Saturday 17th February 2018

568 Cormorants out this morning either suggesting that we need to start getting up earlier, they are going out from the roost over Felixstowe to the north of us or with lengthening days they are starting to decline in number as many birds return from whence they came in the Low Countries or around the Baltic. Single Skylark flying south is todays migrant although yesterdays Redwing is still in exactly the same place. 2 Purps on the point & Mrs Stonechat still on the Butts.

Friday 16th February 2018

On these cold clear crisp mornings with the tide low then the Cormorants like to get out early and will have left their roost at 0630 hrs. 840 were counted from the car park as they were starting to go out as I was still coming down View Point Road this morning. Single Redwing is todays migrant. Single Purp was along the riverbank & Mrs Stonechat is still with us.

Glorious morning for adding a few moth species to the year list by looking at a few mines. Not the easiest thing in the world but Stigmella aurella is abundant enough with the flying adult being little more than a couple of millimetres long.

February Litter Pick

Litter Pick this Saturday 17th February 0930 hrs start. Usual arrangements on the Events page of www.lbo.org.uk

Thursday 15th February 2018

Fog up to 0730 hrs so only 315 Cormorants counted going out as the fog was clearing. A Woodlark singing over the observatory mid-morning was most unexpected as our earliest ever spring record is March 3rd. Numbers of Woodlark noted here have slowly increased over the years but it is still treated as a good species to see here. 2 Purple Sand & a Turnstone were on the point mid-morning (which were not there 45 mins early !).

Wednesday 14th February 2018

493 Cormorants went out fishing early but we are informed that several groups left the roost and flew north-east over Trimley so will have missed us. Purple Sandpiper at the point flew off over the river mouth into Essex which explains why there appearance here is unpredictable recently. A couple of Ringed Plovers on the reserve early on left after being chased off by a Rottweiler running amok. The PSPO applied for Landguard Nature Reserve (and other areas in Suffolk) has been approved although signage will have to be erected and it will need enforcing if the situation regarding dogs off leads & dog fouling is to improve. Hopefully progress is being made in this department to stop the anti-social behaviour that is not only detrimental to the wildlife that tries to use the site, but blights the lives of the law abiding people who visit.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird.

Recent Ringing Recoveries

Robin ringed Castricum, Nood-Holland, The Netherlands 21st October retrapped 234 km away at Landguard 4th November 2017 & retrapped on several dates after that up to the end of November so possibly attempting to over winter here with us. Blackbird ringed Landguard 23rd November 2015 retrapped 15 km away in Ipswich 18th December 2017. Lesser Redpoll ringed Landguard 26th October 2017 retrapped 12 km away at Newbourne 12th January 2018.

Tuesday 12th February 2018

SSW gale. No Cormorants went out but they may have left the roost and gone out over Felixstowe and missed us completely. More time spent starring out than it really deserved produced southbound 24 Brent, 7 Common Gull, 7 Kitts, 5 Red-throated Diver & Fulmar with northbound 21 Red-throats, Great-crested Grebe & a Sanderling that came out from the estuary before heading for the beaches up the town. Also 2 Gannet following a dredger coming in and an Auk that pitched in straight out before it could be named. Sort of weather to spend looking at seagull legs in the car parks.

Monday 12th February 2018

Crisp clear cold start with 1,215 Cormorants heading out fishing early. A Guillemot flew south close inshore is only the second one of its kind noted this year & Mrs Stonechat is on the Butts.

2017 Annual Reports

The 2017 annual reports on Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Mammals, Moths & Miscellaneous records are now available on www.lbo.org.uk in the Archive section for those of you who have trouble sleeping.

Also available are updated systematic lists of Birds, Moths, Butterflies, Dragonflies, Rare & Scarce Birds & Escapes via the Systematic lists section.

Short cut via the LBO Home Page above.

Sunday 11th February 2018

Bit "same old same old" at the moment. 1,340 Cormorants went out fishing first thing but several flocks going out to the north of us so may have missed some. Mrs Stonechat on the Butts but little else of note on a brisk walk round although worth a mention is that Mrs Kestrel has reappeared over the last week (having been missing all winter) with the pair displaying over the northern end of the area.