Saturday 15th June 2024

Still at the mercy of the relentless southerly gusts, highlights of migration monitoring were 14 curlew heading south along with 41 swift. A lot of the local birds are making use of the big puddle to the south of the obs, including this juvenile pied wagtail. 

White Colon is a nationally scarce species that does well here on the Restharrow.

Birds Ringed: Dunnock 1, House Sparrow 2. 

Friday 14th June 2024

Strong south westerlies encouraged a few failed breeders to move south at sea, 33 curlew and a single whimbrel already done for the year. 2 stock dove have been hanging around for a few days, the species has bred here in the past, and it would be nice if they did so again. Starling numbers are building up on the reserve again with 150 spread out today. The cottage house sparrows have fledged some young, with the first 3 having been introduced to the observatories feeders.

Moth numbers and variety have been pretty dismal recently, though Heart and Club have started to emerge. 

Birds Ringed: Blue Tit 1, House Sparrow 3.  

 

Thursday 13th June 2024

For those interested, some decent sized Stinking Goosefoot is on display on the reserve.

A male blackcap with a ring on was an unusual visitor today, presumably a failed breeder from nearby, as none are breeding on the reserve that we know of. A buzzard headed south along the beach and a few late scoter headed north, along with 3 sandwich tern, a single common tern and 2 turnstone.

More young birds are on the wing, with dunnocks adding to the reserve creche along with some blue tits and more wrens.

Noted in only a dozen previous years, Lilac Beauty is becoming more regular in recent times. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Dunnock 1, Linnet 1, Wren 1. 

 

Wednesday 12th June 2024

 

Bit of a migrant free zone this morning with 2 Heron, a Little Egret & a couple of Swallows going past the best we could manage. Otherwise its baby bird time.

Celypha rufana is a recent colonist first noted here in 2017. 

Ringing: 2 Blue Tit, 1 Linnet, 1 Magpie.

Tuesday 11th June 2024

Two reed warblers were singing on the reserve this morning, perhaps the previous days birds but could well be new birds in. A solitary greenfinch sang mournfully from the observatory compound before moving on, presumably a failed breeder. Yet another grey wagtail was attracted to the Observatory pond, this time a post breeding adult female, hopefully a successful one. We have done much better for this species this spring than most years. It will be interesting to see if this is continued in the autumn. 

Very poor moth trapping due to the cool nights and north westerly airflow. This hasn't stopped the odd Dark Arches from flying.

Birds Ringed: Dunnock 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Goldfinch 1, Linnet 1, Magpie 1.

 

Monday 10th June 2024

A wet and windy morning was almost business as usual this year. No sound of yesterdays marsh warbler or its backing chorus of two reed warblers. The only movements of note were overhead or out to sea. 9 sandwich tern flew south, as did 3 house martin and 1357 swift. By the standards of the last two years, this is an impressive day count, but in the past the observatory  has recorded a day number of 18,000. 

 Dark Spectacle is a regular in low numbers whose larvae feed on nettles. 

Sunday 9th June 2024

 

A Marsh Warbler is a classic June scarcity chuntering along to himself with a Reed Warbler doing the same nearby. Other migrants hard to come by with southbound 3 Swallow & a House Martin. 3 Jackdaw paid a visit, 2 Turnstone were on the point & a Sanderling on the beach. Both Lesser Whitethroat & Whitethroat now have youngsters out of the nest which is good to report. 

Cooler nights are not conducive to many moths although it didn't prevent the first Shore Wainscot of the year appearing. This is a nationally scarce species living on Marram Grass.

Ringing: 4 Linnet, 2 Wren, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Reed Warbler.