Saturday 22nd August 2020

 A similar day to yesterday although with a few more birds moving through. 

A couple of Willow Warblers were moving through the bushes. A group of 14 Crossbills, a Common Sandpiper, 4 Sand Martins and 2 Swallows passed overhead. 

Out on the reserve 3 Wheatears were by the Tank Blocks and a Yellow Wagtail was with the Pied Wags.

On the sea, a Hobby headed low over the waves and a distant Marsh Harrier headed south. A Turnstone, Curlew and a Bar-Tailed Godwit also headed south and 2 Common Terns headed north.

Euzophera pinguis is a common species where Ash is an abundant species, so consequently is a scarce visitor here.

Friday 21st August 2020

A blowy start to the morning with gust of over 40mph being recorded, unsurprisingly this led to very few birds being present in the bushes.

There was a couple of parties of Swifts heading south with 44 recorded this morning, along with 3 Swallows and a Sand Martin. Out on the Reserve 2 Wheatears were doing their best to shelter behind the Tank Blocks and at least 400 Starlings were searching for grubs on the lawn.

It was also rather quiet on the sea with 5 Grey Plover, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Teal and a Shoveler heading south and a Gannet heading north.

In the traps this morning was a female Orange Swift, which is twice the size of the males , although males seem to outnumber females 10 to 1.

Ringing: 1 House Sparrow, 1 Robin

Thursday 20th August 2020

A windy start to the morning but gradually turning into a breezy pleasant morning.

Apart from a Pied Flycatcher behind the kitchen late morning and a few Willow warblers, the bushes were largely quiet. A late Swift passed overheard and couple of large flock of Starlings and mixed finches moved out to feed on the reserve. 

The Black Redstart was in its usual spot and 6 Wheatears were out on the reserve including at least one bird which has been loitering for a few days feeding up.

On the sea there was a bit more variety with 14 Teal, 4 Shelduck, a Gadwall, a Grey Plover, a Turnstone and 2 Fulmar headed south.

Oncocera semirubella is a Nationally Scarce species that lives on Bird's Foot Trefoil.

Ringing: 3 Wheatear, 1 House Sparrow

Wednesday 19th August 2020

Yesterday's Willow Warblers have all cleared out. Migrants in today include 6 Whitethroat, 5 Wheatear, 4 Willow Warbler & 3 Lesser Whitethroat. Southbound 13 Oyk, 8 Teal, 6 Turnstone, 4 Dunlin, Redshank, Whimbrel & Yellow Wag. The 2 Black Redstart are out on the reserve.

Maiden's Blush is one of those species common in land that only visits us on odd occasions.

Ringing: 2 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler.

Tuesday 18th August 2020

 A breezy cool start to the morning, with a bit of scattered cloud, which led to a surprise fall of Willow Warblers. There were at least 45 moving through the Battery and Reserve throughout the course of the morning. Also present in the bushes were a few Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats, a Nightingale and a Pied Flycatcher.

There was a little bit of a Hirundine passage, with 8 Swallows, 7 Sand Martins and a couple of House Martins passing over as well as a Yellow Wagtail.

Out on the reserve the Black Redstart was in its usual spot and 3 Wheatears were by the Tank Blocks.

Apart from a few Sandwich Terns the sea was pretty quiet but a Common Sandpiper was heard first thing this morning and a Turnstone was by the Jetty.

The traps were pretty exciting this morning with the first site record of Clifden Nonpareil, a moth big enough to cast a shadow!

Ringing: 34 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat

Monday 17th August 2020

A dense fog to start the morning with visibility being heavily obscured until mid morning.

There was a bit of movement this morning with 3 Pied Flycatchers, 5 Willow Warbler and a Nightingale moving through the bushes. 

Out on the reserve, a Redstart was by the Butts Pond, 2 Whinchat were moving through the bramble patches. The Black Redstart was in its usual place and a Yellow Wagtail was with 4 Wheatears by the Tank Blocks. 2 Mipits were the first of the autumn proper. The star bird of the morning was an Ortolan Bunting which was seen flying around for a couple of minutes before droping in out by the Triangle by a few lucky observers, this constitutes our earliest autumn record by 8 days.

A group of 7 Sanderling were on the beach and a Common Sandpiper was on the Jetty. Offshore 7 Sandwich Terns were feeding with a Common Tern. A few waders were also heading south with a group of 10 Dunlin and a Turnstone passing by while 4 Redshank flew into the river.

The Sandhill Rustic is a Nationally Scarce species that is restricted to an area from south Suffolk to north Kent.

Ringing: 3 Robin, 2 Wheatear, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 1 Nightingale, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Willow Warbler.

Sunday 16th August 2020

 

The Pied Fly's have left overnight to be replaced by some new ones. Migrants this morning include 7 Pied Fly (just the one left over from yesterday), 3 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Redstart, Reed Warbler, Tree Sparrow, Wheatear, Whinchat & Yellow Wag. On the move southbound 53 Teal, Golden Plover & Turnstone with northbound 14 Gannet, 10 Sandwich Tern & 3 Fulmar. 2 Black Redstart are out on the reserve today still not wanting their photo taken as demonstrated above !

Only recorded for the first time last year, the nationally scarce Cynaeda dentalis has been noted on a couple of occasions this year.

Ringing: 4 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Linnet, 1 Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Willow Warbler.