Saturday 7th January 2023

Southerly force 6 during the morning. 629 Cormorant headed out to the fishing grounds. Heading south 94 Brent, 18 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Gannet, 2 Wigeon, Guillemot & Long-tailed Skua with northbound 3 Red-throated Diver & 2 Brent. Difficult to explain what a pale phase first-winter Long-tailed Skua is doing here in mid-winter as records in the North Sea at this time of the year are almost unknown.

Friday 6th January 2023

 

27 Sanderling, 8 Lapwing, 3 Ringed Plover & a Turnstone were on the beach before the moon had set in the sky and the sun had risen above the horizon early on. In the last couple of years it is suspected that the Sanderling are coming onto the beach to feed overnight and then depart with the first dog walkers of the day. 30 Black-headed Gull heading south early on are probably birds roosting on the sea to the north-east of us heading into the estuary to feed although numbers doing this have declined in recent winters. Handful of Kitts & Red-throated Diver offshore although the bright early morning sunshine was no incentive to stare out into the abyss.

Thursday 5th January 2023

Only thing worth a mention is a visit by 9 Long-tailed Tit in the afternoon. As last autumn's numbers were poor and with very few flocks around locally this winter we weren't expecting any gangs to turn up. Winter flocks are renowned for having large but well defined foraging areas for the winter so they may turn up again before the flocks split up into pairs late winter and early spring.

Wednesday 4th January 2023

Very mild start followed by a windy day. Southbound 7 Shelduck & 5 Brent with northbound 5 Pintail & Red-throated Diver plus offshore 88 Kittiwake & 72 Common Gull. A Stock dove may be the same one that visited a couple of days back.

Tuesday 3rd January 2023

Offshore southbound 50 Shelduck, 24 Brent, 11 Wigeon, 4 Pintail, 4 Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye & Guillemot with northbound 217 Red-throats & a Brent  plus at least 81 Common Gull loitering. Single Fieldfare early morning plus a Turnstone on the shore completes this mornings offerings. 
 

LBO Membership 2023

2023 membership fees are now due. Existing members should have received an email reminding them - if not please email landguardbomembership@gmail.com as we may not have your current email address on file.

If you wish to support the work of the bird observatory and wish to join please see details on www.lbo.org.uk New members are always welcome.

If you wish to support the observatory but membership is not for you financial donations to support the work are always welcome. The observatory is a registered charity and like all small charities it is under financial pressure due to ever increasing running costs. To make a bank transfer please see the bank details on the membership form or email landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Many thanks & best wishes to all the blog readers for 2023.

Monday 2nd January 2023

166 Cormorant headed out early on with another 590 joining them on the fishing grounds coming in from the north. Southbound offshore 17 Red-throated Diver, 12 Common Scoter, 8 Brent 6 Shelduck, 3 Teal & Mallard with northbound 91 Red-throats plus 45 Kitts following shipping. 3 Chaffinch worth a mention as they have become scarcer here in the winter. The Diver movement is the best for a while as very few seen recently.

Sunday 1st January 2023

An adult Glaucous Gull pulling in behind the Stenna Britannica going out was a 'Brucie Bonus' to start the year with. Otherwise southbound 22 Shelduck, 5 Brent, 4 Red-throated Diver & 2 Common Scoter with northbound a Red-throat. At least 33 Kitts & 18 Common Gull offshore & in the harbour. A walk around the reserve produced nothing of note and very little of anything at all. Once upon a time not long ago Shelduck returned from their moulting grounds in the Waddenzee in early November which then became later into December and many now wander back at their leisure into the new year. Just one of those things that climate amelioration is changing (overnight low last night was a barmy 10 Celsius).

December Ringing Totals

 12 birds of 4 species is about par for the course in December with the cold snap failing to bring any new birds.