Saturday 21st November 2020

Hard work but somehow one has to "keep the faith" and one will be rewarded. A Great-northern Diver came in from the north-east and pitched in by the point for quite a while. Although 2 Goosander south are historically far rarer than 3 Goldeneye south our only previous Goldeneye record so far this year is of one in early August. Also southbound 98 Brent, 21 Knot, 13 Shelduck, 7 Common Scoter, 2 Common Gull, Dunlin, Grey Plover & Red-throated Diver with northbound 10 Common Scoter & Gannet. Passerine passage limited to southbound 7 Starling, 2 Redpoll, Siskin plus a Sparrowhawk that bottled it half way across the mouth of the Orwell.

Ringing: Nil

Friday 20th November 2020

 A chill in the air this morning with a bit of Vis-mig for the first few hours.

A few Thrushes had dropped into the bushes at first light including 9 Fieldfare and 5 Redwing before heading inland. Also in the bushes were a couple of Goldcrest, a lingering Firecrest and a Chiffchaff.

A Woodcock was out on the point this morning before dropping into the vegetation behind the Obs and 2 Rock Pipits were down by the Jetty.

A Lapland Bunting circled overhead before disappearing from view while a few Finches were heading south including 34 Redpoll, 16 Goldfinch, 6 Chaffinch and a Siskin. Also on the move were a couple of Skylarks and 4 Meadow Pipits.

Ver little was moving on the sea except for 5 Shelducks heading south and a Female Eider heading up River.

The moth traps produced a December Moth, which as the name suggests is a winter flyer, often moving on calm nights. 

Ringing: 5 Fieldfare, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Redwing

Thursday 19th November 2020

Some early morning vis mig before the showers with southbound 100 Redpoll, 92 Goldfinch, 11 Linnet, 7 Siskin, Skylark & Swallow. Offshore, apart from Cormorants, very poor with southbound 27 Black-headed Gull, 5 Brent, 5 Common Gull, 2 Shelduck & Mute Swan. New migrants on site consisted of  3 Mipit, Blackcap & Redwing plus a loitering Goldcrest.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap.

Ringing Recoveries

Pullus Wood Pigeon ringed at Landguard 4th August 2013 was retrapped 506 km away at Helgoland, Germany on 1st August 2020. Why a Suffolk born & bred Wood Pigeon should be at the world famous bird observatory on Helgoland in early August seven years later is difficult to explain and open to conjecture. An educated guess is that it got caught up with migratory Wood Pigeons going over Landguard in its first autumn and joined up with one of the eastern populations. In early August it should be nesting as migrations of populations in Germany will not be moving at this time of the year. 

Blackbird ringed Landguard 29th March 2020 was retrapped 268 km away at DeCocksdorp, Texel, The Netherlands on 9th November 2020. Easier to explain this one as a bird wintering in the UK caught here on spring migration then trapped on its autumn migration into western Europe this autumn.

Lesser Redpoll ringed Landguard 9th October 2020 was found dead 69 km away at East Wrentham, Thetford, Norfolk 4th November 2020.

Wednesday 18th November 2020

It's the Cormorant counting season.

Some vis mig with southbound 87 Siskin, 85 Goldfinch, 57 Redpoll, 26 Chaffinch, 20 Linnet, 8 Skylark, 5 Mipit, 4 Greenfinch & Starling. Grounded migrants were a Skylark first thing & yesterdays Goldcrest still with us.

Ringing: 1 Lesser Redpoll

Tuesday 17th November 2020

A bit of vismig again for the first few hours this morning with 56 Goldfinch, 17 Linnet, 15 Redpoll, 11 Chaffinch heading south along with 2 Meadow Pipits, 2 Rock Pipits and a late Swallow. Migrants in the bushes were again limited to a loitering Firecrest, a Goldcrest and a few finches including 7 Greenfinch.

There was a bit more offshore with a Razorbill heading north, a Great Skua continuing to harass gulls offshore and a few waterfowl heading south including, 8 Common Scoter, 7 Shelduck, 4 Brent, 2 Wigeon and 2 Mallard. On the beach 3 Mediterranean Gulls were watching the fishermen for scraps of bait and a Rock Pipit was at the Jetty.

Ringing:6 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldcrest

Monday 16th November 2020

Jersey Cudweed Helichrysum luteoalbum has been recently added to the plant list. It was, until recently, exceedingly rare in the UK and is listed as a "Schedule 8" plant giving it legal protection. However, in the last couple of years it has been found at several sites in south Felixstowe. Its not often that additions to the site plant list are made as the number of species recorded here is huge.

On the avian front the roosting Cormorants that head out to sea from inland have been going out to the north of us more often than heading out over here so it was good to count at least 3,100 early morning (although this figure suggests that the roosting numbers inland are higher as we no doubt don't count them all).

Some southbound vis mig in the first couple of hours with 196 Goldfinch, 111 Redpoll, 34 Starling, 26 Siskin, 8 Mipit, 6 Chaffinch & 3 Skylark. Offshore plenty of seagulls plus a handful of Gannets but almost nothing moving. Migrants in the bushes limited to a loitering Goldcrest along with the locals that will now be attempting to spend the winter here. Finally a Shag was sitting on the wooden jetty mid-morning before departing up river.

Ringing: 6 Lesser Redpoll.

Sunday 15th November 2020

A wild & often very wet morning. Limited offshore observations due to torrential rain at times but at least 750 Great Black-backed & 500 Herring Gulls plus 10 Gannet & a Bonxie were in the wake of boats. Movements limited to southbound 2 Dunlin, Kittiwake & Red-throated Diver. Land based observations also limited but included single Fieldfare & Goldcrest. 32 Ringed Plover were attempting to roost on the beach at high tide.

Moth numbers & variety are getting on the low side. Angle Shades is one of those species that can put in an appearance at any time of the year.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare.