Saturday 13th April 2024

A quieter day, with many of the warblers having moved through, especially the blackcaps. Still a few willow warblers and chiffchaffs around, though they were less vocal and active. Wheatear numbers rose to 14 however, and 3 yellow wagtail headed south along with 4 meadow pipits. Med gulls are still on the move, though more seemed to be heading south today than north. A redpoll singing from the observatory compound was an unexpected encounter, though it didn't stay long enough for a photo. 

First Muslin moth of the season..

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 2, Wheatear 5, Willow Warbler 8, Wren 1. 

Friday 12th April 2024

Another mild day saw quite a fall of phylloscopus warblers. At least 25 willow warblers were around the site, with several singing intermittently. Amongst these were at least 10 chiffchaffs, 15 blackcap and a firecrest with 3 lesser whitethroat and the regular 4 Cetti's warblers. A nightingale was singing on the reserve and at least 11 wheatears had dropped in overnight. 

Only the third site record of Frosted Green. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 9, Chiffchaff 6, Goldfinch 3, Great Tit 1, Wheatear 2, Willow Warbler 16.

Thursday 11th April 2024

Noticeable increase in passerine migrants today, willow warblers singing all over the place, blackcaps everywhere and one of our earliest lesser whitethroat records. A young male redstart was also found, 4 Cetti's warblers were singing and the black redstart was singing in the morning dark again. A marsh harrier flew south, and med gulls continue to move north in small groups with 14 passing throughout the morning. A second year coal tit was the first seen here this year. 

The first site record of the nationally scarce Pammene giganteana was found today. The second part of its scientific name seems a little ironic as its less than a centimetre in length. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 13, Blue Tit 1, Chiffchaff 1, Coal Tit 1, Firecrest 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Linnet 3, Redstart 1, Willow Warbler 7. 
 

Wednesday 10th April 2024

 

The wind abated to allow a few migrants to appear with today's eclectic mix including southbound 123 Black-headed Gull, 13 Common Gull, 10 Goldfinch, 8 Med Gull, 4 Chaffinch, 4 Shelduck, 2 Swallow, Buzzard, Curlew, Oyk, Rook & Siskin. On site migrants were 10 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, Firecrest, Grey Wag, Jackdaw, Nightingale & Snipe. 3 Cetti's & Black Red still here and 18 Sanderling were on the beach early morning.

Ringing: 6 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.

Tuesday 9th April 2024

Near gale/gale force south westerlies made observations an indoor job today. Perhaps because of this we saw our first common and sandwich terns of the year, and in the shelter of the Heligoland we actually had some passerine migrants, two willow warblers. The black redstart was feeding in the lea of the fort as the sun rose. 

Brown-tail larval nests are in profusion as the caterpillars start to emerge.

Birds Ringed: Willow Warbler 2. 

 

Monday 8th April 2024

A few firsts for the year this morning. First sedge warbler singing, and the observatories earliest record of whitethroat. More exciting was the fifth record of raven with two over the observatory and landing on the reserve and riling up the other corvids. It's also the first record of the species here this century. The black redstart was singing from the fort early doors, with a nightingale singing at the Icky Ridge. 2 goldeneye flew south and there was a bit of med gull movement with 16 north and 3 south during the morning, along with 82 black-headed gulls. 

Swallow Prominent lives on poplars and does fairly well here. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 6, Chiffchaff 1, Song Thrush 2, Willow Warbler 1.

Sunday 7th April 2024

 

Another day another gale although on the plus side it is warm for the time of year. Firsts for the year were Nightingale & Yellow Wagtail. A small handful of other migrants included 3 Blackcap, 3 Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler plus at least 13 Swallow heading south. 2 Black Red were around the Fort & 2 Cetti's remain singing on the reserve. Offshore movements pathetic with 2 Curlew south the best of a meagre list of sightings. A new young female Sparrowhawk could be wandering from literally anywhere as they don't breed until two years old.

A few more moths, like Double-striped Pug are starting to appear, although encounters are few & far between in the winds of recent days despite the mild conditions.
  

Ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet, 1 Sparrowhawk.