Saturday 13th November 2021

Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone

 A pleasant enough day, staying more or less dry with a moderate NW breeze; offshore this morning birds of note comprised a Pale-bellied Brent Goose with 17 Dark-bellies, 25 Dunlin, 4 Gadwall, 2 Goldeneye, a Heron, a Kittiwake, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 16 Red-throated Divers, 3 Teal and 117 Wigeon.

More land based sightings included a Blackcap, a Brambling, 8 Chaffinches, a Fieldfare, 20 Goldfinches, a Peregrine, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Redpoll, 21 Redwings, 15 Siskins, 2 Skylarks, the 10 Snow Buntings still, 2 Stock Doves, a Woodcock and 3 Swallows south.

Ringing: Blackcap 1, Blackbird 6, Chaffinch 2, Lesser Redpoll 2

Still a few Lesser Yellow Underwings this late in the season

Friday 12th November 2021

What on earth is this Bright-line Brown-eye doing out in mid-November?

 A stiff SW breeze gave a very different feel to the day than of late with most of the interest coming from the little selection of birds offshore which comprised 4 Brent Geese, 29 Common Scoter, 9 Gannets, a Golden Plover, 7 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills, a Kittiwake, 9 Knot, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 8 Red-throated Divers, 3 Turnstone, 4 Wigeon and 790 Starlings in off.

On the land birds of note included 9 Snow Buntings still, 2 Bramblings, 12 Goldfinches, 20+ Redwing, a Rock Pipit and a Woodcock.

Ringing: Blackbird 2, Chaffinch 2

Thursday 11th November 2021

Snow Bunting

 Thick fog lingered for a few hours in the morning but it slowly dissipated leaving a nice, bright, very calm day; highlights comprised a Great-northern Diver on the sea, now up to 9 Snow Buntings twinkling around and single Jack Snipe and Jay.

Other bits included a Brambling, 5 Chaffinches, 2 Fieldfares, a few odd ducks with 2 Pintail, 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 4 Mallard and some Wigeon heard in the fog, a Guillemot, 25+ Redwings, a Rock Pipit, 5 Siskin and 3 Skylark.

Ringing: Blackbird 1, Robin 1, Woodpigeon 1, Redwing 1 

Teleiopsis diffinis is common here but is normally over and done with for the year by early October, anything can happen in these mild conditions

Wednesday 10th November 2021

First-winter Med Gull checking the beach tideline.

Fine very annoying mizzle settled in just as it was getting light deterred most movers with southbound 90 Siskin, 15 Wood Pigeon, 13 Wigeon, 11 Gannet, 8 Goldfinch, 2 Mipit, Guillemot, Lapland Bunting, Linnet & Skylark. 3 Eiders flew down river. On site at least 20 Blackies, 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare & Snow Bunting.

Running out of moths at this time of the year for 'moth of the day'. Blastobasis laticolella is noted here from spring onwards and is an adventive species from Madeira probably introduced via horticultural imports donkey's years ago.

Ringing: 1 Fieldfare.

Tuesday 9th November 2021

This Blackcap was the highlight of the morning's ringing as it bore a fresh looking Danish ring; it could be a late Scandinavian migrant on its way further south or maybe more likely a bird from the population that comes to the UK specifically to spend the winter - typically from eastern Europe.

 Calm again first thing but a bit mizzly, it soon brightened up though to produce another pleasant day; birds on the land comprised a few Thrushes first thing, a Blackcap (complete with Danish ring), 5 Brambling, 7 Chaffinches, 39 Goldfinches, 19 Linnets, 14 Meadow Pipits, 2 Redpolls, 3 Rock Pipits, 54 Siskins, 6 Skylark, 6 Snow Buntings, another late Swallow south and a Short-eared Owl which came in off the sea mid-morning.

The sea produced a Bar-tailed Godwit, 9 Brent Geese, 97 Common Scoter, 4 Gannets, a Great-crested Grebe, a Red-breasted Merganser, 13 Red-throated Divers, a Razorbill and 21 Shelduck.

Ringing: Redpoll 1, Blackbird 4, Redwing 1, Song Thrush 1, Dunnock 1, Jay 2

Red-line Quaker is common in areas of Willows and, as such, is infrequently with us

Monday 8th November 2021

Song Thrush

 Lovely, calm and bright; a trickle of birds over the land this morning comprised a Brambling, 12 Chaffinches, 2 Fieldfare, 57 Goldfinches, 12 Linnets, 12 Meadow Pipits, 10 Redpolls, 2 Redwing, 2 Rock Pipits, a Rook, 45 Siskins, 7 Skylarks, 7 Snow Buntings, 292 Starlings, a Jay, 13 Stock Doves, a late Swallow, a Woodcock and a Yellowhammer.

On over the sea a few bits included a Great-northern Diver sat on the sea, a Razorbill, 7 Brent Geese, 32 Common Scoter, 7 Gannets, 3 Goldeneye, a Great-crested Grebe, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Red-throated Divers and 8 Shelduck.

Ringing: Robin 2, Blackbird 5, Redwing 1

Mine of Apple Leaf-miner on Ornamental Cherry along View Point Road.   The adult occasionally appears in the traps during the summer months.

Sunday 7th November2021

Handful of new Blackies & thrush's new in is fairly typical for the time of the year. Also noted a Reed Bunting plus a visit from a couple of Lesser Redpoll & a Jay. 3 Snow Bunting again paid a visit. Heading south 50 Goldfinch, 20 Wood Pigeon, 13 Greenfinch, 11 Siskin, 5 Chaffinch, 4 Mipit & 2 Skylark plus offshore southbound 15 Brent, 10 Common Gull, 8 Gannet, 5 Red-throated Diver, 4 Razorbill, 2 Eider,  2 Goldeneye, Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe & Guillemot with northbound 12 Brent, 4 Gannet, 2 Common Scoter & 2 Red-throats.

Ringing: 5 Blackbird, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren.