Saturday 9th October 2021

Always an autumn target...

 Unseasonably calm, warm and sunny which, while very pleasant wasn't conducive for big numbers of grounded migrants, always stuff to see though!   Birds on or over the deck comprised 6 Grey Wagtails, 15 Siskins, 9 Chaffinches, 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Jays, a Black Redstart, 8 Blackcaps, a Stonechat, a Mistle Thrush, 18 Song Thrushes, 25 Blackbirds, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 Wheatears, 8 Swallows, a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Brambling, 20 Robins, a Rock Pipit and a Reed Bunting.

With the sun in our faces from the get go, seawatching was tricky but birds offshore did include 193 Brent Geese, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Curlew, 66 Cormorants, 3 Shelduck and 8 Barnacle Geese.

There was a great insect list as well (for October!) in the fine conditions which included a very late Brimstone, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Small White, 2 Clouded Yellows, an influx of 20+ Common Darters and a few Migrant Hawkers.

Ringing: Sparrowhawk 1, Song Thrush 4, Blackbird 7, Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 4, Dunnock 2, Grey Wagtail 1, Chaffinch 1, Wren 1, Robin 1, Brambling 1, Goldfinch 1

First noted in 2009, Cypress Carpet is slowly colonising introduced conifers in Felixstowe

 

Friday 8th October 2021

Redwing

 An exciting start to the morning with Redwings, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds whizzing around in the calm, misty dawn - what east coast October mornings should be like!   It petered out fairly quickly but there was plenty to look at throughout the day with grounded migrants comprising 70 Song Thrushes, 25 Redwings, 35 Blackbirds, 35 Robins, 2 Wheatears, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Chaffinches, 3 Grey Wagtails, 25 Meadow Pipits, 2 Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler.

A special mention goes to the first bird of the morning taken out of a net - a Robin bearing a Lithuanian ring, apparently only the fourth Lithuanian Robin controlled in the UK.

The murky conditions didn't allow any landbird vis mig to get going but the sea remained fairly clear so there was a good, varied southerly movement offshore which included 1,727 Brent Geese, 412 Wigeon, 188 Teal, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Pintail, 21 Tufted Duck, 4 Pochard, 94 Common Scoter, 5 Shoveler, 3 Eiders, 2 Shelduck, 2 Curlew, 14 Lapwings, 6 Knot, 8 Grey Plover, 46 Dunlin, 4 Sandwich Terns, a Guillemot, 55 Cormorants, 11 Red-throated Divers, 110 Black-headed Gulls and 15 Mediterranean Gulls.

Ringing: Blackbird 6, Song Thrush 12, Robin 13, Redwing 2, Chiffchaff 3, Blackcap 1, Willow Warbler 1, Grey Wagtail 1

Second site record of Radford's Flame Shoulder following the first, worn example back in August, this one is in far better nick.

Thursday 7th October 2021

Brambling

 Finally, finally, finally!   Lovely calm conditions produced the first decent passage morning of the autumn with a fine selection of birds moving south including some typical autumnal species that have usually made an appearance before now.   Totals included 44 Swallows, 23 Bramblings (first of the autumn), 44 Chaffinches, 41 Siskins, 315 Linnets, 935 Goldfinches, 18 alba Wagtails, 5 Grey Wagtails, 3 Rock Pipits, 496 Meadow Pipits, 6 Greenfinches, 13 Skylarks, a Woodlark, 2 Jays, a Merlin in off the sea carrying prey and a Peregrine south at sea.

Offshore, a few birds also went south which consisted of 178 Black-headed Gulls, 48 Common Gulls, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 7 Gannets, 80 Brent Geese, 15 Dunlin, 9 Teal, 13 Shelduck, a Curlew, 6 Wigeon, 5 Sandwich Terns, a Knot, 6 Red-throated Divers, a Razorbill (north) and 19 Common Scoter.

