Saturday 21st October 2023

Wind and intermittent drizzle today, typically on the day when the Suffolk Ornithological Group were visiting. However the unsettled weather did produce a sooty shearwater flying north early in the morning, and one of the several woodcock seen yesterday was still around the compound. 11 little gull were off the point and a willow warbler at the mine station was the first we've seen in a while and very probably the last we'll see this year. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 2, Chiffchaff 2, Goldcrest 2, Song Thrush 1.

 

Friday 20th October 2023

Persistent rain all morning made for slow passage here. Brent geese numbers were low, with only 148 heading south, though the poor visibility probably affected this total. A few redwing were around with a handful of goldcrest and a fieldfare. Highlight of the day was the first woodcock of the autumn. 

 Satellite is a winter flyer now coming out to play.

Thursday 19th October 2023

Unsettled weather made for an optimistic day of observations. A ring ouzel found early doors was a good start. Rain was intermittent, though that didn't stop the seawatching. 1385 brent geese flew south along with 739 wigeon, with a scattering of other waterfowl, 22 pintail, 45 teal, 33 shelduck, 5 common scoter and a single tufted duck. A blackcap was the first we've seen in a day or two, and chiffchaffs are still pretty elusve. At least 10 goldcrests and a single firecrest were working their way around the compound, and a few chaffinch, mostly larger continental birds trickled through with some redwing, fieldfare, song thrush and blackbird. 

Merveille Du Jour is recorded here roughly one year in three. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Chaffinch 4, Chiffchaff 1, Firecrest 1, Goldcrest 6, Redwing 1, Robin 2, Song Thrush 2.

Wednesday 18th October 2023

Brisk onshore wind with sea watching producing southbound 309 Brent, 66 Black-headed Gull, 41 Teal, 31 Common Gull, 17 Cormorant, 8 Shelduck & 2 Red-throated Diver with northbound 11 Cormorant, 5 Gannet, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Brent, 2 Eider, 2 Kitts, 2 Swallow, Bonxie, Curlew, Razorbill & Red-breasted Merganser plus a Pom Skua loitering for a while first thing. On land birding difficult in the wind brought a small arrival of new Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Skylark, Blackbird, Song Thrush & Fieldfare in low single figure numbers with only Chiffchaff just making it into double figures.

Ringing: 8 Goldcrest, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Robin, 2 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 17th October 2023

At last a change to an easterly, and the bird movement reflected this. Brent geese started to move south in big numbers, with 1546 observed during the day, and a single pink-footed goose flew close along the shore south as well. 56 Gannet moved north, and 175 black headed and 124 common gulls flew south. A single arctic skua was seen heading south, despite much observation effort put in. The compound itself saw a small influx of robins and goldcrests and a couple of firecrests, all sheltering behind the buildings rather wisely. A few redwing and a couple of fieldfare were the only thrushes of interest.

Birds Ringed: Chaffinch 1, Chiffchaff 4, Dunnock 1, Firecrest 1, Goldcrest 5, House Sparrow 2, Redwing 1, Robin 6. 

Monday 16th October 2023

A surprisingly slow day despite the change in weather. The first firecrest of the month was later than we might have expected, and another 2 spoonbill flew north. A short-eared owl was on the Butt's. 4 Cetti's warblers were heard singing on the reserve, confirming theres at least 4 still here. Not much in the way of late autumn migrants, with 16 redpoll, 1 siskin and 9 brambling the best of the finches, and a paltry 3 redwing encountered the whole morning. 

Dark Chestnut is active from now and throughout the winter. 

Birds Ringed: Blue Tit 3, Firecrest 1, Great Tit 1, Lesser Redpoll 5, Meadow Pipit 1, Robin 1, Wren 1. 

 

Sunday 15th October 2023

Much cooler start to the day stimulated some vis mig with southbound 924 Goldfinch, 93 Black-headed Gull, 68 Siskin, 54 Redpoll, 42 Linnet, 23 Mipit, 9 Chaffinch, 6 Brent, 6 Crow, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, 2 Woodlark & Common Gull. On site 8 Mipit, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 3 Redwing, 3 Wheatear, 2 Cetti's, 2 Fieldfare, Brambling & Yellow-browed Warbler.

A Meditterranean Stick Insect Baccillus rossius was a surprise find late morning as they are largly nocturnal although it is probably offspring of one that was apparently lost here in 2020.

Ringing: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Redwing, 1 Wood Pigeon.