Saturday 14th September2024

 

Wind finally abated to give a pleasant morning with an eclectic mix of birds making the pad. Migrants included 10 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 5 Grey Wag, 5 Lesser 'throat, 2 Wheatear, Garden Warbler, Pied Fly, Whitethroat, Yellow Wag & a couple of new Robins plus visits from Great Spotted Woodpecker & Tree Sparrow. 2 Rock Pipit & Purp were on the point, Sanderling on the beach plus 41 Sandwich & a Common Tern offshore. A new Cetti's showed up. Southbound 138 Swallow, 29 Teal, 16 Mipit, 8 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Heron, 2 Little Egret, 2 Oyk & Sand Martin.

Scarce Bordered Straw is a migrant that shows up here in the autumn.

Ringing: 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Whitethroat.

Friday 13th September 2024

With the continuing blustery north westerly winds, the more interesting migrants remaining after the weekends influx have slowly trickled away. A single pied flycatcher and common redstart remained around the holm oaks of the observatory, along with a scattering of phylloscopus warblers, mainly chiffchaffs, and a couple of blackcaps. A tree pipit flew south as did a paltry 7 meadow pipits. The two purple sandpipers remained on the point, along with a turnstone, though they were elusive for some. A common snipe was a more unusual and very autumnal record, that headed north very swiftly. 

Setaceous Hebrew Character is one of the few hardy species coming to the moth trap in the current cold and windy overnight conditions. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 5, Grey Wagtail 1, Robin 1, Willow Warbler 1. 

Ringing Recoveries

 

This Black-headed Gull was in the View Point car park yesterday early evening. Originally ringed at Zoetermeer, Grote Dobbe, The Netherlands in December 2012 it spent its first winter in Holland, visited Trimley Marshes September 2017, back at its ringing site in March 2018 then every winter from 2022 its been a regular at Felixstowe Pier being last noted there in March 2024.

Reed Warbler ringed on spring passage LBO 17th May 2023 was retrapped 224 km away at Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire on 10th August 2024.

Reed Warbler ringed ringed at Chippenham Fen, Cambridgeshire 27th July 2024 was retrapped on autumn passage at LBO 26th August 2024.

Juvenile Starling ringed LBO 4th July 2019 was photographed near Mannings, on the Prom on 9th September 2024 looking well on a healthy diet of chips.

Thursday 12th September 2024

A quieter day, though still some movements of interest, with 8 grey wagtail heading south along with much better numbers of house martin passing through, totaling 91 birds. Single spotted and pied flycatchers remained in the observatory compound and the purple sandpiper on the jetty was joined by another. Also on the jetty was our earliest autumn record of rock pipit yet, by two days. 

 

The number of Small Square-spot here has been low for years, so it's good to see that this year it has been more regular.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 1, Grey Wagtail 2, Pied Flycatcher 1, Reed Warbler 1, Robin 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Willow Warbler 1. 

 

Wednesday 11th September 2024

 

Despite the sharp temperature drop & the increasing near westerly gale throughout the morning making birding difficult a selection of migrants were encountered including 22 Mipit, 15 Chiffchaff, 6 Lesser 'throat, 5 Wheatear, 5 Willow Warbler, 3 Grey Wagtail, 3 Spot Fly, 2 Redstart, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Pied Fly & Yellow Wagtail. Southbound 54 House Martin, 46 Sand Martin & 5 Swallow. Offshore 55 Sandwich Tern were joined by an Arctic Tern for a while. Worth a mention in the ringing department is the first juvenile Wood Pigeon of the year which, despite late season nesting the norm here, suggests the breeding season has not gone well for them.

With both the wind & colder conditions the number & variety of moths plummeted. Not sure that Bright-line Brown-eye has been featured as "moth of the day" before but not a lot to choose from. This is a species that makes regular appearances in low numbers.

Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Starling, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 10th September 2024

Another blustery morning kept a lot of the migrants in place. However, despite much searching, yesterdays Ortolan bunting and Icterine warbler were not refound. Still some flycatchers around with 2 of each of pied and spotted in the sheltered areas of holm oaks. A single redstart was up at the Butt's, and singles of merlin, hobby and spoonbill went through. Hirundine numbers were relatively reasonable considering the paucity of all 3 species this year, with 68 swallows joining 49 house martin and 3 sand martin heading south.

Carnation Tortrix has only been noted a few times this year.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 3, Sparrowhawk 1, Willow Warbler 3. 

 

Monday 9th September 2024

Despite, or perhaps because of, strong blustery north west winds, some more interesting species turned up on the reserve. The first adult Ortolan bunting in years was out on the reserve, giving some observers the run around. Amongst the less scarce migrants recorded were, 3 redstart, a tree pipit, yellow wagtail, pied and spotted flycatchers, and 7 wheatear. Garden warblers have been more regular this year, with at least two on site today of this fast declining species. The Icterine warbler from the weekend reappeared in front of the Birds Obs, to the delight of those birders that missed it on Saturday. 25 young house martin were over the reserve midmorning, one of the highest totals of this species here all year. 

Vine Moth is a nationally scarce species we do quite well for. It is now coming to the end of its flight period.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 4, Garden Warbler 2, Grey Wagtail 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Redstart 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Tree Pipit 1, Willow Warbler  4. 

FENCE REMOVAL

It is planned to take down the temporary fencing for ground nesting birds & botany on the reserve on Thursday 12th September at 0930 hrs. Many hands make light work so all welcome. Please wear appropriate clothing & footwear for the job in hand with a pair of gardening type gloves also useful. If anyone wishes to undertake future voluntary tasks on the nature reserve the Ranger will be present to provide further details.  

Sunday 8th September 2024

With a change in wind direction, the migrant passage was slowed. Two of yesterdays spotted flycatchers remained on the reserve, though a pied flycatcher was new in as were 4 redstarts and 3 yellow wagtails. 14 meadow pipits flew south as did 83 swallows. 3 tree pipits were around the reserve, possibly the ones from the previous day. 

Celypha rufana was first noted in 2019 and has now colonised. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Pied Flycatcher 1, Redstart 1, Willow Warbler 4.