Meanwhile on the deck, migrants comprised 15 Chiffchaffs, 12 Blackcaps, a Redwing (first of  the autumn), 6 Song Thrushes, 2 Wheatears and 6 Lapwing.

Ringing: Chaffinch 2, Blackbird 2, Chiffchaff 10, Blackcap 9, Greenfinch 1, Brambling 1, Dunnock 1, Robin 1, Meadow Pipit 2, Song Thrush 3, Great Tit 1, Goldfinch 3

Mass emergence of Angle Shades with 155 counted - all but ten in one trap

Wednesday 6th October 2021

Another windy day with annoying drizzle for the first couple of hours that didn't prevent some offshore movement with southbound 621 Wigeon, 243 Brent, 129 Teal, 115 Black-headed Gull, 34 Dunlin, 24 Cormorant, 24 Common Scoter, 14 Common Gull, 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Great Black-backed Gull, 7 Med Gull, 5 Barnacle Geese, 5 Red-throated Diver, 5 Sandwich Tern, 4 Grey Heron, 4 Knot, 3 Gannet, 3 Golden Plover, 3 Pintail, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Buzzard, 1 Common Tern, 1 Lapwing, 1 Marsh Harrier & 1 Tufted Duck with northbound 27 Common Scoter & 5 Brent. Passerines on the move heading south were 174 House Martin, 118 Mipit, Swallow, Woodlark & Yellow Wagtail. On site migrants very much a bit "same old same old" with 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Chaffinch & 2 Wheatear.

Very few moths in the traps. Brindled Green is another October specialist noted here in very low numbers.

Ringing: 1 Goldfinch.

Tuesday 5th October 2021

Willow Emerald

 Heavy rain first thing delayed the start of the day for a few hours but it brightened up after a while to produce a selection of typical autumnal southbound migrants; over the sea totals comprised 154 Dunlin, 2 Grey Plover, 25 Knot, single Curlew and Oystercatcher, 31 Wigeon, 13Teal, a Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Shelduck, 6 Common Scoter, a Shoveler, 20 Pintail, 33 Brent Geese, 17 Sandwich Terns, 5 Common Terns, 54 Cormorants, a Heron and one each of Guillemot and Razorbill.

Meanwhile, landbirds included 4 Woodlarks, 2 Hobbies, 3 Sparrowhawks, 17 Swallows, 10 House Martins, a Sand Martin, 32 Meadow Pipits and 4 Chaffinches.

Ringing: Song Thrush 1, Robin 1

First noted in 2006, Clancy's Rustic has been annual the last five years and may well have colonised

Monday 4th October 2021

 

Wheatear

Pleasant start, bright with a moderate SW breeze which slowly increased through the morning; most of the interest involved birds moving south which comprised 3 Woodlarks, 2 Skylarks, 23 Swallows, 48 Meadow Pipits, 2 Grey Wagtails, 5 House Martins, a Jackdaw and 3 Rook.

In the bushes 4 Chiffchaffs and 4 Blackcaps were about it.

Ringing: Blackcap 2, Jay 1, Dunnock 1, Blue Tit 1, Chiffchaff 1 

A very unexpected second site record of Fischer's Estuarine Moth was in the traps this morning; it is a Red Data Book species given special protection under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act

Sunday 3rd October 2021

A much quieter morning weather wise following yesterdays gale & deluge. Not a lot new in but migrants included 5 Blackcap, 5 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Black Redstart & another visiting Jay. Passerines on the move limited to 47 Mipit, 9 Starling, 2 Chaffinch & 2 Greenfinch heading south. Offshore southbound 13 Brent, 10 Sandwich Tern, 8 Cormorant, 5 Gannet, 3 Little Egret, 3 Wigeon & 2 Red-throated Diver with northbound 2 Red-throats & 2 Sandwich Tern plus a Grey Heron heading inland.

Pink-barred Sallow is another October speciality only noted here in five previous years with this the first one for seven years.

Ringing: 3 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff.