Saturday 9th February 2019

Blowing a westerly gale 6 - 7 gusting force 8. 1,220 Cormorant went out fishing early on. Offshore viewing not clever in bright sunshine but heading south 9 Brent, 9 Kitts, Fulmar & Great-crested Grebe plus 8 Kitts followed a dredger in. One of those mornings when if I hadn't bothered turning up it would have made almost no difference to science with everything on site keeping its head down. Ringed Plover on the beach worth a mention, which is probably one of the local breeding birds popping back from a nearby estuary to check his territory is okay and some young buck has not moved in in his absence.

Friday 8th February 2019

Windy with occasional drizzle. 1,310 Cormorant went out fishing. Offshore southbound 35 Brent, 4 Kitts, 2 Goldeneye, Fulmar & Red-breasted Merganser with northbound 2 Red-throated Diver & Fulmar plus 3 Gannet & 2 Kitts following shipping. Always good to get a pair of Goldeneye, especially, considering how few records we had last autumn.

Thursday 7th February 2019

A single Skylark heading south is the second in two days suggesting that birds are either relocating following recent cold weather or spring really has started - dream on ! 7 Starling in the View Point car park is our biggest count of the year so far.

2019 Membership

Existing members are reminded that the 2019 membership fee is now due and are asked to renew as soon as possible. New members are also welcome to join & support the work carried out at Landguard Bird Observatory. Further information on the website via the Home Page above or the link below:

https://www.lbo.org.uk/membership/

Wednesday 6th February 2019

Much milder. 1,405 Cormorants went out fishing. Offshore southbound 3 Red-throated Diver, 2 Brent, 2 Mallard, Fulmar, Shelduck & Teal with northbound 4 Brent & 2 Gadwal. On the reserve the first Skylark of the "spring" & 2 Mipits. On site 2 Goldcrests in the Holm Oaks look like they are going to survive the winter.

Tuesday 5th February 2019

Always wise to sing from cover when you are on the menu for certain predators.

1,250 Cormorants went out fishing first thing. Flat calm, murky then thick fog up to 0930 hrs made seawatching pointless. On site 2 Stonechat, Ringed Plover & Turnstone.

Monday 4th February 2019

640 Cormorants went out fishing with some of them now in breeding plumage. Offshore southbound 38 Kitts, 2 Brent & Red-throated Diver with northbound Red-throated Diver plus an adult Little Gull that had earlier come down the river. Wet, dull & windy morning so little effort put in elsewhere.

Sunday 3rd February 2019

963 Cormorants headed out to sea fishing. Good to see 2 Purps on the point as they have been very infrequent on their visits to us over the last couple of months. 2 Stonechat on the Butts concludes the interest.

Saturday 2nd February 2019

Your blogger was at the AGM of the Bird Observatories Council at Thetford yesterday hence late blog. Those that were here struggled to see much although the 2 Stonechat were still present.