We have far fewer records of Pheasant at Landguard than Yellow-browed Warbler ! This one looks nothing like the usual females so if anyone out there has a "pheasants of the world" type book and wishes to turn it into one of the pheasant species then please drop us an e-mail to landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk
A Westerly breeze, starting clear and becoming overcast by late morning. The first Skylark of the autumn at Landguard went South over the reserve, a Yellow-browed Warbler was in the Holm Oaks at the Observatory and two Reed Bunting were in the bramble on the edge of the beach shingle. An Arctic Skua came in off the sea over the reserve in pursuit of a Herring Gull, as the Gull evaded the encounter, the Skua then continued South.
Noted on the reserve, 850 Starling, 15 Carrion Crow, 11 Magpie, 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Stonechat, 3 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pheasant, 1 Redwing & 1 Yellow-browed Warbler. Going North, 1 Cormorant. Going out to sea East, 3 Cormorant & 1 Dunlin. Going South, 48 Goldfinch, 47 Siskin, 45 Meadow Pipit, 7 Shelduck, 6 Black-headed Gull, 5 Swallow, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Gull, 2 Skylark, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 1 Rock Pipit & 1 Yellow Wagtail. Coming in off the sea going West, 4 Cormorant.
Deep-brown Dart is another species that only visits us on odd occasions.
19 birds ringed: Meadow Pipit 11, Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff 2, Dunnock 1, Great Tit 1, Robin 1.