Saturday 3rd November 2018

Stonechat on the Southern end of the Butts.

A Southwesterly breeze that increased in strength during the morning, patchy cloud and mild. Offshore an Arctic Tern went South, there have been four previous records of Arctic Tern in November, the latest of these is November 7th, a Purple Sandpiper was on the jetty during the morning, then flew North and a Rock Pipit was on the beach groynes by the Butts.

Noted on the reserve, 12 Meadow Pipit, 2 Med Gull, 2 Stonechat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Lapwing, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Snipe & 1 Sparrowhawk. 

Going North, 5 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Oystercatcher & 1 Purple Sandpiper. Going out to sea East, 1,489 Cormorant. Going South, 349 Woodpigeon, 94 Goldfinch, 9 Redpoll, 7 Common Scoter, 7 Linnet, 6 Gannet, 5 Brent Goose, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Common Gull, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Wigeon, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kittiwake, 1 Guillemot, 1 Med Gull, 1 Siskin & 1 Skylark. Coming in off the sea going West, 552 Starling.

13 birds ringed: Blackbird 3, Lesser Redpoll 3, Wren 3, Chaffinch 2, Blackcap 1, Song Thrush 1.

Friday 2nd November 2018

Male Redpoll

A Northwesterly breeze and clear overnight. A Black Redstart was seen at the Mine Station, a Firecrest was in the Holm Oaks in front of the Observatory and two Purple Sandpiper were on the jetty at the point. Butterflies today were Small Copper seen on the Butts and Red Admiral was in the moat at the Observatory.

Noted on the reserve, 52 Woodpigeon, 45 Meadow Pipit, 12 Goldcrest, 7 Goldfinch, 2 Brambling, 2 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Siskin, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Firecrest, 1 Redwing & 1 Stonechat. Going out to sea East, 1538 Cormorant. Going South, 240 Starling, 52 Goldfinch, 19 Skylark, 12 Redpoll, 4 Carrion Crow, 4 Meadow Pipit & 1 Siskin. Coming in off the sea going West, 1 Marsh Harrier.

14 birds ringed: Redpoll 7, Meadow Pipit 2, Blackbird 1, Chaffinch 1, Kestrel 1, Goldcrest 1, Great Tit 1.

Thursday 1st November 2018

A lot milder but with another dose of the wet stuff it is not conducive to good birding. 2,353 Cormorant headed out fishing early on a wide broad front. On site a handful of migrants including 10 Goldcrest, 6 Mipit, 5 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Brambling & Chiffchaff. Vis mig almost non-existent in this weather but worth a mention are 170 Starling in off the sea plus 97 south. Offshore movements again pathetic but included southbound 5 Teal, 2 Eider & Wigeon with northbound 2 Common Scoter & Eider plus 2 Little Gull that did a bit of loitering in the shipping lane.

11 birds ringed: 4 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.

October Ringing Totals

852 birds of 29 species ringed is 10% down on the average for the past ten years and 40% down on the October average totals in the last century - but, as we all know, there are just less birds around these days.

Blackbird	162
Goldcrest	119
Song Thrush	69
Robin	59
Chaffinch	57
Blackcap	48
Starling	44
Long-tailed Tit	41
Great Tit	39
Meadow Pipit	39
Redwing	38
Chiffchaff	33
Lesser Redpoll	23
Blue Tit	18
Wren	16
Goldfinch	8
Fieldfare	7
Dunnock	6
Brambling	5
House Sparrow	5
Woodpigeon	5
Grey Wagtail	2
Sparrowhawk	2
Yellow-browed Warbler	2
Firecrest	1
Greenfinch	1
Redstart	1
Swallow	1
Yellowhammer	1

Wednesday 31st October 2018

Family party of Mutes did a flyby. 

