Saturday 11th June 2022

 

Good crop of Henbane on site this year for those of you wishing to poison your spouse!

On the move southbound 9 Swift, 3 Curlew, 2 Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern & surprisingly a Stock Dove which is a species only rarely noted here at this time of the year despite there being plenty just inland from us. Otherwise its baby birds with yet another Coal Tit  plus a Nightingale which is a tad early for a youngster to be showing up as autumn movements don't normally get going until the last few days of July. At a guess it won't have come from far away. Both Mr & Mrs Peregrine were sat atop the nearest dock cranes which is nice to know they are still about as they can be very elusive at this time.

On the Butts pond another 5 Scarce Emerald Damselflies were noted.

Archers Dart are starting to come out. It is a species we do well for whereas moth trappers inland struggle to record any.

Ringing: 2 Wren, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Nightingale, 1 Starling. 

Friday 10th June 2022

 

The third Serin of the spring looks like a fine male. Wheatear still with us & another Coal Tit passed through. Southbound 12 Swift, 6 Swallow, 4 Shoveler, 2 Barnacle Geese, Curlew & Greylag with northbound a flock of 20 Common Scoter.

Scarce Emerald Damselfly was recorded in 2021 for the first time. This individual, freshly emerged from the Butts pond, gives hope that last year was not a one off.

Ringing: 5 Goldfinch, 4 Linnet, 1 Wren.

Thursday 9th June 2022

A much drier day, with a strong westerly wind. Some migrants observed today, with swifts and swallows past the Observatory, the female wheatear still out on the reserve and a new (possibly failed breeder) female blackcap caught. Another juvenile coal tit was ringed, and started subsong later in the morning, which was interesting given its age. 

A male and female muntjac fighting in the compound was an interesting sighting early morning. 

Large Skipper butterflies might still hang on at Landguard, though hardly any have been observed in recent years.

Ringed Birds: Blackcap 1, Coal Tit 1, Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 2, Robin 2

Wednesday 8th June 2022

 

The odd "first summer" Turnstone don't head up to the Arctic to breed in their first year.

Grim start clearing to become bright n' breezy. Migrants include southbound 4 Swallow & 2 Curlew with northbound 14 Canada Geese presumably heading off to their moulting grounds, 8 Med Gull & 3 Jackdaws that have probably not come far. A Hobby whizzed through at breakneck speed.

Epinotia trimaculana is, apparently, a common species nationally that lives on Hawthorns but has only ordained us with its presence on a handful of previous occasions.

Ringing: 1 Robin.
  

Tuesday 7th June 2022

Calmer weather today actually produced some migrants! A late wheatear (probable Greenland race) on the nature reserve and a chiffchaff ringed at the Observatory. Some dispersal migrants included another juvenile coal tit amongst many juvenile bird whose provenance can't be 100% known. 

First fledgling wrens of the year were ringed today, after emerging yesterday. Another great tit ringed was younger than the previous birds, we assume another nest has begun to fledge now. 

Little terns have been very scarce this year (though not as much as Arctic terns) so 4 photographed off the point was a notable record today, as was a brent goose heading back upriver instead of north towards the breeding grounds. 

Moth wise, new species for the year are emerging daily, as this is now the most productive time of year, including this subtle Middle-barred Minor.

Ringed Birds: Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 1, Coal Tit 1, Dunnock 3, Great Tit 1, Linnet 6, Wren 3.

Monday 6th June 2022

Persistent rain (and threat thereof) meant today was much more an observing day than a ringing one. Quite a large movement of swifts late morning, with 512 moving south, presumably to avoid the bad weather to our north. A notable record these days considering the species ongoing decline in Britain. 

Starling numbers reached their highest totals yet this year with 370 present on the nature reserve, with a lot more juveniles joining the flock. Our first wren fledglings were seen today, from the teapot nest in the observatory. 

The moth traps were quite productive, as they should be at this time of year. However 71 Green Oak Tortrix between them is a site record count and indicative of either a mass emergence or an influx form elsewhere.

Ringed Birds: House Sparrow 1.

Sunday 5th June2022

125 Swift, 4 Swallow & 3 House Martin drifted north throughout an inclement morning. A Lapwing on the reserve is dead right for the first of its kind for the autumn as failed breeders (or successful early nesters) characteristically head to their preferred moulting sites. Otherwise its baby bird time.

Despite low numbers of moths the first emergence of Small Square-spot seems to be better than for many years.

Ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Robin.