Saturday 14th March 2020

Over the last couple of days some of the Chiffchaffs have recently arrived from areas in Iberia & around the Mediterranean as evidenced by the "pollen horns" above the bill which is pollen and sap from Eucalyptus that grows in this area.

New migrants today consist of a handful of new crests, Redwing plus some new Long-tailed & Blue Tits. Also on site 2 Stock Dove and Mipit with southbound 4 Jackdaw. Offshore movements very slack at the moment with southbound 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Brent, 2 Oyk & Common Gull plus northbound  6 Red-throats.

Ringing: 6 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 1 Redwing.

Friday 13th March 2020

Cracking Red Kite loitered a bit on site before departing across the estuary into Essex. Marsh Harrier in off the sea, Peregrines displaying plus Sparrowhawk causing chaos made it a bit of a raptor morning. On site migrants included 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest & Stonechat. Southbound overhead 5 Jackdaw, 2 Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail & Rook plus offshore 11 Common Gull, 7 Black-headed Gull, 4 Shelduck & Red-throated Diver with northbound 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Gannet & 2 Brent. Singing Cetti's Warbler still with us as is the lingering Snow Bunting.

Ringing; 2 Chiffchaff.

March Litter Pick

Litter Pick this Saturday 14th March 2020 at 0930 hrs prompt. Further details on the Events page of www.lbo.org.uk

https://www.lbo.org.uk/events/

Thursday 12th March 2020

Cool & windy. A Black-throated Diver pitched in offshore may still be out there but lost amongst the waves. Best day of the spring so far for Chiffchaff with at least 5 present. Other migrants were a male Stonechat and the singing Cetti's Warbler still with us. Some vis mig with southbound 6 Mipit, Goldfinch & Rook plus another 10 Mipit battling in off the sea. Offshore southbound 2 Golden Plover, 2 Knot, 2 Shelduck, Brent, Great-crested Grebe & Red-breasted Merganser.

Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff

Wednesday 11th March 2020

Rook movements at this time are presumably continental birds heading back home.

Cetti's Warbler is still with us occasionally bursting into song. A handful of migrants including 15 Redwing, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Fieldfare, Reed Bunting, Skylark & some wandering Blue & Great Tits. Southbound 5 Crows, 5 Mipit, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Jackdaw & 2 Rook. Offshore southbound 12 Common Gull, Gannet & Shelduck. Purp & Snow Bunting present & accounted for.

Diurnea fagella is another early season flyer with the males coming to light & the females barely flying so, consequently, we have never seen one.

Ringing: 6 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin

Tuesday 10th March 2020

Hard work with on site migrants consisting of single Chiffchaff & Firecrest. Passerines southbound were 3 Mipit & the first Grey Wagtail for the spring. Offshore southbound 19 Brent, 13 Common Gull, 4 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, Curlew, Gannet, Great-crested Grebe, Oyk & Red-throated Diver with northbound 10 Brent, 2 Common Scoter, Gannet & Red-throated Diver. Purp & Snow Bunting still with us.

Agonopterix curvipunctosa is a red data book species noted at very few sites with Landguard the best place in the UK to encounter one.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet

Monday 9th March 2020

With no male Kestrel on site it's debatable how long the overwintering female will stay with us.

Cetti's Warbler is only the 10th Landguard record and is quite possibly the one heard mid-day yesterday outside the recording area just north of the Customs House. A selection of common migrants today included the first Goldcrest of the year, Chiffchaff, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Stonechat & yesterdays Firecrest. 18 Long-tailed Tit visited. Purp still on the point but it looks like we are down to just one Snow Bunting. Overhead southbound 2 Mipit, Jackdaw & Skylark. Offshore southbound 5 Red-throated Diver & 2 Shelduck with northbound 37 Red-throats. Several Greylag were coming & going as they are prone to wandering in search of new sites at this time of the year. Finally the Red-legged Partridge population doubled from 1 to 2 - it doesn't get much more exciting than that !

Dotted Border is another common early season flyer in which the female is flightless limiting dispersal of the species into new areas. We only ever see the males.

Ringing: 6 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren

Sunday 8th March 2020

The first Firecrest of the year is plum on cue. A handful of common species moving through as illustrated by the new birds ringed but otherwise migrants hard to come by. Single Grey Heron, Jackdaw & Mipit went south with offshore movements being southbound 12 Shelduck, 10 Brent, Common Gull, Curlew & Red-throated Diver with northbound 13 Brent, 8 Red-throated Diver, 7 Gannet, Bonxie. At least 1 Snow Bunting still with us.

Milder night so a few more moths appearing including Oak Beauty.

Ringing: 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Firecrest, 1 Robin.