Saturday 18th March 2023

Once again, it was a case of rain stops play, but when exactly? Forecasts were slightly more accurate, though only at the last minute. Before the rain, we did have some good observations, a woodlark heading south, chiffchaffs increased to 8 and a second female type black redstart turned up on the beach behind the observatory, feeding along the tideline, not a behaviour that's been seen here before. The male black redstarts from previous days seem to have moved on, but a second female type was also seen around the observatory grounds. Amongst the other birds moving past, a sand martin was the 3rd earliest record for the observatory out of only 11 other march records. 

 

Diurnea fagella is an early spring flyer and can be quite common in some years. 
 

Birds Ringed: Chiffchaff 4, Firecrest 1, Sparrowhawk 1.  

Friday 17th March 2023

Despite a morning of rain, and not when it was forecast, we actually had a reasonable day of observations, with 40 species recorded during the day, including the first wheatear of the year in the evening. Two new chiffchaffs joined the one from yesterday and the firecrest was still around, as were 2 black redstarts. 14 shelduck was a leap up from previous days, and a return to the usual spring numbers, most were still present into the afternoon, unusually, but down to the lack of human visitors presumably. A 3rd year male sparrowhawk and a southward migrating marsh harrier were our raptors of the day. 20 chaffinch south was the only sign of finch migration, but also just notable from a species perspective given their continuing decline in Britain. 

It's a little early in the season for Dark Sword Grass, which is a migrant species probably arriving on the southerly breeze.

Birds Ringed: Chiffchaff 1.

Thursday 16th March 2023

A decent south wind produced a few notable migrants today. 2 male stonechats were out on the nature reserve along with 4 black redstarts, 3 male and 1 female type. Our first firecrest of the year was in the compound, along a chiffchaff. Small numbers of finches moving, 5 chaffinches and 3 greenfinches amongst the 32 linnet moving around the site. A magpie was showing some signs of spring by renovating an old nest, ringed plovers were calling on the beach and a discarded woodpigeons egg in the compound suggests that spring has arrived for some species. 

First Clouded Drab of the season, hopefully with some milder temperatures, more moths will start to appear.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 1, Firecrest 1. 

 

Wednesday 15th March 2023

Frosty start to a much more pleasant morning. Overhead southbound 7 Chaffinch, 5 Skylark & a Barnacle Goose with grounded migrants including a handful of new Blackies, 2 Jackdaw, Chiffchaff , Robin, Rock Pipit & Woodcock plus what will be yesterday's Snow Bunting still with us.

Ringing: 3 Blackbird, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin, 1 Woodcock.

Tuesday 14th January 2023

 

Immature female Peregrine clobbered this Woodcock and by the time it, crows & gulls had finished with it there was nothing wasted. One Herring Gull even swallowed the entire head & bill in one go with the fate of the feet, legs and drumsticks also consumed.

Miserable & wet for most of the morning. Heading south 41 Barnacle Geese & 26 Black-headed Gull. Migrants included 2 Chaffinch, 2 Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Rock Pipit, Skylark & a singing Woodlark. A Snow Bunting was on the point in the afternoon.

Monday 13th March 2023

 

Blowing a hoolie this morning although the mild conditions brought us the first 2 Chiffchaff of the year with other migrants including 33 Starling, 4 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush & 2 Stonechat in what can only be described as difficult birding conditions.

Milder night brought out the first Dotted Border's of the season which is one of those species in which the female is flightless so only the males come to the traps.

Sunday 12th March 2023

 

Heading south 80 Wood Pigeon, 4 Stock Dove & Rook plus a Mipit heading north. Migrants on site were 4 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw, 2 female Stonechat & Mistle Thrush. Classic date for spring Stonechat's which are migrants here.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit.