, 13 Black-headed Gull, 13 Teal, 12 Chaffinch plus 2 on the reserve, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Curlew & 1 Yellow Wagtail.

13 birds ringed: Meadow Pipit 5, Robin 4, Chaffinch 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldcrest 1, Song Thrush 1

Sunday 24th September 2017

 The Woodpigeon on Landguard continue nesting into the autumn.

A clear start to the day with a steady South Easterly breeze.
Noted on the reserve 20 Meadow Pipit, 15 Pied Wagtail, 6 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 6 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chaffinch & 1 Purple Sandpiper at the point. Offshore 9 Common Tern & 4 Sandwich Tern.
Passage going South, 230 Brent Geese, 125 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 46 Swallow, 8 Shelduck, 3 Kestrel, 3 Canada Geese, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Oystercatcher,


Considering the lack of migrants in the moth traps this morning this Four-spotted Footman found on the reserve is noteworthy.

11 birds ringed: Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 2, Blue Tit 2, Chaffinch 1, Goldcrest 1, Song Thrush 1