Saturday 21st September 2024

A calmer day with a few spots of rain. Quiet on the migrant front, especially for warblers. only 2 chiffchaffs observed and 4 blackcaps. 2 marsh harrier were a nice surprise, both first years, one heading back inland and the other towards the town. Linnet numbers are building up with 100 present today. A white wagtail is a little late to the party after three races of yellow wagtail turning up earlier in the month. The rock pipit remains on the jetty and good numbers of robins are still in the compound with a couple of continental song thrush new in.

Small Mottled Willow is an immigrant that appears most years recently, with four in one trap this morning being exceptional. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 2, Blue Tit 1, Garden Warbler 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Robin 1, Song Thrush 2, Wren 1. 

Friday 20th September 2024

A few more robins around today, and Cetti's warblers are in voice around the reserve, with the local breeders being boosted by dispersing youngsters, one of which visited the bird observatory. A little migration went on out to sea, 37 wigeon and 24 teal south, along with 37 brent geese. One pied flycatcher remains in the observatory compound, and meadow pipits are still moving in pitiful numbers. 

Tawny Shears has been declining to the point where we only get a handful annually. Todays is towards the end of it's flight period.

Birds Ringed: Cetti's Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 2, Great Tit 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Robin 5.

Thursday 19th September 2024

A quieter morning after the previous few days' excitement, with a more late autumn feel, with a strong north easterly. 15 robins were new in, as were 3 song thrush, with a handful of chiffchaff and blackcap and 2 yellow wagtail out on the reserve. First red-throated diver of the autumn flew north and the rock pipit remained at the point. 

We don't get many Bee Moth with this one at the extreme end of its flight period. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 2, Grey Wagtail 1, Robin 8, Song Thrush 2, Woodpigeon 1. 

 

Wednesday 18th September 2024

 

Willow Emerald Damselflies have been noted yesterday & today. Are these newly in from the continent in these prevailing winds or just dispersing from sites inland - we will never know ?

NE wind made birding hard work. Offshore southbound 79 Brent, 27 Wigeon, 18 Teal, 8 Gannet, 2 Oyk, Curlew, Great-northern Diver & Hobby with northbound 15 Wigeon, 6 Swallow, 4 Common Scoter & 4 Sandwich Tern was a poor return considering the number of observers who had had enough of looking at the sea by mid-morning. On site migrants include 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Mipit, 2 Lesser 'throat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wag, Reed Warbler, Snipe & Willow Warbler.

Black Rustic is an autumnal flyer first noted in 1993 that quickly established itself over the following years.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler.

Tuesday 17th September 2024

A quieter morning was full of promise with a good wind direction and cloud the previous night. At least 2 pied flycatchers were present in the compound with a spotted flycatcher feeding in the holm oaks at the front of the observatory, though yesterdays red-breasted flycatcher was not refound.  A tree pipit was new in, but the best bird of the day was a 1st year barred warbler, the first seen here in over 3 years. The lucky observers present were very pleased to see this scarce visitor. 

Insects have had an odd year, with many species in much lower numbers than usual, perhaps due to the wet spring weather. An example of this is the presence of only 5 wasps in the moth traps despite 6 months of nightly trapping. 

Birds Ringed: Barred Warbler 1, Blue Tit 1, Chiffchaff 3, Great Tit 1, Meadow Pipit 2, Willow Warbler 1. 

 

Monday 16th September 2024

Another slight change in the weather and another interesting species that hasn't visited here in 4 years. Late morning a 1st year Red-breasted Flycatcher was found in the Observatory compound. Interestingly it had a Danish ring, which makes it one of only 4 foreign ringed RB Flycatchers to be processed in Britain, and quite probably the first Danish ringed bird. It stuck around the observatory well into the evening, pleasing the few late observers who turned up to pay their regards. 

Aside from this, it was a relatively quiet morning, with singles of pied flycatcher, purple sandpiper, rock pipit, yellow wagtail and wheatear around the reserve and a small movement of chiffchaffs and great tits passing through. 

First noted in 2007, Cypress Pug is now annual here, wandering down here from ornamental conifers.

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 3, Dunnock 1, Great Tit 3, Grey Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Whitethroat 1, Wren 1.  

Sunday 15th September 2024

 

Another pleasant morning with a right old mix. Southbound at least 685 Swallow, 34 Teal, 23 Sand Martin, 11 Gannet, 7 Mipit, 6 Dunlin, 4 Brent, 4 Grey Wag, 2 Oyk, Common Gull, Swift & Turnstone. On site migrants or visitors included 8 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Jackdaw, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Lesser 'throat, 2 Wheatear, Redstart, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat. Purp & Turnstone were on the point plus 46 Sandwich Tern & a Common Tern offshore.

Dowdy Plume occasionally erratically appears in the moth traps a few times most years.

Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Reed Bunting.