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Saturday 25th May 2019


Lesser 'throats busy feeding young at the moment.

Difficult to know what a Muscovy Duck sitting on View Point Road at 0330 hrs was up to but when flushed it flew of strongly to the north-west. We have previous site records on 23rd January 1987 & 31st March 1991. Todays migrants were single Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler & Willow Warbler plus 14 Swallow that flew south in addition to the 5 birds loitering on site investigating potential nest sites. Offshore 16 Brent & 3 Oyk went north.


Teneral damselflies emerging from the observatory pond are always difficult to sort out.

Ringing: 2 House Sparrow, 2 Linnet, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Willow Warbler.

Friday 24th May 2019

Single Spotted Fly & Willow Warbler briefly early on. 14 Swallow went south & a House Martin north. Otherwise it is largely down to the locals plus baby birds.


Notocelia cynosbatella is another "bird poo" micro - but one of the commoner and easier to identify.

Ringing: 2 Great Tit, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet.

Press Release


(photo credit -"Drone East")
Landguard Governance Project secures National Lottery support
Five organisations that care for the heritage, wildlife and natural environment on the Landguard Peninsula in Felixstowe, with East Suffolk Council acting as lead partner, have received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £43,200 for an exciting project in Felixstowe made possible from money raised by National Lottery players. The project which focuses on how the nationally important heritage and natural environment at Landguard can be best managed into the future will commence in June.
Landguard has developed into an extremely popular destination for local people and visitors alike over the past 30 years. During that time there have been many changes and the organisations involved now need to review what they have achieved so far and seek the best way forward to meet the challenges of the future.
Supported through the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will provide training opportunities to ensure trustees and key volunteers are aware of the most up to date best practice so they can confidently develop a shared vision and strategic plan. To inform outcomes workshops, consultations and learning opportunities through visits to similar charity organisations will take place, as well as professional led business and visitor assessments.

Landguard is a special place, a peninsula to the south of Felixstowe lying between the North Sea and the Orwell Estuary. King Henry VIII commanded the first fortifications to be built at Landguard to defend Harwich. Defences have come and gone, changed and developed to counter ever evolving threats from abroad. Today the present Grade 1 listed 18thC Fort is bordered on one side by a vegetated shingle spit designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and on the other by the busiest container Port in the UK. Housed in the Ravelin block is the Felixstowe Museum, whilst the Landguard Bird Observatory is situated atop one of the Fort’s prominent outer gun batteries. This juxtaposition of giant ships and cranes, wildlife and history merge here into one unique but ever changing landscape at the southern most tip of Suffolk.
Commenting on the award, Landguard Project Officer Paul Grant said: “We want to build on the amazing work that’s been done by our dedicated volunteer groups and there are exciting plans and ideas for Landguard’s future. First however we need to make sure we have the right structure and resources in place to make the most of new opportunities. So it’s great that the National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us with a grant from its Resilient Heritage Fund towards shaping our future.”

This project is a partnership between the organisations that manage the heritage and wildlife assets at Landguard. These are; East Suffolk Council, English Heritage, Landguard Conservation Trust, Felixstowe Museum and the Landguard Fort Trust.

More information can be found at www.discoverlandguard.org.uk

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund 
For further information, images and interviews, or if you would like to get involved at Landguard please contact the Landguard Partnership Project Officer Paul Grant on 01394 444457 or paul.grant@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

Thursday 23rd May 2019


2 Sanderling were on the beach in the afternoon.

Migrants hard to come by but included 2 Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler & Willow Warbler. Heading south 12 Swallow & House Martin. 76 Brent headed out then East with one sitting on the reserve with the local Shelduck for 45 minutes early morning obviously not fancying a long flight today. First baby Linnets are out to play plus young House Sparrows now starting to wander across to see us to get some jewellery.


Epiblema scutulana is one of those "bird poo" lookalikes that are starting to appear.

Ringing: 5 Linnet, 2 House Sparrow, 1 Starling, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.

Wednesday 22nd May 2019


Muntjac at the Mine Station.

Migrants hard to come by but include our first Garden Warbler of the year, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler & new Blackcap. 9 Swallow went south. 30 Brent Geese & 3 Sandwich Tern went north.


Moth numbers & variety is finally picking up including Diamond-back Moths that may, or may not, be migrants.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Tit, 1 Magpie.

Tuesday 21st May 2019


Raptors coming in off the sea at this time of the year always get one's hope up.

Migrants today include 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, Spot Fly, new Whitethroat & Willow Warbler. 46 Brent Geese came out of the river & headed north-east. 13 Swallow went south, 3 Turnstone heading into the river & a Common Buzzard came in off and inland over the docks. The first Azure Damselfly & Painted Lady of the year was noted as was a Muntjac.


Willow Beauty now starting to appear - they are variable in appearance and can be common here.

Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.

Monday 20th May 2019



The first spring Wood Warbler for six years was singing intermittently & a Bluethroat was found on the Butts. Also present 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 3 Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Warbler, Black Redstart, Blue-headed Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Spot Fly & White Wagtail.


First Treble-bar of the year.

Ringing: 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Wood Warbler.


Sunday 19th May 2019

A handful of migrants in the form of 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Wheatear, Firecrest, new Lesser Whitethroat & Yellow Wag. 10 Barnacle Geese went north & 8 Swallow went south. 3 Sanderling were on the beach plus 2 more flying south. Offshore movements almost non-existent. Worth a mention are the first brood of baby Great Tits coming out of their nest hole from the four pairs we have on site. Baby Blackbird being fed by dad out of the nest is also noteworthy as during last years heat and drought the first youngster that the locals managed to rear here was not noted until the end of July. This year we appear to have seven pairs spread across the entire site so here's hoping they can do a bit better.


Least Black Arches is a woodland species that is infrequent here although this one is freshly emerged and probably originates on site.

Ringing: 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Great Tit, 2 Starling, 1 Dunnock, 1 Firecrest, 1 Lesser Whitethroat.