Saturday 9th March 2024

 

Handful of typical March migrants including a couple of new Blackies, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, Chiffchaff, Mipit, Skylark, Stonechat & White Wag. 15 Brent came out of the river then north with a Heron also northbound. 6 Turnstone on the point & a Fulmar went south along the beach line.

Ringing: 4 Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest.

Friday 8th March 2024

 

128 Cormorant headed out early. Migrants were a couple of new Blackies, 2 Fieldfare & yesterday's Goldcrest.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird.

Thursday 7th March 2024

The first Goldcrest of the spring is bang on cue with the only other grounded migrants being a few new Blackies, several of which probably arrived after midday in the onshore wind. Offshore quiet although 2 Gannet & a Curlew heading north will be on their way back to the nesting grounds & 5 Wigeon south are worth a mention as don't get many in the spring.

Common Plume can appear in the traps at any time of the year & will be commoner out of the wind in your gardens than with us.

Ringing: 4 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest.

Wednesday 6th March 2024

 

123 Cormorant headed out to go fishing. On site migrants were 7 Redwing, new Blackbird, Chaffinch & new Song Thrush. 2 Jackdaw paid a visit. 5 Sanderling & a Dunlin were on the beach early on. Offshore very quiet.

Satellite is a winter flyer that turns up at this time of the year here occasionally.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush.

Tuesday 5th March 2024

Rain up to mid-day. Rock Pipit by the point although it's impossible to tell whether this is the one that has wintered with us or is a migrant passing through at this time of the year.

The number of Diurnea fagella that we get varies from year to year. It's another of those species where the female only has vestigial wings so only the males can find the traps.

Monday 4th March 2024

Signs of spring passage were a couple of new Robin, Mipit & the first new Great Tit of the season. A different Firecrest to yesterday's individual, that had also been here since last autumn, paid a visit. Two Firecrest overwintering not only shows how elusive individuals can be at this season but also shows how inept we are as observers with just a singleton noted on just a couple of dates in the last three months ! On the move southbound 75 Red-throated Diver, 6 Shelduck & Oyk with northbound 15 Red-throated Diver, 6 Brent, 5 Barnacle Geese, Common Scoter, Curlew, Oyk & Shelduck. Interestingly the Red-throats only got moving from mid-morning.

Light Brown Apple Moth was accidently introduced to the UK about 100 years ago and not only can it be exceedingly common but it can come out to play at any time of the year.

Ringing: 2 Robin, 1 Great Tit.

Sunday 3rd March 2024

 

Calm, benign morning. 136 Cormorants went out fishing. Migrants almost non-existent. An elusive Firecrest, that has been here since last November, put in an appearance. Late afternoon only about 450 Starlings came in to join the Sparrow roost at the north end and not all of these roosted on the reserve.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush.