Saturday 6th August 2022

 

Cooler start to the day. Migration wise southbound 26 Swallow, 19 Black-headed Gull, 6 Common Tern, 5 Sandwich Tern, 4 Swift, 3 Avocet, 2 Oyk, 2 Sand Martin & Med Gull with northbound a Little Egret. 15 Sandwich  and 4 Common Tern were offshore, 3 Willow Warbler in the bushes, 2 Common Sand on the jetty, Lapwing & a Mipit on the reserve plus both Great Spotted & Green Woodpecker paid a visit. Juvenile dispersal of young Sparrowhawks is now underway with both a him & a her noted.

What we used to call Ash Pug, now called Angle-barred Pug, but others may choose to call Tamarisk Pug (as that is what it lives on) is common here but only because the foodplant is here. Not sure why we call it Ash Pug as no Ash trees but old habits die hard.

Ringing:35 Starling, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Greenfinch, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 1 Sparrowhawk.

Friday 5th August 2022

Strong north westerly winds meant observations were slower than yesterday, though 7 little terns off the point were the first in a while. A green woodpecker juvenile seen today was perhaps the same as has been hanging around the last few days. A wheatear was perhaps a new bird in or one from previous days.

Gypsy Moth has become regular here in the last couple of years but there has never been one this dark here before.

Birds Ringed: Goldfinch 1, House Sparrow 6, Robin 2, Starling 29, Willow Warbler 1, Wren 1.

Thursday 4th August 2022

A good willow warbler day today with at least 20 around the site during the day. The first autumn record of sedge warbler was ringed today, along with another young lesser whitethroat. As probably mentioned before, lesser whitethroats seem to have had a good season. A lot of gulls and starlings were making the most of ants on the reserve, both on the ground and in the air.

Dark Crimson Underwing is a nationally rare species that has occurred here in 6 of the last 12 years.

Birds Ringed: Goldfinch 2, House Sparrow 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Linnet 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Starling 4, Willow Warbler 7.
 

Wednesday 3rd August 2022

On the move southbound 42 Sand Martin, 39 Swift, 18 Swallow & 3 House Martin with offshore 6 Redshank, 5 Teal, 3 Common Gull, 2 Curlew, 2 Oyk, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Turnstone & Whimbrel. On site 3 Willow Warbler, the first 2 Wheatear of the autumn, a new Nightingale plus the loitering adult from late June still with us having completed its post breeding moult. Another dispersing juvenile Green Woodpecker paid a visit on its wanderings for its own vacant territory.

Living on Elms, Lesser-spotted Pinion has only been noted here on a handful of previous occasions.

Ringing: 5 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet, 2 House Sparrow, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Nightingale, 1 Starling.

 

Tuesday 2nd August 2022

A decidedly autumnal day today, with strong winds and lots of migration. 50 bird species were observed today, with the highlights being 2 juvenile cuckoos. They were supported by a cast of all 3 hirundine species, 9 wader species and yellow wagtail. This wasn't QUITE mirrored in the ringing, with a single willow warbler and whitethroat the only true 'migrants' ringed. Plenty of young birds ringed though, with a new crop of young sparrows and goldfinches dominating the numbers.

The moth numbers were much lower today, with the strong winds throughout the night. We have been getting a selection of species that favour different habitat than the Observatory provides. This Sandhill Rustic is a nationally scarce saltmarsh species.

Birds Ringed: Blue Tit 1, Goldfinch 4, House Sparrow 21, Linnet 1, Robin 2, Whitethroat 1, Willow Warbler 1

Monday 1st August 2022

First day of August also saw the first 3 willow warblers of the autumn. Despite a strong start however and seemingly perfect conditions, both observations and ringing became an uphill struggle. A leucistic starling amongst the hundreds on the reserve was notable, although only seen by one person.

Moths were a lot better, with the first site record of Channel Islands Pug. The first Suffolk records were only yesterday, we were 24 hours away from a Suffolk first, but 3rd isn't too bad!

Birds Ringed: Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 4, House Sparrow 2, Linnet 1, Starling 1, Willow Warbler 2 

July Ringing Totals

422 birds of 26 species is almost double last Julys figure helped by a far better breeding season for many species plus a dose of Starlings. Lesser Whitethroat's appear to have churned some young out with dispersing juvenile Green Woodpecker numbers half decent.

Sunday 31st July 2022

 Breezy overcast morning with odd patches of fine drizzle although not enough to even dampen the dust down. Apart from 21 Swift heading south migrants almost non-existent.

Moth traps busy including the first site record of Psammotis pulveralis. A good selection of reedbed & saltmarsh species turned up plus a Spurge Hawk-moth amongst very few of the commoner migrants.

Ringing: nil.