Saturday 18th May 2024

A cloudy morning with a brisk northerly wind soon burned off into one of the hottest days so far this year. Still a few migrants passing through, though the passage is winding down. A ring ouzel on the reserve was a nice surprise, though as the day wore on it became more and more elusive before disappearing. this is the second latest spring ring ouzel we've had, with the only later one being on 23/05/87. Singles of wheatear, willow warbler, chiffchaff and blackcap were fresh in.

The baby bird season is starting. The first young linnet was recorded today, along with yet more starlings and a few more fledgling blackbirds, though nowhere near as much  of the latter as we expected. Great tits are feeding young in the observatory compound, we expect them to fledge soon.  

Another good day for insects, with plenty of butterflies on the wing and some emerging broad-bodied chaser dragonflies in the Observatory pond. 

Eyed Hawkmoth is infrequently with us as it lives mostly on willows, sallows and apple trees.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Linnet 1, Willow Warbler 1. 

 

Friday 17th May 2024

Another fine day, with little wind. A few migrants coming through, a nice yellow wagtail was on the reserve and a reed warbler was singing intermittently from the compound. Most of the regular species were accounted for, with another juvenile blackbird being only the second seen in the observatory grounds this year. 

It was much more a day for insects, with a few painted ladies on the wing, and at least 20 large red damselflies up at the Butt's pond.

First Common Marbled Carpet of the year, a species that has declined here in recent times.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Linnet 1, Willow Warbler 1. 

Thursday 16th May 2024

A wet morning with wind from the north made observations tricky but not impossible. Two spotted flycatchers were on site, perhaps yesterdays or maybe fresh in. 13 little tern off the jetty is by far the largest count we've has this year, a sad sign of the times for this species that used to breed on the reserve. The local starlings have fledged at least 2 young, somewhat earlier than we expected, these juveniles join a single pied wagtail and blackbird juvenile on the nature reserve.

Silver Y moths are still in large numbers around the site, despite the wet weather, its nice to see them so abundant. 

First Small Elephant Hawkmoth of the year. 

Wednesday 15th May 2024

 

Dull wet morning gave way to a fine sunny afternoon. 2 Red Kites paying a visit just prior to midday is only the 17th site record despite how common they now are in Suffolk. Migrants included 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Spot Fly, 2 Wheatear, Chaffinch, Common Sand & Redstart. 34 Swallow flew south. 20 Turnstone on the jetty is a good count for recent times. Offshore deadly quiet again with just a small handful of Gannets, Terns, 2 Great Crested Grebe & 5 Kitts until a dark phase Arctic Skua went north close inshore late morning that even pitched in for a short while.

Moth traps fairly basic. Common Carpet can be either in the traps or on the Green Alkanet at this time of the year. Worth a mention the last couple of days are good numbers of Silver Y by day with roughly 50 in the moat in the early afternoon sunshine + 200 more across the site.

Ringing: 2 Garden Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Tuesday 14th May 2024

Wet and windy morning, though as usual never as wet as predicted. A few new migrants were in, a yellow wagtail was on the reserve and a garden warbler was in the observatory compound. 11 swallows  moved south throughout the morning. A tufted duck flew south and 5 common scoter moved north. 

 A master of disguise, the Pale Prominent lives on the poplars.

Monday 13th May 2024

A handful of new migrants managed to trickle in today, including the years first pied and spotted flycatchers. The latter appeared to move on almost instantly, but the pied flycatcher stuck around all morning. The first spring ringing record for pied flycatcher in over three years. Some new whitethroats were also moving through, but other warblers were thin on the ground, with a single chiffchaff and willow warbler and the local lesser whitethroats being noted. 

We haven't had regular visits from peregrines for almost a year, so a pair hunting a feral pigeon in tandem over the observatory was notable.

Moth numbers are increasing, pretty slowly compared to previous years but it will only get better as the year warms up. Poplar Hawkmoths are always popular.

Birds Ringed: Linnet 1, Pied Flycatcher 1.  

 

Sunday 12th May 2024

 

Very little happening in the migration department with 4 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Yellow Wag plus a new Lesser 'throat as good as it got on the grounded birds front. Offshore southbound 5 Barnacles with northbound 9 Arctic Tern, 3 Oyk, 2 Common Tern, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern & Shoveler.

Despite the lack of birds the second site record of Purple Cloud crossed the North Sea to pay us a visit. This is a very rare species in the UK with only somewhere in the region of 30 to 40 British records ever recorded.

Ringing: 1 Lesser Whitethroat