Glorious sunny morning. Starling roost has gone over the last couple of days so a Long-eared Owl may be lurking somewhere. Cormorants heading out to sea to go fishing have gone from next to nothing a week ago to 3,097 this morning. Vis mig this morning was limited to southbound 232 Woodies, 43 Goldfinch, 16 Black-headed Gull, 9 Mipit, 9 Siskin, 9 Skylark, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Linnet & 2 Jackdaw. On site 20 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Brambling & Firecrest are worth a mention amongst very low numbers of typical late October fare. Offshore movements almost non-existent.

Angle Shades is another common species daft enough to be out on colder nights.

14 birds ringed: 6 Goldcrest, 2 Blackbird, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wren, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Robin.

Tuesday 30th October 2018

Cold, wet & windy with next to nothing going past. A Bonxie appeared offshore at one point. Only 362 Cormorants seen heading out fishing this morning but we might have missed some in the murk. Sea watching very poor with southbound just a Red-throated Diver with northbound 13 Common Scoter, Brent Goose & Turnstone. On sight a handful of migrant Blackies, Robins, Songies and single Brambling, Grey Wagtail & Sparrowhawk but in these conditions there may be more out there but no one has the enthusiasm to trudge around the nature reserve. Roll on tomorrow !

Dark Chestnut is a late autumn species that is daft enough to be out in some of the grimmest conditions with the amount of light to photograph it equally grim.

5 birds ringed: 3 Blackbird, 2 Robin.

Monday 29th October 2018

Stonechat at Landguard.

A Northerly breeze and a chilly start to the day with occasional showers. Two Purple Sandpiper and a Turnstone were feeding on the end of the jetty during the low tide in the morning, two Stonechat were on the bramble near the wooden boardwalk and a Yellowhammer was seen briefly in the Observatory compound.
Noted on the reserve, 2,900 Starling, 20 Goldcrest, 14 Meadow Pipit, 3 Siskin, 2 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Brambling, 1 Lapwing, 1 Redwing, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Turnstone & 1 Yellowhammer.
Going North, 14 Eider, 8 Wigeon, 4 Shelduck, 2 Brent Goose & 1 Common Scoter. Coming in off the sea going West, 605 Starling & 1 Red-throated Diver. Going South, 25 Meadow Pipit, 16 Wigeon, 15 Brent Goose, 6 Common Gull, 5 Skylark, 2 Red-throated Diver & 1 Oystercatcher. Going out to sea East, 1,350 Cormorant.

72 birds ringed: Starling 39, Goldcrest 11, Blackbird 9, Robin 5, Chaffinch 2, Wren 2, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Redwing 1.

Sunday 28th October 2018

LEO hiding in tamarisk.

Long-eared Owl flying around in the dark pre-dawn may, or may not, have been the one found skulking away mid-afternoon. Filthy cold wintry weather with heavy rain and hail in the morning produced entertaining birding for the observers but was probably not appreciated by the birds. Coming in off the sea 4,490 Starling, 114 Chaffinch, 30 Blackbird, 20 Skylark, 4 Fieldfare (one of which landed on the sea before finally making landfall), Ring Ouzel plus a Little Auk following a Starling flock. Heading south 163 Brent, 47 Common Scoter, 15 Teal, 9 Wigeon, 4 Shelduck, 2 Eider, 2 Gannet, 2 Heron, Bean Goose (not sure what flavour - but who is on a single flyby goose ?), Oyk, Kittiwake, Red-throated Diver with northbound 7 Shelduck, 5 Eider, 2 Curlew, 2 Guillemot, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, Barwit, Brent, Oyk & Tufted Duck. On site 90 Blackbird, 16 Goldcrest, 15 Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, 4 Lapwing, 4 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Fieldfare, Turnstone, Woodcock & the first, long overdue, Firecrest of the autumn. 920 Cormorant heading out fishing early on and 1,000 assorted seagulls were following shipping offshore.

67 birds ringed: 32 Blackbird, 16 Goldcrest, 12 Chaffinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Starling, 1 Wren.