Saturday 23rd October 2021

Cetti's Warbler

 Lovely and calm, completely clouding over by mid-morning led to a varied day, birdwise but with nothing really appearing in great numbers; visible migration was much reduced from yesterday but did include 7 Bramblings, 45 Chaffinches, 151 Goldfinches, 8 Greenfinches, 30 Linnets, 43 Meadow Pipits, 15 Redpolls, 3 Rock Pipits, 23 Siskins, 21 Skylark, 1,142 Starlings (coming in off the sea), 3 Stock Doves, a Swallow, 376 Woodpigeons and 5 Woodlark.

Over the sea birds comprised 156 Black-headed Gulls, 240 Brent Geese, 61 Common Scoter, 4 Curlew, 27 Dunlin, 13 Gannets, 2 Great-crested Grebes, a Goosander, a Grey Plover, 3 Knot, 5 Mallards, a Purple Sandpiper, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 10 Red-throated Divers, a Scaup (only the second of the year), 24 Shelduck, 4 Teal and 13 Wigeon.

Also of note were 2 Ring Ouzels floating around, single Chiffchaff and Blackcap, a Fieldfare and a Cetti's Warbler found in a net early morning.

Ringing: Redwing 1, Wren 2, Cetti's Warbler 1, Robin 1, Lesser Redpoll 6, Blackcap 1, Dunnock 1

Friday 22nd October 2021

Great Black-backed Gull

 Clear and sunny with a blustery westerly wind produced a decent morning of visible migration; over the land, totals included 7 Brambling, 18 Chaffinches, 996 Goldfinches, 5 Greenfinches, a Grey Wagtail, 243 Linnets, 84 Meadow Pipits, 9 Redpolls, 2 Reed Buntings, 2 Rock Pipits, 67 Siskins, 24 Skylarks, 149 Starlings and an good total of 17 Woodlarks.

Over the sea birds of note comprised 72 Black-headed Gulls, 23 Brent Geese, a Curlew, 53 Dunlin, 7 Gannets, the first Goldeneye of the autumn, 2 Black-tailed Godwits (always scarce here), 7 Grey Plover, a Guillemot, 2 Knot, a Purple Sandpiper, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Red-throated Diver, 19 Shelduck, 3 Tufted Duck and 3 Wigeon.

The Shorelark remained in situ.

Ringing: Redwing 1, Lesser Redpoll 1

Shorelark

Thursday 21st October 2021

Only the second Diamond-back Moth noted this October with autumn immigrants in the previous month not faring much better

After a wet night and a strong westerly breeze in the morning there was a surprisingly interesting selection of birds through the morning; offshore were single Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin (a very rare three Auk day!), 2 Snipe, 19 Dunlin, 5 Shelduck, 3 Red-throated Divers, a Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Gannets, 9 Brent Geese and 52 Black-headed Gulls.

Over the land, totals included 4 Brambling, 6 Chaffinches, 618 Goldfinch, 4 House Martins, a Jackdaw, 57 Linnets, 26 Meadow Pipits, a Redpoll, a Reed Bunting, 2 Ring Ouzels which came in and left high inland (the first of the autumn), 2 Rock Pipits, 10 Siskin, 2 Sparrowhawks and 2 Swallows.

The Shorelark was still on the beach and a Purple Sandpiper was on the jetty.

Ringing: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1

Ringing Recoveries

Redwing ringed LBO 25th March 2019 was retrapped 253 km away at Belvide Reservoir, Staffordshire 14th October 2021. This bird would have been to eastern Europe for the summer twice between these captures.

Blackcap ringed LBO 13th October 2021 was retrapped 35 km away at Arger Fen, Suffolk on 16th October 2021.

Blackcap ringed Martin Down, Hampshire 3rd September 2021 was retrapped 250 km away at LBO 25th September 2021.

Motus tagged Blackcap ringed LBO 28th September 2021 left LBO 0030 hrs on 2nd October. It then disappeared off the radar for a couple of days before being recorded at 2320 hrs 154 km away at Dak Zwin Gebow, Belgium on 9th October before being logged at 2230 hrs a further 403 km away at Wilhelmslaven, Germany 10th October.

Wednesday 20th October 2021

The dismal lack of migrants continues and then, late morning, this Shorelark was found on the beach lifting everyone's mood a notch or two. Early on 237 Cormorants flew out to sea towards the Cork Sands to go fishing which is our first three figure count of the autumn. On the move southbound, when the rain stopped, 74 Goldfinch, 18 Mipit, 10 Siskin, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Linnet & Swallow. Grounded migrants were 3 Song Thrush & Redwing. Offshore movements almost nil. Both Clouded Yellow & Common Blue butterfly noted early afternoon which, with temperatures due to plummet tomorrow, may well be the last of there kind on the wing this year.

This might be a mine of Gracillaria syringella on Privet but, as we get reasonable numbers of the adult moth, it's not the end of the world if it isn't! Adult above photographed back in July.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit.

Tuesday 19th October 2021

Getting to that time of year when we are running out of different species to feature as 'moth of the day'.   Large Yellow Underwing is a common, ubiquitous species in most habitats

Lots of rain overnight and a freshening SW wind made a change to recent days and while there were slightly more than a handful of Redwings, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds calling and flying around in the half light first thing they soon headed off inland leaving another very quiet October day of birding.

Bits and pieces did include though a Merlin, a Grey Wagtail, a Guillemot, 2 Rock Pipits and 5 Turnstone and a Purple Sandpiper on the jetty.

Ringing: Blackbird 1, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 1, Robin 1, Dunnock 1

Monday 18th October 2021

Great Black-backed Gull

 Same birding, different day.   Light southwesterlies again led to another quiet day where birds comprised a Blackcap, 7 Chaffinches, 185 Goldfinches south, a Great Skua south, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Guillemot, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, a Purple Sandpiper and 5 Turnstone on the jetty, a Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Red-throated Divers, 3 Lesser Redpolls, 5 Redwing, a Rock Pipit, 8 Siskins, 5 Skylarks, 6 Song Thrush and a Swallow.

Ringing: Blackbird 3, Lesser Redpoll 2 

Mines of the nationally scarce Phyllocnistis xenia  on Poplar suckers

Sunday 17th October 2021

The hard work continues with grounded migrants on site almost non-existent but included 4 Mipit, 2 Chiffchaff & Brambling. Moving south just 5 Mipit, 4 Chaffinch & a Reed Bunting. Offshore southbound 15 Red-throated Diver, 10 Wigeon, 8 Eider, 6 Brent, 2 Shelduck & Curlew with northbound 14 Gannet, 8 Common Scoter, 6 Gannet 5 Red-throats, 2 Mallard & Arctic Skua plus 12 Gannet loitering. 11 Med Gull and a juvenile Arctic Tern (above) was feeding either offshore or in the river with both single Guillemot & Razorbill noted floating around. 2 Purps were on the point. Late morning a few groups of Starling were noted coming in off totalling 256.

The Satellite is a winter flyer now starting to come out to play.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit, 1 Robin.