Saturday 23rd November 2019

Southbound 35 Brent, 22 Common Gull, 9 Black-headed Gull, 7 Shelduck, 5 Pintail, 3 Common Scoter, Avocet, Gannet & Red-throated Diver with northbound 4 Brent & 2 Common Scoter. Only 257 Cormorant seen heading out to sea fishing. Handful of new migrants in this morning including 13 Redwing, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Robin & Blackbird plus, yet another, flock of Long-tailed Tit passing through. Loitering Chiffchaff still here as are 2 Turnstone and Purp Sand on the point & a Rock Pipit along the beach. A mixed flock of 45 Dunlin & Ringos at high tide was shifted by a dog walker before the proportions of each could be accurately sorted.

Ringing: 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Robin, 1 Blackbird.

Friday 22nd November 2019

As far as passerines are concerned then autumn migration is very quickly grinding to a halt with a new Robin the only evidence of any moving.Offshore southbound 67 Brent, 10 Shelduck, 9 Common Gull, 7 Common Scoter, 5 Gannet, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Red-throated Diver, Curlew, Golden Plover & Great-crested Grebe with northbound 2 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver, Little Auk & Oyk. A Snipe headed inland overhead. 3 Kitts were with the mass of big gulls following shipping. Finally 1689 Cormorant headed out fishing early on.

Ringing: 1 Robin.

Thursday 21st November 2019

2 Bean Geese out then north is only the 17th site record. Also on the move southbound 74 Wigeon, 7 Common Scoter, 6 Common Gull, 2 Goosander, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Teal, Gannet, Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver & Shelduck with northbound 6 Common Scoter, Greylag Goose & Red-throated Diver plus 4 Greylags that flew out to sea and a Bonxie loitering. 12 Siskin flew south then back north. On site a couple of migrants with 3 Chaffinch, 2 Redwing & Song Thrush. The Chiffchaff is still with us as are the Rock Pipit on the point & Stonechat on the Butts.

Ringing: 2 Chaffinch, 2 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush.

Wednesday 20th November 2019

Light southerly veering SSE winds could have brought us some late autumn migrants but, disappointingly, it came to pass that we are a migrant free zone. Offshore movements not much better with southbound 10 Red-throated Diver, 6 Tufted Duck, 4 Common Scoter, 2 Shelduck & Great-northern Diver with northbound 5 Red-throats, Brent & Little Auk. 3 Turnstone were on the jetty with, what is presumably, the lingering Chiffchaff in the obs compound.

Ringing: nil.

Tuesday 19th November 2019

A record breaking 3,678 Cormorant headed out to sea fishing this morning and when one considers that we only started managing four figure counts a couple of years ago it helps one appreciate the shear tonnage of food (presumably Herrings ?) available to them around the sandbars offshore.  Late autumn migrants limited to a couple of new Blackies & a fine Yellowhammer with southbound 16 Goldfinch, 4 Mipit & 2 Skylark. 4 Greenies on site is worth a mention as is the usual point based menagerie of 2 Purps, 2 Turnstone & Rock Pipit.

Despite the sharp frost overnight migrant species like Silver Y are still occasionally putting in an appearance.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird, 1 Yellowhammer.

Monday 18th November 2019

An Owl pre daylight could not be relocated. Migrants on site almost non-existent although a couple of groups of Long-tailed Tit were noted. Passerines southbound 6 Goldfinch, 6 Linnet, 5 Skylark, 2 Wood Pigeon with northbound Redpoll & Siskin. Female Stonechat on the Butts could be the same as one last noted a couple of days back. 3 Purps & Rockit on the point. Offshore quiet with southbound 9 Common Gull, 8 Black-headed Gull, 7 Brent, 7 Shelduck, 5 Wigeon, 2 Gannet & Red-throated Diver with northbound 5 Common Scoter, 4 Avocet, 3 Gannet, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Oyk & 2 Red-throats. Only 467 Cormorant counted as they seem to be leaving inland roosts and heading out to sea towards Orfordness at the moment and, consequently, we miss them.

First site record of Oak Rustic. This species was recorded in Britain for the first time 20 years ago and is slowly colonising northwards. It lives on Holm Oaks so this ridge should be home from home.

Ringing: Nil.

Sunday 17th November 2019

New migrants hard to come by despite the flat calm conditions although yet another couple of marauding gangs of Long-tailed Tit passed through. On site a new Goldcrest & the loitering Chiffchaff. On the reserve Purp on the point but no reports of any Snow Bunting (unless you out there know different ?). Some vis mig in the form of southbound 35 Goldfinch, 10 Chaffinch, 7 Linnet, 4 Mipit & Bullfinch. Offshore heading south 6 Common Scoter, 3 Gannet, 3 Goldeneye, 3 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Shelduck & Dunlin.

Ringing: 16 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Wood Pigeon.