Saturday 2nd December 2023

"Brass Monkey Weather" down here. Freezing fog with a cold north-westerly breeze and the bulk of the site below zero all day. 2 Redwing were seen & a Redshank was heard.

Friday 1st December 2023

 

Dull frosty start with a light dusting of snow/sleet then rain. 793 Cormorant headed out fishing. 14 Lapwing came in off the sea & headed inland, Snow Bunting on the beach & Woodcock in the compound. Southbound 59 Common Scoter, 30 Red-throated Diver, 4 Pintail, Brent & Eider with northbound 11 Common Scoter, 3 Red-throats & 2 Teal plus a Little Gull offshore.

Mist nets packed away for the winter with the moth traps packed away yesterday.

November Ringing Totals 2023

280 birds of 22 species is an increase on last years figure although nothing special with several sessions lost to the weather. Another Cetti's is worth highlighting as well as some visiting flocks of Long-tailed Tits. Both Common (or Mealy) Redpoll trapped were good lookers.

Thursday 30th November 2023

 

Cold, frosty, icy morning. 1,055 Cormorant headed out fishing, 1,194 later came in from the north and, later still, a tight phalanx of about 1,000 came in from the south miles out possibly from as far away as north Kent ? Obviously the birds are using several different roosts although the location of these is unknown to us. Other offshore movements were southbound 18 Common Scoter, Great Crested grebe & Oyk with northbound 13 Common Scoter & 7 Red-throated Diver plus 25 Common Scoter sitting offshore leading one to conclude that the current cold snap ain't moving much about. On site migrants were 2 lingering Firecrest, Redwing plus the reappearance of the pale Lesser Whitethroat, that hasn't been seen for over 10 days, in a sunny spot on the seaward side of the Butts.

Ringing: nil.

Wednesday 29th November 2023

 

980 Cormorant headed out to sea to go fishing with another 100 coming in from the north later on to join them on a crystal clear frosty morning. Small arrival of new Blackies & a Robin with some of the Starlings on site plus a Woodcock also possibly new in. Southbound 18 Linnet, Siskin & Skylark. Offshore movements, again, almost non-existent but included 10 Common Scoter & a Shoveler.

Ringing: 3 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Starling.

Tuesday 28th November 2023

 

Much more pleasant morning saw 580 Cormorant head out fishing plus another 46 coming in from the north. New migrants included a couple of new Blackies, an adult male Common Redpoll, Jack Snipe & Woodcock. Lingerers were 2 Firecrest, that may be contemplating trying to overwinter here, Cetti's & Snow Bunting. Offshore quiet with southbound 7 Black-heads, 7 Common Gull, 5 Red-throated Diver, 4 Brent, 3 Shelduck & a Lesser Black-backed Gull plus northbound18 Common Scoter & 2 Red-throats.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird, 1 Common Redpoll.

Monday 27th November 2023

 Rain. Lapwing on the reserve was the only new migrant on site as far as we are aware. 440 Cormorant headed out fishing late on parade. Several hours seawatching proved that there was next to nothing going past.

Sunday 26th November 2023

Feeling more like winter. A few new Blackies, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll & Robin still passing through as autumn grinds to a halt. Offshore southbound 59 Common Scoter, 34 Black-headed Gull, 18 Common Gull, 15 Teal, 8 Brent, 6 Shelduck, 4 Dunlin, 3 Red-throated Diver & Great Crested Grebe with northbound 12 Red-throats, 4 Common Scoter, 2 Brent & Little Auk. 2 Kitts were following shipping.

Ringing: 5 Blackbird, 1 Robin.