Saturday 15th October 2022

Quieter on the visible migration front today, with less than half of yesterdays finch total recorded. No redpoll observed either. A family party of long-tailed tits was our first record of the species since mid June and only the second record of the year. Crow numbers are in double figures, though no rooks or jackdaws unlike previous days. Meadow pipits are more in evidence today, with 64 moving south along with 8 skylark. The first woodpigeon 'flock' of the autumn were recorded with 15 birds flying north after deciding not to cross the river to Essex. 

Living in oak woodlands, Merveille du Jour only turns up roughly once every three years here. A splendidly marked moth which can disappear on lichen rich surfaces from more than a couple of steps away. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldcrest 1, Long-tailed Tit 13, Meadow Pipit 2, Redwing 2, Wren 2.

Friday 14th October 2022

A much milder day today, with overcast skies and little wind. As such, the passerine migration, mostly finches, picked up noticeably. We had our highest number of goldfinch recorded on site this year at 898, most flying south. These were accompanied by 78 linnet, 40 chaffinch and single figures of greenfinch, siskin and lesser redpoll. A notable sighting was a 1st year hobby treating us all to a close flyby before briefly perching on the ridge. 16 skylark flew south along with 3 woodlark. Our first lesser redpolls of the year were ringed today, and both the sighting and the ringing is slightly behind what we'd expect from the time of year. Hopefully now the first have dropped in we should see them more regularly.

With the mild nights we've had, several moth species, such as this Garden Carpet, are still on the wing, as are their predators, with an unidentified bat species flying around in the early morning light today.

Birds Ringed: Blue Tit 3, Chaffinch 2, Chiffchaff 2, Great Tit 2, Lesser Redpoll 5, Meadow Pipit 1, Wren 1.

Thursday 13th October 2022

A rainy start to the day, which dried up enough to get some migration monitoring done. The seawatching was less impressive than yesterday, with only a few brent geese moving past. The passerine migration was slightly better with double figures of redwing and meadow pipit moving south, along with a couple of grey wagtails and some blackcaps. Overall though, the day was reflective of how quiet this autumn has been. 

Crocidosema plebejana is mostly a late autumn visitor here.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 5, Goldcrest 1, Grey Wagtail 2.
 

Ringing Recoveries

 

This Ringed Plover ringed as a pullus Oranjezon beach, Walcheren, Zeeland, The Netherlands 1st July 2022 was sighted 160 km away at Landguard 10th October 2022 and is the first Dutch ringed Ringed Plover to be recorded here.

Blackcap ringed Isle of Grain, Kent, 20th April 2022 retrapped 70 km away at LBO 2nd May 2022 would have been on spring passage when caught at both locations.

Chiffchaff ringed Trimley 7th April 2022 retrapped 5 km away at LBO 26th June 2022. This will either be a wandering failed breeder or a wandering post breeder but, either way, catching a Chiffchaff ringed elsewhere at this time of the year is unusual.

Wood Pigeon ringed Orfordness 21st May 2017 was retrapped 25 km away at LBO 17th August 2022.

Wednesday 12th October 2022

A Leach's Petrel heading north offshore was not expected as most of our previous records follow strong onshore winds and the start of today was almost flat calm. Also offshore heading south 88 Wigeon, 75 Brent, 41 Teal, 24 Black-headed Gull, 4 Cormorant, 4 Oyk, 4 Pintail, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Dunlin & Gannet with northbound 16 Cormorant, Common Scoter & Oyk. Vis mig heading south 110 Goldfinch, 45 Mipit, 7 Siskin & 3 Linnet. Very few grounded migrants included 4 Chaffinch, 2 Blackcap, 2 Skylark, Brambling & Chiffchaff plus yet more visiting new Blue Tits. For a flat calm morning in mid-October the lack of common migrants is disturbing with reports such as the Birds of Conservation Concern 5 a grim read of ongoing declines in British birds. When one looks at the species now included it brings home the stark realities of the current situation.

https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/publications/bocc-5-a5-4pp-single-pages.pdf

Not really sure what this Agriphila straminella thinks it is doing flying at this time six weeks later than we normally see our last of the year.

Ringing: 4 Blue Tit, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Meadow Pipit. 

 

Tuesday 11th October 2022

The weather cleared today, though the wind was stronger than predicted. On the whole the visible migration was much quieter than yesterday.  A coal tit at the observatory was the first thing in a while, sadly it was never caught or seen so its subspecies identity remains unknown. A red-throated diver was present in the river mouth, for the second day. Yesterday's snow bunting remained elusive, but it may well still be around, quietly feeding on the beach somewhere.  Waterfowl were trickling south, in much reduced numbers compared to recent days. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Blue Tit 1, Chaffinch 1, Chiffchaff 2, Goldfinch 1, Great Tit 3, Grey Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 2, Redwing 1, Robin 1, Song Thrush 1.

Monday 10th October 2022

Patchy rain was a problem today, but when it cleared a few birds were moving through, some redwing and song thrushes, a few finches moving. An elusive snow bunting was heard on the beach, possibly the one from a couple of days ago. A brambling was also heard before the rain started. A couple of red-throated divers have been present off the point and on the river the last few days. Brent geese and ducks are steadily going through in small numbers but the former are certainly starting to increase in number. 

Dusky-lemon Sallow lives on Wych Elm, so is only an occasional visitor to Landguard.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Chaffinch 1, Song Thrush 1.

Sunday 9th October 2022

 

Some vis mig with southbound 375 Goldfinch, 62 Linnet, 53 Mipit, 15 Chaffinch, 13 Skylark, 11 Greenfinch, 11 Swallow, 5 Siskin & 3 Woodlark plus offshore 301 Brent, 115 Wigeon, 11 Cormorant, 11 Teal, 5 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 2 Pintail, Red-throated Diver & Shelduck. On site 7 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, Black Red, Brambling, Redwing & Stonechat. Although 4 Goldcrest is a low number one has to remember that the highest day count achieved in autumn 2021 was a paltry 2 !

Common Marbled Carpet has two emergences a year but has been almost non-existent this year so far.

Ringing: 6 Blackcap, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Wren.