Saturday 19th November 2022

 

Southbound 569 Brent, 113 Teal, 60 Little Gull, 43 Black-headed Gull, 22 Wigeon, 19 Common Scoter, 11 Common Gull, 9 Lapwing, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Red-throated Diver, 4 Shelduck, 3 Gannet, 2 Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe & Turnstone with northbound 17 Brent, 4 Gadwal, 3 Common Scoter, Avocet & Gannet plus an additional Little Gull heading down the river. 403 Cormorant headed out to sea to the fishing grounds early on. Vis mig declining as the autumn progresses with southbound 10 Mipit, 9 Linnet, 3 Starling, Chaffinch, "ringtail" Hen Harrier, Lapland Bunting, Pied Wagtail & Redpoll plus northbound a Skylark. On site a fairly typical mid-November arrival of 35 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, Rock Pipit, Snipe & Song Thrush. Finally the Snow Bunting is still on the reserve.

Ringing: 10 Blackbird.

Friday 18th November 2022

Nice it wasn't raining ! A good variety on the move southbound offshore including 379 Brent, 287 Black-headed Gull, 113 Teal, 87 Common Gull, 48 Lapwing, 25 Dunlin, 20 Common Scoter, 18 Wigeon, 16 Gannet, 10 Knot, 7 Pintail, 6 Shelduck, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Golden Plover, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Bonxie, 2 Eider, 2 Gadwal, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mallard, 2 Shoveler, Little Gull, Marsh Harrier, Med Gull, Red-throated Diver & Turnstone with northbound 19 Common Scoter, Brent & Red-throated Diver plus a Kittiwake offshore. Also moving south 23 Goldfinch, 11 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Starling, 2 Mipit, Chaffinch & Siskin. Grounded migrants consisted of a couple of new Blackies & Robin plus a loitering Goldcrest. Finally Snow Bunting still along the beach.

Still getting a few migrant moths like Pearly Underwing although the resident species on the wing at this time of the year are in very short supply.

Ringing: 8 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Blackbird, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.

Thursday 17th November 2022

 

Another very wet n' windy day. Seawatching all morning produced southbound 454 Brent, 190 Teal, 140 Golden Plover, 86 Dunlin, 63 Lapwing, 35 Cormorant, 16 Pintail, 11 Common Gull, 9 Black-headed Gull, 9 Goldeneye, 8 Gannet, 5 Common Scoter, 5 Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 3 Snipe, 2 Gadwal, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Curlew & 1 Grey Plover with northbound single Common Scoter & Gannet.  Almost no migrants on site apart from a Woodcock plus the regular Snow Bunting flew along the beach with other passerines having the sense to keep their heads down.

Ringing: nil.

Wednesday 16th November 2022

 

Grim wet morning clearing late am. Migrants hard to come by with offshore movements restricted to southbound (prior to heavy rain) 25 Black-headed Gull, 23 Dunlin, 21 Brent, 8 Common Gull, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Mipit, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Shelduck, 1 Curlew & 1 Turnstone. On site 3 Goldcrest and a Redwing emerged into the sun but not a lot else to offer you.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Wren.

Tuesday 15th November 2022

A wet and windy morning (though it didn't start raining as early as forecast) meant we were restricted to vis migging from the observatory. Reasonable wader numbers past, relatively speaking, with 8 species being represented. Highlights were two avocets heading south and the snow bunting that has been present the last few days. A few wildfowl moved south as well, with 4 goldeneye being the most notable. 7 little gulls passed south also, the first record of the species for some weeks, despite expectations. 

Monday 14th November 2022

A quieter day today, with just over half the species recorded yesterday. Goldcrest were very active around the compound as were robins and blackbirds. A late grey wagtail was encouraged to come and say hello, and our 12th sparrowhawk, and our 4th female also paid the ringing room a visit. A great egret flew north midmorning and was relocated at Felixstowe Ferry. No longer a rarity, we still only have single figure records for the year of this slowly colonising species.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 2, Chaffinch 2, Goldcrest 3, Grey Wagtail 1, Lesser Redpoll 1, Robin 4, Song Thrush 1, Sparrowhawk 1. 

Sunday 13th November 2022

Another pleasant session with a very light onshore breeze bringing southbound at least 5,843 Brent, 323 Wigeon, 251 Teal, 132 Pintail, 120 Dunlin, 63 Common Scoter, 54 Black-headed Gull, 30 Cormorant, 25 Shelduck, 20 Shoveler, 12 Ringed Plover, 11 Turnstone, 5 Pochard, 4 Lapwing, 4 Oyk, 3 Curlew, 2 Common Gull, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, Barnacle Goose, Goldeneye, Goosander & Red-throated Diver with northbound 38 Cormorant & 18 Common Scoter. A Black-necked Grebe was sat on the sea offshore for a good hour or so before drifting off. Limited vis mig included southbound 97 Starling, 41 Goldfinch, 33 Redpoll, 27 Mipit, 14 Skylark, 4 Linnet, Rock Pipit & Swallow. On site a classic selection of mid-November migrants including 40 Blackbird, 18 Mipit, 12 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Siskin, Brambling, Chaffinch, Fieldfare, Lapwing, Rock Pipit, Snipe, Stock Dove & Water Rail plus a visit from a flock of Long-tailed Tits.

Only the second Feathered Thorn noted so far here this autumn.

Ringing: 13 Blackbird, 11 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Wood Pigeon, 1 Brambling, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.