Saturday 17th March 2018

Turnstone on the sea wall.

Strong wind from the East with snow showers during the morning, a complete contrast to the spring feel of the previous few days. Black Redstart were seen briefly around the seawatch hide along with Stonechat in the same area, there was an increased movement of Blackbird too. Towards the point Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone.

Noted on the reserve, 50 Blackbird, 5 Skylark, 3 Stonechat, 3 Turnstone, 2 Black Redstart, 1 Lapwing, 1 purple sandpiper. 

Offshore movement going North, 8 Common Scoter, going South, 90 Brent Goose & 14 Teal. Going out to sea East, 4 Cormorant.

31 birds ringed: Blackbird 22, Song Thrush 8, Robin 1.

Friday 16th March 2018

An Oystercatcher on the reserve, this individual is ringed but the sequence has not been read to record it.

A pleasant morning that could be considered warm at times, four Black Redstart are new arrivals seen along the beach on the brambles, two Firecrest and a Woodcock were in the obs.

Noted on the reserve, 8 Ringed Plover, 5 Redwing, 5 Sanderling, 4 Black Redstart, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Firecrest, 2 Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Meadow Pipit & 1 Woodcock.

Offshore going North, 376 Cormorant & 13 going out to sea East, 33 Brent Goose & 1 going South, 3 Common Scoter. Coming in off the sea going West, 3 Shelduck. 

Going South over the reserve, 4 Goldfinch & 1 Yellowhammer.

11 birds ringed: Song Thrush 3, Firecrest 2, Blackbird 1, Black Redstart 1, Great Tit 1, Redwing 1, Robin 1, Woodcock 1.

March litter pick

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

Thursday 15th March 2018

Firecrest at the Observatory this morning.

A cold South easterly wind coming off the sea with light showers during the morning. 

Highlights noted on the reserve during the morning, 7 Ringed Plover, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Dunlin, 1 Firecrest, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Lapwing, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Sanderling & 1 White Wagtail.

Offshore going North, 4 Turnstone, 3 Curlew, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Gannet & 1 Red-breasted Merganser. Going South, 2 Avocet, 1 Curlew & 1 Grey Wagtail. Coming in off the sea going West, 1 Shelduck.

8 birds ringed: Blackbird 2, Robin 2, Dunnock 1, Great Tit 1, Firecrest 1, Wren 1.

Wednesday 14th March 2018

The first Black Redstart & Firecrest (2) of the year turned up on a classic date for the first ones. Other migrants were 2 Chiffchaff, single Redwing, Stock Dove, Mipit plus a couple of Blackbirds. Offshore southbound 29 Brent & 5 Shelduck with northbound 35 Brent, 5 Golden Plover, 3 Teal & 2 Red-throated Diver. The first record of Frog for the year "in amplexus" were in the Butts pond.

No moths in the traps although a Grey Shoulder-knot was on the wall opposite one of the traps.

9 birds ringed: 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Black Redstart.

Tuesday 13th March 2018

North-westerly airflow plus overnight rain does not do us any favours at this time of the year. Grounded migrants consisted of 3 Mipits & a Redwing with vis mig a single Skylark south. Offshore southbound 7 Red-throated Diver, 7 Barnacle Geese, 2 Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Canada Goose & Dunlin with northbound 475 Cormorant, 12 Red-throated Diver, 3 Brent, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Shelduck, Greylag Goose & Oyk. Twin-spotted Quaker is far from being annual in its appearances here despite being fairly common inland.

Ringing: 1 Wren

Annual General Meeting Reminder

Reminder that the AGM of Landguard Conservation Trust is due to be held 7.30 pm on Tuesday 20th March 2018 at Felixstowe Guide Headquarters, Garrison Lane, Felixstowe. If any members have not received via e-mail a copy of the Agenda & the minutes of the 2017 AGM and would like them please contact landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk and copies will be sent out. Council is looking to co-opt a Membership Secretary plus a Librarian - any member interested in taking on these tasks then please e-mail for a job description.

Monday 12th March 2018

Offshore southbound 8 Red-throated Diver, 5 Shelduck, 2 Dunlin & 2 Knot with northbound 39 Cormorant, 3 Red-throats, 3 Shelduck, Gannet & Fulmar. Migrants few & far between included 3 Redwing, 2 Mipit, Skylark & the first new Robin of the spring (the overwintering Robin's appear to have been thinned out by the cold snap last week with only a couple of the locals surviving).

A couple of moths included a male March Moth which is a bizarre species in which the female is completely wingless which means that in order to reach new sites she has to crawl along the ground making it difficult to colonise new areas.

4 birds ringed: 1 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock

"Tern" Fencing

It is intended to put up the seasonal fencing for ground nesting birds on Thursday 15th March. Please meet at the garage by the cottage at 0930 hrs and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the task in hand. Many hands make light work so the more people that turn up the better.

Sunday 11th March 2018

First new Goldcrest of the spring with the two that over wintered here still with us. A handful of other new migrants on site as evidenced by the ringing totals plus 4 Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Mipit & a Skylark heading south. Offshore southbound 32 Barnacle Geese, 4 Avocet, 2 Shelduck, Brent & Dunlin with northbound a Red-throated Diver. 2 Mute Swans were off the View Point despite the pile-driver being in full flow.

14 birds ringed: 6 Blackbird, 3 Great Tit, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Wren, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Blue Tit.