Saturday 23rd June 2018

 Ringlet Butterfly have started to emerge, Privet and Bramble are its favourite nectar sources, the Privet is currently in full bloom.

Clear sky and a Westerly breeze this morning. A couple of Chiffchaff that were here this morning are most probably wandering following an unsuccessful attempt at nesting rather than migrating, the female had a decreasing brood patch. Spotted Flycatcher is not typically here at this point in June but no physical indication with this individual if it was wandering following a breeding attempt or still on migration. There was a Black Redstart singing on the fort late morning and the first Small Skipper at Landguard for this year was seen on the Butts.

Noted on the reserve, 380 Starling, 80 Linnet, 15 Whitethroat, 8 Shelduck, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Swift, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallow & 1 Black Redstart. Offshore, 220 Herring Gull, 30 Black-headed Gull, 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Common Tern, 6 Little Tern, 6 Med Gull, 1 Cormorant & 1 Great Black-backed Gull. Going South, 7 Curlew & 2 Swift, coming in off the sea going West, 6 Cormorant.

Eyed Hawk-moth, this species is widely distributed through England and Wales, the black and Blue eyes on the hind wing are flashed when it feels threatened.

33 birds ringed: House Sparrow 15, Linnet 13, Chiffchaff 2, Goldfinch 1, Great Tit 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.

Friday 22nd June 2018

 Common Tern plunge-diving at the point on the falling tide.

A clear start to the day and a Northwesterly breeze that gathered pace through the morning. A male Black Redstart was singing near the Butts and slowly moving towards the Observatory, a duller Black Redstart was also in the area, a Reed Warbler was on the Ickie ridge briefly singing. Ten species of butterfly were recorded during the morning, Small Tortoiseshell that have freshly emerged and look very vibrant, Green Hairstreak which are now coming to the end of their flight period and Meadow Brown which are increasing in abundance. Hairy Dragonfly and Large Red Damselfly were seen at the Observatory and a Large Red Damselfly was on the Butts pond.

Offshore at the point on the falling tide, 300 Herring Gull, 50 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 30 Black-headed Gull, 21 Little Tern, 4 Common Tern, 1 Great Black-backed Gull & 1 Med Gull. Noted on the reserve, 275 Starling, 60 Linnet, 7 Pied Wagtail, 6 Shelduck, 6 Swift, 2 Black Redstart & 1 Reed Warbler. Offshore passage was quiet this morning.

Peppered moth is a widespread species that flies between May and August.

0 birds ringed:

Recent Ringing Recoveries

Lesser Redpoll ringed Landguard 2nd October 2017 retrapped 193 km away Heestert, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium 15th October 2017. Lesser Redpoll ringed Landguard 23rd October 2017 retrapped 140 km away Stuivekensiterle, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium 26th October 2017. Also three more Lesser Redpoll trapped Landguard end October 2017 retapped 16 km away Hollesley Heath early March 2018.

Thursday 21st June 2018

 A breakfast of bunny for the growing cubs, the adults have been working hard to provide for them.

Although quite bright this morning a strong Northwesterly wind took the edge off it feeling warm. Gulls and terns were feeding and gathering off the point on this mornings falling tide, 280 Herring Gull, 40 Little Tern, 35 Black-headed Gull, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Common Tern, 2 Med Gull & 1 Great Black-backed Gull.  A few more Whitethroat have fledged, juveniles could be heard making "tacking" contact calls to adult birds throughout the reserve and the first Ruddy Darter for this year at Landguard was seen at the Observatory.

Noted on the reserve, 150 Starling, 60 Linnet, 15 Whitethroat, 8 Shelduck, 5 Pied Wagtail & 2 Lesser Whitethroat. Going North, 8 Little Tern. Going South, 41 Black-headed Gull, 32 Swift, 9 Med Gull, 8 Swallow, 2 Curlew, 1 House Martin, 1 Oystercatcher & 1 Sand Martin.

Buff Arches lives in areas with bramble so hardly surprising it turns up on occasions.

Ringing: 1 Song Thrush

Wednesday 20th June 2018

On the move southbound 57 Swift, 35 Curlew, 20 Common Scoter, !0 Black-headed Gull, 2 Oyk, 2 Lapwing, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Med Gull, Swallow & House Martin. On site migrants consist of 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap & Wheatear.

Male Lackey is notable these days as we don't see it very often anymore.

6 birds ringed: 3 Linnet, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Wren

Tuesday 19th June 2018

Meds amongst the melee off the point.

On the move southbound 268 Swift, 6 Wood Pigeon, 2 Swallow, 1 Redshank & 1 Sand Martin with northbound 10 Swift. Difficult to know what Wood Pigeons are up to flying high south offshore at this time of the year except that we have noted odd movements like this in June in previous year. Sand Martin is the first of the autumn, not that you wanted to hear that. On site a dispersing juv Coal Tit and a Chiffchaff that arrived a couple of days back. 4 Sanderling are on the beach. Worth highlighting the first Greenfinch that we have ringed this year, which is a sad state of affairs when one compares this with our biggest year with 2251 ringed in 1987. Those of us who were actively birding last century when Greenfinch's were an abundant species never saw this coming !

Dark Spectacle is a fairly frequent visitor to our traps whose food-plant is Nettles so it can occur in a wide variety of locations.

Ringing: 1 Greenfinch, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin.

Monday 18th June 2018

One of two Sanderling on the beach yesterday afternoon. Its difficult to determine at this time of the year whether they are still heading north to breed or are turning around and heading south. It is quite possible that laggards are still going up to the far north to nest when failed breeders are starting to head back towards Africa.

Migrants this morning typically in short supply but included a Hobby plus southbound 87 Swift, 15 Black-headed Gull, 3 Swallow, 2 House Martin & a Curlew. A female Green Woodpecker is quite probably the same bird as noted here a couple of days back and when trapped showed an extensive brood patch. This is indicative of a breeding attempt somewhere but she has been compelled to move at an unexpected time quite likely as a result of some trauma in her life (like the bulldozers have destroyed her home ?).

Treble-bar is another species (like yesterdays featured moth) that used to be abundant here but now occurs in much reduced numbers despite its food plant, St John's-wort's, being common here.

Ringing: 1 Dunnock, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Wren.

Sunday 17th June 2018

You never know what you will get on this blog - Painted Lady egg on Cotton Thistle.

On the move southbound 34 Swift, 18 Black-headed Gull, 7 Curlew, 5 Swallow & 2 Oyks. Migrants in the bushes consist of 2 Chiffchaff and 2 singing male Blackcap which will be failed breeders trying their luck somewhere else before it is time to go back south again.

Lathronympha strigana used to be abundant here but is now in much lower numbers despite its food plant (St.John's-wort's) being common here.

9 birds ringed: 4 Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Goldfinch.