Saturday 16th March 2019

More gales. 690 Cormorant went out fishing early. Southbound 17 Brent, 12 Barnacle Geese, 12 Black-headed Gull, 10 Red-throated Diver, 4 Turnstone, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Tufted Duck, Guillemot, Oyk, Kittiwake, Knot & Shelduck with northbound 91 Brent, 25 Red-throats, 7 Gannet & 4 Fulmar. Land-birds on the move heading south 20 Redwing, 10 Chaffinch & Jackdaw. On site 3 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk & Purple Sandpiper on the point.

The odd Clouded Drab is putting in an appearance.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk.

Friday 15th March 2019

Had enough of this ongoing windy period. 650 Cormorant went out fishing early. Offshore southbound 10 Brent, 6 Shelduck, 3 Turnstone, 2 Common Scoter, Oyk & Red-throated Diver with northbound 38 Brent & 13 Red-throats plus 2 Bonxie loitering. On site 4 Redwing, at least 2 Firecrest, Fieldfare plus the first new Wren of the spring (as opposed to those that live here).

Milder so a small handful of moths, despite the wind, including the first March Moth of the spring. In this species the female has no wings and has not been noted here so lets hope, for this ones sake, that they do occur here !

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Wren.

March Litter Pick

Litter Pick this Saturday 16th March 0930 hrs start. Usual arrangements on the Events page of www.lbo.org.uk

Thursday 14th March 2019

Gale up to force 8 is getting a bit tedious. 595 Cormorant went out fishing. Southbound Common Scoter, Guillemot, Oyk & Red-throated Diver with northbound 2 Red-throated Diver & Fulmar. On site 2 Redwing, Chiffchaff & Firecrest.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin.

Wednesday 13th March 2019

More gales gusting force 9 mid-morning. Offshore southbound 7 Brent, 2 Red-throated Diver, Common Scoter, Fulmar & Shelduck with northbound 50 Brent, 3 Red-throated Diver, 2 Med Gull & Fulmar plus a Bonxie loitering offshore for a while late morning. On site at least 3 Mipit, 2 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff & Firecrest. An immature male Peregrine flew south just offshore which is not one of the regular customers.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Robin.

GROUND NESTING BIRDS FENCING

It is intended to erect the temporary fencing for ground nesting birds on Thursday 14th March, weather permitting. Please meet near the cottage at 0930hrs and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the task in hand. Wind is ok for this task but if it looks like it is going to bucket down with rain then this may be cancelled until the following week.

Tuesday 12th March 2019

Blowing a gale. 203 Cormorants went out fishing. Southbound 15 Golden Plover, 6 Starling, 4 Brent, 4 Gannet, 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Fulmar, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Shelduck, Common Scoter & Great-crested Grebe with northbound 12 Brent, 5 Shelduck, 3 Red-throated Diver & Gannet plus a notable 21 Gannet followed a couple of ships in mid/late morning. A total of 18 Mipits and a Starling battled in off the sea during the morning all looked pleased to make landfall.

2019 SEASONAL WARDEN

SEASONAL WARDEN LANDGUARD BIRD OBSERVATORY

Applicants need to be competent birdwatchers and have a BTO bird ringing ‘C’ permit with a mist net endorsement as a minimum requirement. An interest in other aspects of natural history and biological recording is also needed.

The position runs from Mid-March to Mid-November 2019.

A job description is available on request. If you require any specifics please don’t hesitate to ask. Please e-mail landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk

Monday 11th March 2019

After the Butts pond dried out in last years drought its good to see some frog spawn, so at least one female survived.

Considering the gale it was better than expected this morning with a handful of migrants on site including 5 Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaff, new Blackbird & new Robin. Offshore a flock of 80 Brent went north but very little else noted.

10 birds ringed: 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Firecrest, 1 Blackbird, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Robin.

Sunday 10th March 2019

Gusting up to force 9 this morning is a bit naughty. Southbound 3 Red-throated Diver, 3 Brent, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gannet, 2 Great-crested Grebe, Fulmar & Golden Plover with northbound 17 Red-throated Diver & 13 Gannet plus 16 Gannet followed a ship in at one point. Chiffchaff, Fieldfare & new Robin is the only evidence of grounded migrants although a Starling flew in off the sea was glad to make landfall.

Agonopterix curvipunctosa is a rarely recorded Red Data Book species apart from at Landguard where we get small numbers each year usually early in the season.

Ringing: 1 Robin.