Saturday 8th June 2019

Westerly gale gusting force 8 with occasional showers. Heading south 1,315 Swift, 4 Dunlin, 4 Oystercatcher, 4 Swallow, 3 Curlew, 2 Fulmar & Great-crested Grebe. No grounded migrants noted.

Not many moths but Privet Hawk-moth is a strong enough flyer to find a trap in this wind.

Friday 7th June 2019

Easterly gale picking up during the morning and now gusting force 7. New migrants hard to come by but included a Chiffchaff & another dispersing juvenile Coal Tit (looks like they had a good start to the breeding season not to far away from here). Offshore movements pitiful with 1 Fulmar the highlight.

White Ermine is described as "ubiquitous" but only odd individuals get noted down here with us.

Ringing: 2 Linnet, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Robin.

Thursday 6th June 2019

Good numbers of young Linnet at present.

Couple of migrants noted including 4 Turnstone, Coal Tit (another dispersing juv), Reed Warbler & Willow Warbler plus southbound 6 Swallow, 5 Swift & 2 Siskin. Are the Siskin failed breeders or dispersing juveniles at this time of the year ? Mrs Mallard has 10 ducklings not 8 as noted yesterday by a myopically inept individual.

Light Brocade occasionally visits and is probably present here in small numbers on Bramble.

Ringing: 3 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit.

Wednesday 5th June 2019

Mrs Mallard with 8 ducklings on the observatory pond. Although breeding has happened in the past this is the first time we have ever seen ducklings to prove it. Grounded migrants non-existent although yesterdays Black Redstart is still with us. Southbound 8 Swift, 5 Swallow, 4 House Martin, Common Gull & Fulmar.

Cork Moth has only been noted here on a couple of previous occasions.

Ringing: 10 Linnet, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock.

Tuesday 4th June 2019

Second Turtle Dove in a few days was most welcome. Other migrants were 3 Reed Warbler, Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, Swallow plus a Coal Tit heard that is presumably a dispersing juv.

Ethmia terminella is one of the site specialities which lives on Viper's Bugloss

Ringing: 16 Linnet, 6 Dunnock, 5 Great Tit, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 House Sparrow.

Monday 3rd June 2019

Painted Lady on the beach looks new in.

New Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Spot Fly on site. Heading south 51 Swift, 9 Swallow & 5 House Martin. 2 Sanderling on the beach. Otherwise its baby birds time of the year.

Orange Footman is only noted occasionally here as it is mainly a woodland species. It emerges earlier in the year than other "footmans".

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet.

Sunday 2nd June 2019

Baby bird time of the year. Two broods of Whitethroats out so far.

No grounded migrants noted. On the move northbound 6 Barnacle Geese & 6 Canada Geese with southbound 4 Swift, 2 Canada Geese, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Med Gull, Oyk & Swallow.

Migrant moths almost non-existent so far this year so notable to get an early Bordered Straw.

Ringing: 2 Great Tit, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin.