Saturday 25th June 2022

A surprisingly interesting morning, despite the strong wind. 21 birds were ringed today, including season firsts of juvenile chiffchaff and whitethroat. In fact only one bird was an adult, a goldfinch, amongst several juveniles caught. 2 grey wagtails going south were unseasonal, but welcome observations. Aside from these, most of the regular daily species were observed.

The highlight of the day however, was this Hornet Moth, a day flying moth that lives here on our hybrid black x Italian poplar tree. A very fresh individual, its unusual to see them so close to the floor here, without the use of a lure, but the strong winds had evidently driven this moth to seek shelter further down. Also known as a Hornet Clearwing, its one of several British clearwing moths.

Ringed birds: Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 1, Chiffchaff 1, Dunnock 1, Great Tit 2, Goldfinch 6, House Sparrow 8, Linnet 1.

 

Friday 24th June 2022

Today saw an increase in curlew passage, with post-breeding females and failed breeders moving south towards their wintering grounds. Another notable passage bird was a siskin, briefly seen from the observatory moving south. A few juvenile birds were ringed today, with the highlight being another fresh blue tit, probably moving down from breeding areas closer to Felixstowe. 

Pine Hawkmoth is only rarely recorded here, presumably because of the lack of pines around the Observatory.

Ringed Birds: Blue Tit 1, Linnet 3, Wren 1.

Thursday 23rd June 2022

A quiet day, with some notable birds passing. 3 gannets offshore were the first in quite some time. 19 shelduck heading north may well be on their way to their moulting grounds off Helgoland and the Waddenzee. The local birds are looking a little tatty now, and still there has been little sign that they've attempted breeding here this year, but often they surprise us, and there may well be incubating birds we haven't seen. Little terns, after taking so long to be recorded this year, are now feeding offshore almost daily, with some common terns passing through in both directions as well and sandwich terns present. Not often we've had 3 tern days in 2022. A juvenile blackcap was the first of the year, with some more juvenile lesser whitethroats being ringed today, and adults observed carrying food to another nest in the compound. 

Epuestila woodiella can be very common here and is often the dominant micro moth in our traps.

Ringed Birds: Blackcap 1, Dunnock 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2.

Wednesday 22nd June 2022

 

A single Lapwing is today's migrant which moved inland early morning.2 Nightingale giving contact calls between each other behind the observatory could well be the birds present over a week ago still with us. Apart from that its the birds that live here plus the odd tern feeding offshore.

Lilac Beauty has been noted in ten out of the past 30 years although there is no reason why it can't be here every summer as it feeds on Privet as one of its foodplants.

Ringing: 2 Linnet, 1 Great Tit, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Robin.

Tuesday 21st 2022

A calm day today, with a very slight southerly wind. Swifts fed around the observatory early morning, surprisingly low despite the clear conditions. Some notable records were our first juvenile great spotted woodpecker and lesser whitethroat, and our first siskin ringed for the year. Siskins have been noted in June in 18 of the last 40 years. Todays bird was an adult female that was below weight and may well have come from the continent. 

The Lackey is a moth species that is having a bit of a revival at Landguard in recent years, despite being put on the national Red List as a Vulnerable species. 

Ringed Birds: Blue Tit 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Linnet 2, Siskin 1, Wren 1.

Monday 20th June 2022

Another quiet day today, with a few notable birds. A female pied wagtail was the first ringed for the year, and one of many out on the reserve feeding young. An immature dunlin (first summer) was present on the point, quite possibly not having even travelled as far as the breeding grounds this year. Birds not of breeding age from a variety of species often behave the same way. 

2021 was a bad year for Hummingbird Hawkmoths at Landguard with barely any seen. This year seems to be better, with several seen in the last few weeks with 3 at least present today.

Ringed Birds: Chiffchaff 1, House Sparrow 3, Pied Wagtail 1, Robin 1, Wren 2.

Sunday 19th June 2022

After a stormy night, we had a dry and cloudy morning. Despite the unsettled weather, no odd avian vagrants were observed or caught. Even the juvenile birds seemed less active today. The goldfinch flock is building up on the nature reserve as the juveniles fledge. 

Insect numbers and species remained much the same, though large red damselflies seem to be approaching the end of their season.

After the storm, moth numbers were significantly down this morning. This species, Orthotaenia undulana is an odd species here. It was first noted here from 1999 - 2002, then disappeared until a record in 2019 and this individual this morning. 

Ringed Birds: Dunnock 1