Saturday 1st September 2018

 Juvenile Golden Plover on the reserve at Landguard.

Clear and sunny with an Easterly breeze coming off the sea. A juvenile Golden Plover was on the reserve during the morning, a Redstart was on the Ickie ridge and another at the Observatory, Whinchat were seen at the seawatch hide and on the Butts and Wheatear were feeding around the seawatch hide.

Noted on the reserve, 1100 Starling, 14 Pied Wagtail, 9 Common Tern, 7 Robin, 5 Wheatear, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whinchat, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Redstart, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Golden Plover & 1 Ring Plover. Going North, 1 Sandwich Tern. Coming in off the sea going West, 1 Redshank. Going South, 11 Teal, 6 Swallow, 4  Wigeon, 2 Black-headed Gull, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Common Tern, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pintail & 1 Yellow Wagtail.

First Bordered Straw of the autumn.

9 birds ringed: Blue Tit 4, Robin 2, Blackcap 1, Dunnock 1, Reed Warbler 1.

Ringing total for August 2018

218 of 20 species of birds ringed during August. This is low based on an average figure for August over the previous ten years, two years have a lower August total and another year is only slightly higher during that ten year period.

Willow Warbler	80
Linnet	20
House Sparrow	17
Robin	17
Pied Flycatcher	13
Whitethroat	12
Reed Warbler	11
Lesser Whitethroat	10
Blackbird	7
Goldfinch	7
Sedge Warbler	4
Blackcap	3
Blue Tit	3
Spotted Flycatcher	3
Wren	3
Grey Wagtail	2
Redstart	2
Woodpigeon	2
Garden Warbler	1
Kestrel	1

Friday 31st August 2018

Common Darter in tandem at the Butts pond.

A heavy shower overnight but a calm and still at dawn, a strong Easterly breeze by late morning. In front of the Observatory this morning, feeding over the Holm Oaks, there were four Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher. On the corner between the reserve and the aggregate yard a puddle had formed, a Redstart was feeding around there and five Wheatears were towards the point.

Noted on the reserve, 800 Starling, 16 Pied Wagtail, 7 Wheatear, 7 Whitethroat, 7 Willow Warbler, 5 Pied Flycatcher, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Spotted Flycatcher. Going North, 18 Common Scoter & 2 Swallow. Coming in off the sea going West, 6 Common Tern. Going South, 3 Curlew & 3 Swallow.

Barred Red is a coniferous woodland species we only see here very occasionally.

10 birds ringed: Lesser Whitethroat 2, Pied Flycatcher 2, Robin 2, Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Reed Warbler 1, Willow Warbler 1.

Thursday 30th August 2018

 Tawny Pipit on the reserve this morning, the last to be recorded here was in May 2012

A cool Northwesterly breeze and clear start to the morning, becoming warmer by mid morning. A Tawny Pipit on the reserve this morning is the 14th site record, although initially was not settling to an area seems to have stayed in the fenced off area towards the point in the later part of the morning. A Tree Pipit went North heading over the Dock, the first Meadow Pipit for this autumn at Landguard went over the Observatory going South and a Garden Warbler was on the Ickie Ridge.

Noted on the reserve, 1250 Starling, 45 Linnet, 20 Pied Wagtail, 6 Willow Warbler, 4 Wheatear, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Snipe, 1 Sparrowhawk & 1 Tawny Pipit. Going North, 2 Yellow Wagtail & 1 Tree Pipit. Coming in off the sea going West, 2 Black-headed Gull. Going South, 13 Cormorant, 7 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Peregrine & 1 Yellow Wagtail.

Second generation of Light Emerald appears in the traps occasionally.

4 birds ringed: Robin 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Reed Warbler 1.

Wednesday 29th August 2018

Soggy wet morning. On site at least 8 Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 2 Lesser 'throat, 2 Pied Fly, 2 Willow Warbler, Whitethroat & Grey Wag. Deadly quiet offshore with southbound 9 Oyk & Curlew with northbound 3 Sandwich Tern & Oyk. 10 Common & 5 Sandwich Tern were off the point on the falling tide.

Pearly Underwing have finally started to turn up the last couple of mornings.

Ringing: 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Robin, 1 Willow Warbler.

Tuesday 28th August 2018

 Wheatear at Landguard.

Warmer, overcast and still this morning. During the early part of the morning Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler were in the bramble at the front of the Observatory. A Spotted Flycatcher was also seen at the Observatory and Wheatear were on the reserve between the seawatch hide and the point, low tide was just after 7am today and offshore was quiet.

Noted on the reserve, 950 Starling, 14 Common Tern, 6 Pied Wagtail, 6 Wheatear, 3 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Spotted Flycatcher & 1 Willow Warbler. Going North, 2 Common Scoter. Going South, 9 Woodpigeon & 5 Oystercatcher.

Centre-barred Sallow is common in areas of Ash and consequently infrequent here.

9 birds ringed: Reed Warbler 2, Robin 2, Sedge Warbler 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Willow Warbler 1.

Monday 27th August 2018

 Hobby are usually a brief fly over visitor at Landguard, this individual was on the reserve for an hour this morning.

Cool and a strong westerly wind this morning. Noted on the reserve, 710 Starling, 25 Linnet, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Hobby & 1 Whimbrel. Going North, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Cormorant & 1 Oystercatcher. Going out to sea East, 2 Cormorant. Going South, 17 Cormorant, 3 Teal, 2 Redshank, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Tern, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Pintail & 1 Swallow. Coming in off the sea going West, 2 Common Tern & 2 Sandwich Tern.

Moth species diversity now well down, the second emergence of Setaceous Hebrew Character is doing okay at the moment.

0 birds ringed:

Sunday 26th August 2018

Flat calm to start with & now blowing a minor gale with the rain imminent. Hard work this morning all round with southbound 7 Cormorant, 6 Common Tern, 3 Oyks, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Yellow Wags, 2 Great-crested Grebe & Sand Martin with northbound 4 Barnacle Geese, 4 Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern & Yellow Wag. On site grounded migrants consisted of 2 Reed Warbler, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.

Yellow-barred Brindle is a variable species as it fades soon after emergence so can be confusing as we don't see it very often.

Ringing: 1 Goldfinch, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Willow Warbler.