Saturday 26th June 2021

Pyramidal Orchid

 After some biblical spells of rain overnight, the early morning cloud dispersed quickly, leaving a warm and sunny day; it was quieter offshore than the last couple of days but highlights comprised 8 Common Scoter, 2 Curlews, 2 Fulmars, 5 Mediterranean Gulls and a Sandwich Tern.

Other birds included 3 Black Redstarts, a Greenshank over, another dispersing juvenile Coal Tit, 4 Swifts and the peeping, stripy Pheasant chicks still being watched over by a protective mother.

Of great local note was a male Banded Demoiselle floating around one of the net lanes - only the third site record after individuals in 2003 and 2004, the paucity of records unsurprising due to the lack of flowing water of any kind!

Ringing: Song Thrush 1, Dunnock 2, Wren 2, Coal Tit 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Goldfinch 1, Linnet 5

For a species that is supposedly common Magpie Moth is barely annual down here

Friday 25th June 2021

Curlew

 Overcast with a light WNW breeze, some rain at dawn and a few spells of subsequent drizzle through the morning; all of the morning's action was offshore dominated by a steady trickle of 95 Curlews heading south along with a decent array of random bit and bobs, much of which gave a distinct autumnal feel to proceedings which comprised 12 Common Scoter, 5 Common Terns, a Gannet, a Great-crested Grebe, 2 Avocets, a Kittiwake, a Mallard, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Sandwich Terns, 6 Teal, 3 Tufted Ducks and 2 Whimbrel.

The only other bits of note included 2 Black Redstarts, a Grey Wagtail, 5 Lapwings, 3 Sand Martins, 4 Swallows and 5 Swifts.

A final honourable mention goes to the long-staying pair of Pheasants - which, prior to this year were genuine non-annual scarcities who have got down to business and produced a nice little brood of Pheasantlings.   Needless to say, the first breeding record for the Obs area - nature will find a way!

Ringing: Dunnock 4, Linnet 2

Shore Wainscot is another nationally scarce that has colonised in recent years with the spread of Marram Grass along the shore

Thursday 24th June 2021

 

Mediterranean Gull

A fine morning - very calm, clear and sunny albeit chilly first thing; there was some interesting mid-summer movements offshore which comprised an excellent 309 Common Scoter moving south in decent sized flocks (the largest day-count since 331 on 27th November 2016 and one of only ten day-counts >300 in the Obs history) and 33 Curlew dribbling through, also heading south after presumably failing to breed this season.   Also offshore were 27 Black-headed Gulls also vaguely moving south, 3 Common Gulls, a Kittiwake, 2 Little Terns and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Elsewhere highlights were hard to come by with the lingering Chiffchaff, a House Martin and 5 Swifts whilst Meadow Brown and Southern Hawker made their annual debuts.

Ringing: Great Tit 1, Starling 2, Linnet 2

White Colon is a nationally scarce species that we do well for here

Wednesday 23rd June 2021

When Lapwing start to appear on the reserve early morning then one knows autumn is underway as failed breeders start to arrive in the country for the winter. Didn't take them long to move inland.

Apart from the 3 Lapwing above the only other new migrant noted was a single Chiffchaff. A Coal Tit will be a dispersing juvenile going walkabout looking for a vacant site. Plenty of baby birds on the reserve with both House Sparrow & Linnet having churned out good numbers of young.

Having failed to see a Blue-tailed Damselfly in the hot drought last year & only three records the year before it was good to see this one on the Butts pond.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Wren.

Tuesday 22nd June 2021

Marsh Tit - only the 5th Obs record, four of which have been recorded between 16th and 22nd June

 Overcast again with a lightish NNE breeze but it stayed dry with some brighter spells later on; a dispersing juvenile Marsh Tit was the day's highlight - only the fifth site record, while obviously not from here it presumably hadn't come from too far away.

Other birds comprised 5 Black Redstarts, 12 Common Scoter, 11 Common Terns, an adult Cuckoo already on its way back south after a summer of bamboozling hapless passerines, a Gannet, a Grey Wagtail, 175 Linnets, a Sparrowhawk, a Turnstone and a Stock Dove.

Ringing: Marsh Tit 1, Blue Tit 1, Wren 1, Magpie 1, Linnet 4

Pale Tussock - common in Suffolk but has only been noted in seven previous years here

Monday 21st June 2021

Cochylimorpha straminea used to be almost annual but has only been noted a couple of times in the past 12 years

 Overcast with a brisk ENE wind bringing persistent, light drizzle from late morning; a few bits went past over the sea which included 25 Common Scoter, 3 Fulmars, 3 Gannets, a flock of 12 Grey Plover (non-breeding plumaged birds), 4 Kittiwakes, 2 Little Terns, a Mediterranean Gull and 3 Sandwich Terns.

Other birds of note were thin on the ground but comprised a Black Redstart, a lingering Chiffchaff (originally ringed on 3rd June), a Grey Wagtail, ever-increasing Linnets up to 160+, a Sparrowhawk and a Turnstone.

Ringing: Dunnock 1, Blackbird 1, House Sparrow 2

Sunday 20th June 2021

Heavy rain first thing followed by fine rain & mist up to midday. On the plus side its the longest day of the year tomorrow after which its all downhill from then onwards - its being so cheerful on mornings like this that keeps us going ! Offshore northbound 3 Common Scoter, Curlew, Sandwich Tern & Swift. 3 Turnstone were on the point high tide time.

Whoever named this moth The Uncertain had a sense of humour - it is fairly common here.

Ringing: nil.