Saturday 28th October 2017

Cormorant going out to sea this morning.

A strong westerly wind and a definite decrease in temperature this morning. Noted on the reserve, 30 Meadow Pipit, 25 Blackbird, 9 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Snow Bunting, 1 Reed Bunting & 1 Wheatear.
Going South, 510 Woodpigeon, 455 Goldfinch, 170 Black-headed Gull, 67 Shelduck, 32 Brent Goose, 29 Linnet, 18 Knot, 12 Wigeon, 11 Redpoll, 10 Teal, 6 Meadow Pipit, 6 Gannet, 6 Skylark, 4 Siskin, 3 Dunlin, 3 Golden Plover, 2 Shoveler, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Little Egret & 1 Reed Bunting, going North, 1 Common Scoter. Coming in off the sea going West, 6 Song Thrush, 5 Blackbird & 1 Sparrowhawk. Going out to sea East, 1410 Cormorant, 1 Carrion Crow & 1 Rook.

Merveille du Jour is a stunning autumnal moth that is infrequent in its appearance here despite being common inland.

18 birds ringed: Blackbird 7, Redpoll 7, Redwing 2, Goldcrest 1, Wren 1.

Friday 27th October 2017

 The Woodpigeon squabs are out of the nest, their parents are still feeding them.

The morning Cormorant movement continues to increase, 1325 went out to sea today. 6000 Woodpigeon were going South and a Little Egret came in off the sea going West.
Noted on the reserve, 30 Blackbird, 20 Meadow Pipit, 5 Turnstone, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Snow Bunting, 1 Brambling, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Wheatear & 1 Yellowhammer.
Going South, 6000 Woodpigeon, 62 Goldfinch, 30 Redpoll, 13 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Siskin, 3 Skylark & 1 Rock Pipit. Coming in off the sea going West, 383 Starling, 14 Fieldfare, 5 Greylag Goose, 4 Brambling, 3 Redwing 1 Little Egret & 1 Snipe. Going out to sea East, 1325 Cormorant and going North, 3 Arctic Skua. Offshore going South, 24 Black-headed Gull, 18 Brent Goose, 10 Teal, 3 Shelduck, 1 Common Scoter & 1 Curlew.

Still getting migrant moths, like this Pearly Underwing.

46 birds ringed: Blackbird 17, Lesser Redpoll 11, Meadow Pipit 4, Chaffinch 2, Goldcrest 2, Goldfinch 2, Redwing 2, Blue Tit 1, Brambling 1, Dunnock 1, Robin 1, Song Thrush, Starling 1.

Thursday 26th October 2017

Big Wood Pigeon day with 36,980 heading south with the bulk of them up to 0930hrs. Also southbound 803 Goldfinch, 246 Black-headed Gull, 188 Starling, 159 Stock Dove, 150 Redpoll, 134 Linnet, 82 Mipit, 29 Chaffinch,  27 Brent Geese, 16 Siskin, 13 Skylark, 13 Pied Wag, 10 Greenfinch, 8 Shelduck, 6 Carrion Crow, 4 Woodlark, 3 Oyk, 3 Grey Wag, 3 House Martin, 2 Turnstone, 2 Redshank, 2 Reed Bunting, Dunlin & Rock Pipit plus a Great White Egret in off the sea (4th individual this month). On site a good selection of common migrants in small numbers including 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Snow Bunting on the beach, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Brambling, Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler from last Sunday still present plus the male Pheasant still skulking around.

The Mallow is a regular at this time of the year in small numbers. In the butterfly department at least 24 Red Admiral went south and several Clouded Yellow still surviving.

106 birds ringed: 46 Lesser Redpoll, 11 Long-tailed Tit, 10 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 5 Chaffinch, 5 Redwing, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 2 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Wood Pigeon, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail

Wednesday 25th October 2017

It's getting late for Wheatear now so 2 lingering on site is worthy of note.

Another reasonably good vis mig day, with good numbers of Finches still on the move including 1697 Goldfinch, 79 Linnet, 37 Redpoll, 36 Chaffinch, 22 Greenfinch and 14 Siskin all going south, along with 1133 Wood Pigeon, 101 Stock Dove, 32 Meadow Pipit, 9 Skylark, 6 Swallow, 5 Reed Bunting and 1 House Martin also all going south. On site along with the 2 Wheatear were 1 Stonechat, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Firecrest, 2 Brambling, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Goldcrest. 

The post roost movement of Cormorant's out to sea to feed today was 1209.  

Insect wise highlight today was this Cosmopolitan, a very scarce migrant, especially away from the south-west coast. Also of note today was the start of autumn migration of Red Admiral back south with around 30 seen and 6 Clouded Yellow still lingering.

14 birds ringed: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Great Tit and 1 each of Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap and Firecrest. 

Tuesday 24th October 2017

 Brambling on the reserve this morning.

Heavy overcast start to the morning with a steady breeze and it seemed to take longer than normal to get light, Cormorant were he first to make a move coming out of the harbour en mass, everything else came through at a steady pace.
Noted on the reserve, 30 Meadow Pipit, 6 Pied Wagtail, 5 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Brambling, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 2 Sparrowhawk & 1 Little Owl.
Vismig going South, 985 Goldfinch, 85 Chaffinch, 82 Meadow Pipit, 66 Linnet, 47 Starling, 31 Greenfinch, 20 Skylark, 15 Siskin, 14 Redpoll, 8 Reed Bunting, 7 Pied Wagtail, 5 Stock Dove, 4 Swallow, 3 Brambling & 3 Rock Pipit. Going North 67 Woodpigeon.
Offshore going South, 449 Dunlin, 293 Wigeon, 183 Brent Goose, 17 Black-headed Gull, 15 Teal, 13 Mallard, 13 Shelduck, 12 Knot, 11 Pintail, 3 Common Gull, 1 Curlew, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Great Skua & 1 Oystercatcher. Going North 3 Brent Goose & 2 Guillemot. Going out to sea East, 1154 Cormorant.

It has been a record year for the Vestal.

We also had only the second site record of Antigastra catalaunalis which is a tropical species that spreads into Southern Europe, unfortunately it was camera shy.

15 birds ringed: Blackbird 6, Redwing 3, Goldcrest 2, Goldfinch 2, Chiffchaff 1, Meadow Pipit 1.

Monday 23rd October 2017

 High flying Woodpigeon going South this morning.

The wind had settled to a breeze, light but extensive cloud cover and plenty of activity on and over the reserve. Grounded migrants were, 40 Redwing, 30 Blackbird, 12 Fieldfare, 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Brambling, 3 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Firecrest & 1 Stonechat.

Vismig going South, 8751 Woodpigeon, 1014 Goldfinch, 350 Linnet, 260 Redpoll, 104 Meadow Pipit, 67 Stock Dove, 66 Chaffinch, 61 Starling, 54 Skylark, 42 Siskin, 27 Greenfinch, 16 Swallow, 9 Fieldfare, 6 Pied Wagtail, 4 Reed Bunting, 3 Brambling, 2 House Martin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Song Thrush & 1 Woodlark.
Offshore going South, 252 Black-headed Gull, 16 Common Gull, 4 Brent Goose, 3 Med Gull, 1 Little Egret, 1 Red-breast Merganser & 1 Shelduck. Coming into the Harbour off the sea 54 White-fronted Goose, going West out to sea, 1017 Cormorant.

Still plenty of Clouded Yellow butterflies occurring on the reserve.

67 birds ringed: Lesser Redpoll 40, Blackbird 10, Goldcrest 5, Chiffchaff 2, Dunnock 2, Meadow Pipit 2, Song Thrush 2, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 1, Robin 1, Wren 1.

Sunday 22nd October 2017

This adult Yellow-legged Gull (standing) has joined the gull roost on the dock, by the car park today.

Despite the near gale force winds today, there is still a large passage south of finches etc, including 2310 Goldfinch, 319 Linnet, 123 Lesser Redpoll along with smaller numbers of Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Siskin and Brambling. Also 147 Wood Pigeon, 31 Stock Dove, 6 Swallow, 5 Skylark, 3 Rock Pipit, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Grey Wagtail.

26 birds Ringed: 19 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Blackcap and 1 each of Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Wood Pigeon.