Saturday 9th November 2024

An interesting morning with a little more diversity than usual. A black redstart was the first for a few days, a fieldfare was fresh in and a purple sandpiper was still on the jetty. 2 goldeneye south were the first for weeks. It was a slightly 'finchy' day, with 8 new chaffinch, a lesser redpoll and a male brambling. A number of thrushes were around the obs, with at least 22 redwing, 25 blackbird and 8 song thrush in the observatory scrub and moving through. Still new goldcrests, wrens and robins are popping up each day.  6 lapwing went north, with 10 heading west and 3 turnstone joined the purple sandpiper on the jetty.

The first site record of Sprawler was last year with today producing the second. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 5, Brambling 1, Chaffinch 5, Goldcrest 2, Lesser Redpoll 1, Linnet 1, Robin 1, Song Thrush 4, Wren 2.  

 

Friday 8th November 2024

A cold and quiet morning didn't see much moving. Another blackcap and chiffchaff were in the observatory compound along with a few new goldcrest, blackbirds and song thrushes. Out on the jetty 2 purple sandpipers were joined by 4 turnstones and a rock pipit. The local kestrels were joined by a female sparrowhawk and a peregrine. A winter plumaged red-throated diver was on the river. 

This immigrant Red-headed Chestnut is the fourth site record of a species that arrives late in the season.

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 1, Blackcap 1, Robin 1, Song Thrush 2. 

 

Thursday 7th November 2024

A typical November day saw a little gull heading south, a red-breasted merganser just off the jetty and 6 purple sandpipers on said jetty, the highest total we've had all year. On land there were still a few redwing around, and some lingering chaffinch. A lone male greenfinch was only the second of the species to be ringed here all year, a far cry from last century when they numbered in the 4 figures here in the spring. Another lone redpoll was around the observatory and a woodcock was flushed. Still more new goldcrest each day, joining the regular gang loitering in the poplars behind the kitchen. 

An adventive species from the Antipodes, Light Brown Apple Moth is our commonest moth in the traps at the moment. 

Birds Ringed: Blackcap 1, Cetti's Warbler 1, Chaffinch 2, Goldcrest 4, Greenfinch 1, Linnet 1, Wren 1. 

 

Ringing Recoveries

Starling ringed LBO 1st October 1994 was found long dead in a man-made structure in Trimley St. Mary 28th October 2024. Not a bird 30 years old but a ring on a skeleton.

Grey Wagtail ringed LBO 11th July 2024 was retrapped 227 km away in Parnassiaweg, Bloemendaal, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands on 21st September 2024. Only the fourth UK ringed Grey Wagtail to be found in The Netherlands, three of which were ringed at LBO.

Grey Wagtail ringed LBO 5th October 2024 had its metal ring read in the field 89 km away at Rainham Marshes, Greater London on 1st November 2024 showing what can be achieved with a decent camera & a bit of patience photographing the ring from different angles.

Blue Tit ringed Trimley 6th September 2024 took six weeks to wander around the dock to find its way here - could have walked round here in that time !

Wednesday 6th November 2024

 

Calm, murky morning. A male Hen Harrier stayed up to late morning occasionally getting grief from the local crows. New in were 46 Redwing, 25 Blackbird, 8 Song Thrush, 5 Chaffinch, 3 Blackcap, 3 Fieldfare, Golden Plover, Lesser Redpoll, Ring Ouzel & Siberian Chiffchaff. 525 Cormorant headed out fishing early morning with offshore observations limited by the poor visibility. 2 Purp & Rock Pipit were on the point.

Chestnut is a species that has almost become rare here in the last ten years having been annual prior to that.

Ringing: 3 Blackbird, 3 Blackcap, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush.
 

Tuesday 5th November 2024

A much quieter day than yesterday, though the diversity was similar. 2 woodcock were observed late morning though neither paid the observatory a visit. A merlin and black redstart were the first of their kind for a week or more, black redstarts in particular have had a poor autumn here. A few thrushes were still around, though not in the numbers they have been, a few redwing were being harassed by a sparrowhawk along with some song thrushes. Goldcrests were still in double figures, though most were birds from previous days. 3 purple sandpiper were on the jetty and a late swallow was perched on the telegraph wires opposite the obs early doors. Meadow pipits were having a last small push with 20 on site throughout the morning. 

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldcrest 6, Grey Wagtail 1, House Sparrow 1, Redwing 2, Song Thrush 2, Wren 2. 

 

Monday 4th November 2024

A nice combination of dull skies and gentle easterly winds made for another interesting day. 3 woodcock were the most we've had in a day this autumn, with two paying the bird observatory a closer visit. A willow warbler was unexpected and pale, though it fell well within the bounds for an 'ordinary' one, though is the second latest record we've had after a bird seen on 9-10/11/1992. This was joined by 3 chiffchaffs and a blackcap, starting to get late even for these latter species now. A brambling was feeding in the observatory compound, a great spotted woodpecker took a trip down the peninsula and yet another new Cetti's was ringed. A definite increase in blackbird numbers, with at least 40 on site today, with several arriving off incoming ships, along with a handful of starlings. 2 purple sandpipers were on the jetty along with a single rock pipit.

Out to sea, the most notable movement was from shelduck with 142 moving south throughout the morning, and 9 north, the biggest movement of the species we've had this year. 38 wigeon, 2 teal, 107 Brent geese also moved south along with a single red-breasted merganser and a pintail. 

The second emergence of Treble-bar finishes in mid-September, so are they having a third emergence this year?

Birds Ringed: Blackbird 14, Blackcap 1, Blue Tit 1, Brambling 1, Cetti's Warbler 1,  Chaffinch 5, Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest 8, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Robin 9, Song Thrush 3, Starling 2, Willow Warbler 1, Woodcock 2, Wren 6. 

 

Sunday 3rd November 2024

An encouraging light easterly made for an interesting morning. Southbound 611 Brent, 102 Wigeon, 98 Teal, 47 Black-headed Gull, 32 Shelduck, 13 Common Scoter, 12 Common Gull, 10 Skylark, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Gadwall, 2 Dunlin, Arctic Skua, Greylag Goose, Shoveler & Velvet Scoter with northbound 89 Brent, 2 Red-throated Diver & Gannet plus a Little Gull offshore. On site a small arrival including 40 Blackbird, 13 Goldcrest, 8 Mipit, 7 Song Thrush, 6 Chaffinch, 5 Redwing, 4 Rock Pipit, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wag, Brambling, Lapwing and an adult male Hawfinch. 3 Purps were on the point & an adult female Peregrine headed out to sea to go hunting. Starlings were starting to arrive in off from the continent with 709 logged by midday.

Ringing: 12 Goldcrest, 10 Blackbird, 5 Robin, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Brambling, 1 Hawfinch, 1 Wren.