Saturday 11th May 2019

Cool for the time of the year with migrants hard to come by. On site 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Whimbrel & Yellow Wag. 34 Common Terns feeding offshore but very little moving with northbound 4 Little Tern, 2 Common Gull, 2 Common Tern & Whimbrel with southbound 7 Greylag, 2 Sandwich Tern & Gannet. Also noted heading north 10 Carrion Crow with 3 Swallow south plus 4 in off the sea.

Moth numbers and variety poor although Yellow Belle doesn't often sit still long enough to photograph. Landguard is a classic habitat for it.

Ringing: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler.

Friday 10th May 2019

Yet more rain early morning. On site 5 Lesser 'throat, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Wheatear, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler & Reed Warbler. Heading north 26 Cormorant, 11 Shelduck,  9 Common Tern, 4 Little Tern, 4 Swallow, 2 Brent, 2 Gannet & 2 Sandwich Tern with southbound 10 Dunlin, 6 Cormorant, 4 Swallow, 2 Sandwich Tern, Fulmar, Gannet, Grey Wagtail & Hobby. Grey Wag is notable for the time of the year but some pairs do nest very early so it may be a dispersing juvenile ?

Brimstone brings a splash of colour - it is probably feeding on Hawthorn here.

Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler.

Thursday 9th May 2019

After drawing a blank for Serin last year hopefully this one is the start of a return to form. Good dose of rain yesterday so the flora has quickly come to life.  Also on site 7 Wheatear, 5 Lesser 'throat, 5 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warbler, Mipit & Spot Fly. Heading north 25 Common Scoter, 18 Black-headed Gull, 12 Dunlin, 11 Brent, 7 Shelduck, 7 Swallow, 5 Cormorant, 4 Common Tern, 2 Black Tern, 2 House Martin & Sandwich Tern with southbound 30 Swallow, 23 Cormorant, 13 Black-headed Gull, 11 Goldfinch, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 House Martin, 2 Fulmar, 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Whimbrel, Avocet & Curlew.

Moth variety still not vast although some of the commoner species, like Turnip, are appearing.

Ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Whitethroat.

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Heavy rain with an onshore wind. We failed to record Black tern last year so to have 28 struggling north was most welcome with a supporting cast of 95 Common Tern, 21 Sandwich Tern, 12 Great Black-backs, 4 Arctic Tern, 3 Fulmar, 3 House Martin, 3 Little Tern, 2 Swift, Bonxie, & Kittiwake with southbound 11 Dunlin, 3 Swallow & 2 Med Gull. On the reserve 3 Wheatear, 2 Spot Fly & Yellow Wag but no one has walked around properly in these conditions although if the rain ceases this afternoon may well try and wander around later.

Monopis weaverella lives in old faeces and dry decaying animal carcasses - oh well someone has to !

Tuesday 7th May 2019

Flat calm to begin with then a south-easterly by late morning. Migrants today included 12 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat & Song Thrush. Heading north 7 Black-headed Gull, 7 Common Scoter, 5 Swallow, 4 Arctic Tern, 3 Little Tern, 3 Whimbrel, Common Tern, Great-northern Diver, Greenshank, Jackdaw & Sandwich Tern with southbound 35 Swallow, 7 Oyk, 4 Goldfinch, 4 Yellow Wag, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Greylag, 2 Little Tern, Common Tern, Sand Martin & Shelduck.

Chocolate-tip have started to appear, although we don't see many. The larvae will be feeding on the Poplars.

Ringing: 8 Willow Warbler, 2 Linnet, 1 Blackcap, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Whitethroat.

Monday 6th May 2019

Cool northerly airflow is not doing us any favours. On site 8 Wheatear, 6 Lesser 'throat, 5 Whitethroat, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Mipit, Sanderling, Yellow Wagtail & the first Reed Warbler of the spring which is about right for us. Several of the Lesser 'throats & Whitethroats have settled in on territories although there is no sign of the girls arriving yet. On the move northbound 17 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Tern, Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Swallow & Whimbrel with southbound 9 Swallow, 4 Gannet, 2 Common Tern, 2 Whimbrel, & Little Egret.

Brown Silver-line is abundant in areas with Bracken but, as we have very little Bracken, we are pleased to see it. With the weather as it is moth numbers and variety is currently dire.

Ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler.

Sunday 5th May 2019

Offshore northbound 10 Gannet, 10 Sandwich Tern, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Arctic Tern, 4 Little Tern, 2 Brent, 2 Common Gull, 2 Whimbrel, Arctic Skua & Fulmar with southbound 11 Gannet, 2 Brent, 2 Swallow, Curlew, Shelduck & Whimbrel plus 16 Little Tern & a Whimbrel heading up river. On site 6 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff & Yellow Wag. 3 Jackdaw came in from the north, flew around a while, then left over the docks.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Willow Warbler.