LBO Home Page

Saturday 24th December 2022

 

Not a species wanted as an addition to the site list. Japanese Wireweed Sargassum muticum attached to a shell is an invasive non native species that washed up along the riverbank probably having come down from up river.

318 Cormorant headed out fishing early on. Having got used to almost no migrants recently 2 Meadow Pipit & a Reed Bunting were not expected and are presumably birds relocating from whence they came following the recent cold snap with the Mipits being the first seen for 23 days & the first Reed Bunting seen since the last one back in the autumn ! Apart from the weed, above, along the river bank single dead Brent Goose & a well eaten Razorbill.

Friday 23rd December 2022

Early morning mist then heavy rain from 0830 hrs. Today's list will be as paltry as yesterdays. Nothing of note  to report except a Great-crested Grebe in the river out the back.

MOTUS Blackbird detection

 

A Motus tagged Blackbird detected here on 19th November has just come through on the system having been detected on 6 different towers as it left the Netherlands. Originally tagged on 1st November it pottered around in the north of Holland before coming across on the 19th covering the crossing between Zandmotor on the Dutch coast and Landguard in 3 hours 13 minutes at a speed of 61 km/hour with a light north-easterly breeze behind it. For more information on Motus please see www.motus.org

Thursday 22nd December 2022

Damp fog clearing with the arrival of rain as the morning progressed. 3 Ringo were on the beach, Snipe was on the reserve & a Golden Plover was heard in the fog. 23 Wood pigeon is the largest count for a while.

Wednesday 21st December 2022

Winter solstice so all uphill from here onwards. A Great-northern Diver came in from the north, pitched in offshore then left to the south. Also noted southbound Curlew & Red-throated Diver with northbound 6 Red-throats & 2 Brent. That's your lot.

Ringing: 1 House Sparrow.

Tuesday 20th December 2022

Milder conditions equals not a lot happening bird wise. 643 Cormorant headed out fishing. An hour staring out produced southbound just 17 Common Gull, 2 Gannet plus 6 Kitts amongst a paltry selection of seagulls following shipping. The reserve held just the residents & winterers although its good to see the local Blackbirds & Robins now feeding in the open areas rather than scraping for a living under the bushes and trees whilst the ground was largely frozen.

Monday 19th December 2022

10 degrees warmer. 800 Cormorant headed out to sea early on. Southbound 3 Pintail, 2 Dunlin, Grey Plover, Shelduck & Teal with northbound 2 Red-throated Diver. 23 Lapwing flew off inland and 3 Song Thrush will be birds relocating after the cold snap. At least 15 Common Gull were offshore and a Great-crested Grebe was in the river.

Sunday 18th December 2022

Southbound 166 Lapwing, 15 Red-throated Diver, 13 Kittiwake, 2 Wigeon, Razorbill & Shelduck with northbound 18 Red-throats. On site 2 Fieldfare, 2 Lapwing, 2 Song Thrush & Snipe. As the milder weather is just beginning to set in a single flock of 166 Lapwing heading south offshore was unexpected, although it is impossible to know what the conditions are like from whence they have been forced out of.