Saturday 7th March 2020

You will be glad when the 2 Snow Bunting have gone so you don't have to see any more photos of them - surely they will depart any day soon.

Southbound 3 Mipit & 3 Yellowhammer. On site migrants were a couple of new Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 2 Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Dunnock & Reed Bunting. 6 Long-tailed Tit paid a visit although they have probably not come from far away.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Reed Bunting

Friday 6th March 2020

After yesterdays deluge fairly migrant-less but did include 2 Chaffinch, Mipit, Reed Bunting, Skylark & Stonechat plus the first new Dunnock of the spring. 2 Snow Bunting, Purp & Turnstone at the point.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit.

Thursday 5th March 2020

Weather deteriorated as the morning went on but the fencing for ground nesting birds is up. Offshore northbound 6 Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver, Kittiwake & the first Bonxie seen this year. Chiffchaff in the compound plus a couple of Long-tailed Tit.

Hebrew Character is another early season flyer that can be quite common.

Wednesday 4th March 2020

7 Stonechat today with a supporting cast of 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch plus the first migrant Blue Tits, Great Tit & Robin. Overhead and offshore southbound 69 Barnacle Geese, 11 Shelduck, 10 Carrion Crow, 2 Brent, 2 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Oyk, 2 Mipit, Jackdaw, Siskin & Skylark with northbound 5 Crows, 3 Gannet, Oyk, Mipit & Red-throated Diver. At the point 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Snow Bunting & Purp.

Ringing: 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Robin.

Temporary Fencing

It is intended to erect the temporary fencing to help minimise the disturbance to ground nesting birds and minimise trampling of some of the rare shingle flora on Thursday 5th March. Please meet on site by the cottage at 0930 hrs and please wear appropriate clothing & footwear for the task in hand.

Tuesday 3rd March 2020

This adult male Water Rail weighing in at a portly 158.3 g has obviously fattened up ready for its spring migration (although one was seen here several weeks back so it may well have been with us some while as they are a trifle furtive) Also today the first new Blackbirds of the spring, 5 Jackdaw, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Stonechat, Rock Pipit plus one of the regular Purps on the point.

Moth traps up & running. Common Quaker is an early season flyer that can be common inland.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird, 1 Water Rail, 1 Wood Pigeon

Monday 2nd March 2020

A few more migrants about this morning including our joint sixth highest ever count of Stonechat weighing in at 7 individuals. 5 Redwing were the first of the spring with a supporting cast of 3 Mipit, 3 Rock Pipit, 3 Song Thrush & Chiffchaff. 22 Barnacle Geese went south as did a Skylark. On the point 2 Snow Bunting, Purple Sand & Turnstone. Early March can be hard work but after yesterday's dismal offerings things were a lot more positive this morning.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush.

Sunday 1st March 2020

Despite decent coverage on a sunny windy morning no migrants were found & the regulars at the point were not seen.