Saturday 16th March 2024

 A nice sunny and calm day, for once. Migration was slow, but the sunny weather did bring out the insects, with mining bees and a few peacock butterflies taking the wing in the warmth. One of last years Cetti's Warblers was retrapped, proving at least one of last years influx has overwintered. A trio of chiffchaffs and the first two linnets ringed this year were a nice sign of the incoming season. Red-throated Divers were passing in reasonable numbers with 111 heading north and 22 south. Ringed Plovers were displaying out on the reserve. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Chiffchaff 3, Great Tit 1, Linnet 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Redwing 1. 

Friday 15th March 2024

 

Good to have a couple of first-winter Black-headed Gulls at the View Point over recent days as very few around this winter. The highlight was the return of the Cetti's Warbler by the Butts pond as haven't recorded one since mid-February although difficult to know whether it is the same individual. Very little rewards on a windy morning included 9 Chaffinch heading south plus 3 Redwing, 3 Skylark, 2 Mipit & a Chiffchaff on site. Offshore 60 Common Scoter but next to nothing moving.

Our earliest ever Eudonia angustea by quite some margin, although just read up that they do hibernate so this one has been lured out by the mild conditions.

Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff.

Thursday 14th March 2024

More hints of migration with the first Firecrest of the spring, as opposed to the overwintering ones. Other migrants included 6 Skylark, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Redwing & Reed Bunting plus 3 Stock Dove visited. Offshore southbound 24 Black-headed Gull, 10 Shelduck, 9 Brent, 4 Shoveler, 3 Oyk, 3 Red-throated Diver & Dunlin with northbound 10 Brent, 3 Red-throats & 2 Common Scoter with c.50 Common Scoter sat just to the north of the observatory watch point.

Ringing: 3 Chaffinch, 2 Firecrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting.

Wednesday 13th March 2024

 

With the weather ameliorating a few migrants including 31 Redwing, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Skylark, 2 Woodcock, Stonechat & a couple of new Blackies with southbound 40 Chaffinch, 2 Rock Pipit & a Mipit. Offshore movers & shakers included northbound 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shelduck & Common Scoter with southbound 20 Greylag, 20 Dunlin, 12 Brent, 12 Pintail, 2 Oyk, 2 Shelduck, 2 Red-throats, 2 Tufted Duck, Barnacle Goose, Curlew, Goosander & Redshank. A Dunlin was with the Ringos on the beach.

Agonopterix subpropinquella are coming out of hibernation. Most of those we see later in the year are of the dark form.

Ringing: 4 Blackbird, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Redwing, 2 Dunnock, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Song Thrush.

Tuesday 12th March 2024

 

Rain started 0800 hrs and looks like it's set in for the day. Possibly more migrants about than is appreciated with the mornings tally including 2 Jackdaw, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Woodcock, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Mipit, Redwing, Reed Bunting & Stonechat. Offshore northbound 67 Brent & Oyk with southbound 16 Brent, 8 Dunlin, 5 Common Gull, 4 Oyk, 4 Shelduck, 3 Pintail, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Black-throated Diver & Great Northern Diver plus 55 Common Scoter sat on the sea to the north of us.

Ringing: 1 Goldcrest, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush.

Blackbird Ringing Study

Blackbird populations on the near continent have been devastated by the Usutu Virus which is spread by mosquitos. The disease has recently been recorded in the UK.

Landguard Bird Observatory is contributing to a study to help understand the potential impacts of Usutu Virus on Blackbird populations. The initial stages of the study will be looking at the survival rates of the breeding population of adults, survival rates of juveniles in the period after fledging and the turnover rates of birds prior to & following the breeding season.

The resident birds & their young will be given individually marked colour rings to identify individuals. This is where your help is needed - if you see a colour tagged Blackbird at Landguard (or anywhere else) please try and read the combination or photograph the ring & send details/photo/location to landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk to assist with the monitoring.

Further information on Usutu Virus is available on the web including - 

https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/portfolio/usutu-virus/

Monday 11th March 2024

 

Red Kite is surprisingly scarce here despite the large increase in numbers inland. Of the fifteen previous records ten have been in March. Other migrants were 4 Goldcrest, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Skylark, Fieldfare, Heron & Rock Pipit. Small groups of Cormorants, totaling 234, were moving north during the morning perhaps suggesting that they were on their way back to their nesting sites further north & east.

Green Shield Bugs have been turning up in the moth traps as they come out of hibernation. This one is just starting to come out of its winter "plumage".

Ringing: 3 Goldcrest.

Sunday 10th March 2024

Rain. 156 Cormorant went out early. On site migrants include 2 Fieldfare & Goldcrest although in this weather difficult to know what may be here.

Early Grey normally puts in an appearance a couple of times a spring. It lives on Honeysuckles so your garden is probably a better habitat for them.

Ringing: 1 House Sparrow.