Saturday 3rd August 2019

Small Red-eyed Damselfly is an infrequent visitor despite being abundant on the other side of the docks. This is a female.

Migrants today included 10 Willow Warbler, Greenshank, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Pied Fly, Sedge Warbler, Spot Fly & Wheatear. Southbound 9 Swallows. The Nightingale trapped two days ago on 1st August weighed 18.8 grams today weighed in at 23.4 grams which is a massive weight gain of nearly 25% in just a couple of days.

Migrant moths today included the first site record of Jersey Tiger with a supporting cast of 2 Bedstraw Hawk-moth plus a Dark Crimson Underwing, although, very few other migrants. We only have five previous records of the Hawk-moth & four of the Underwing.

Ringing: 7 Willow Warbler, 3 Dunnock, 3 Great Tit, 3 House Sparrow, 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Wren.

Friday 2nd August 2019

On guard !

Southbound 70 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 7 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, 2 Common Tern & Curlew. On site about a dozen Willow Warbler, 10 Whitethroat, 5 Lesser 'throats & Yellow Wag.

Agapeta zoegana is apparently a common enough species but we only have half a dozen previous ones here.

Ringing: 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Linnet

Thursday 1st August 2019

Local Pied Wagtail are still feeding young.

On site the second Nightingale of the autumn plus 13 Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warbler, 4 Lesser 'throat, 2 Green Woodpecker, Reed Warbler & Yellow Wag. With the local breeding Sylvia warblers having done well on site this year its difficult to work out when migration gets going but surely it has started by now. Southbound 81 Swift, 18 Sand Martin, 10 Black-headed Gull, 8 Swallow, 7 Common Gull, 6 Oyk, 4 Great Black-backs, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, 2 Redshank & Whimbrel.

Black Arches is a mature Oak woodland specialist only noted in six previous years.

Ringing: 46 Starling, 7 House Sparrow, 6 Linnet, 6 Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Blackbird, 1 Dunnock, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Nightingale, 1 Wren.

July Ringing Totals

Keep your eyes out for Darvic ringed seagulls around Felixstowe. The three young Herring Gulls on the museum roof will be on the move any day now.

549 birds of 30 species is the highest July total for 15 years largely due to much improved local juvenile productivity. The House Sparrow numbers are good to see as we all love spadgers and how good is it to get some young Greenies after a number of appalling years.

Starling	153
Linnet	105
House Sparrow	63
Goldfinch	53
Whitethroat	20
Dunnock	24
Blackcap	19
Greenfinch	15
Great Tit	14
Wren	12
Blue Tit	10
Robin	10
Blackbird	8
Lesser Whitethroat	7
Song Thrush	5
Chiffchaff	4
Wood Pigeon	4
Herring Gull	3
Green Woodpecker	3
Pied Wagtail	3
Willow Warbler	3
Tree Sparrow	2
Collard Dove	2
Black Redstart	1
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Nightingale	1
Magpie	1
Pied Flycatcher	1
Redstart	1
Reed Warbler	1

Wednesday 31st July 2019

First Pied Fly & Wheatear for the autumn right on cue for the start of hopefully many more to come. On site an adult Cuckoo plus 4 Sanderling on the beach. Southbound 288 Swift, 24 Oyk, 12 Grey Plover, 10 Turnstone, 9 Whimbrel, 7 Common Tern, 6 Golden Plover, 6 Teal, 5 Common Scoter, 4 Sand Martin, 3 Med Gull, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 2 Knot, Common Gull, Greenshank, Redshank, Swallow & Wigeon with northbound 20 Common Scoter.

Knot Grass is fairly widespread in distribution but only occasional here.

Ringing: 9 Goldfinch, 5 House Sparrow, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Starling.

Tuesday 30th July 2019

Willow Emerald Damselflies have been turning up the last couple of days.

20 Shelduck heading straight out will be off to their moulting grounds. Only other movements were southbound 3 Whimbrel, 2 Oyk & 2 Swallow with northbound 3 Common Gull. The only migrant on site was a brief visit by a Lapwing. A very young baby Blackcap barely out of the nest confirms breeding - we have 2 pairs this year with the species only known to have bred here once in the past.

Grey Dagger is a common enough species but one we only occasional get.

Ringing: 6 House Sparrow, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Starling, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat.

Monday 29th July 2019

Southbound 5 Oyk, Grey Plover, Shelduck & Swallow with northbound 24 Common Tern & 2 Sandwich Tern. On site Green Woodpecker & Willow Warbler plus the baby Redstart that arrived on 6th July starting to look resplendent in its adolescent male attire.

Pammene aurita is a Sycamore specialist that we get in small numbers most years.

Ringing: 2 Linnet, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.

Sunday 28th July 2019

Good to get some young Little Terns on the beach originating from we know not where.

Southbound 42 Black-headed Gull, 26 Oyk, 25 Common Scoter, 9 Swift, 6 Common Sandpiper (high count here) 4 Whimbrel, 3 Med Gull, 3 Turnstone, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Ruff & Sand Martin with northbound 3 Swift & 2 Gannet.  30 Common & 8 Little Tern offshore and the long staying Redstart is still with us.

Moth traps very quiet following overnight wind & rain. Meal Moth only appears irregularly - it lives around stored cereals in barns & buildings.

Ringing: 2 Starling, 1 House Sparrow.