November Ringing Totals

The project looking into the effects of the mosquito borne Usutu virus on survival rates of our local Blackbirds, in conjunction with the Zoological Society of London and the British Trust for Ornithology, is ongoing. If you see a colour ringed Blackbird please try & photograph the Red ring & if the inscription is readable please email us at landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk The more that can be learnt about this disease that has devastated Blackbird populations in the Low Countries & is now present in south-east England the better.

267 birds of 23 species is similar to recent years totals. Late Willow Warbler is worth highlighting.  Redpoll numbers have been pathetic this year with Long-tailed Tit obviously having a poor breeding year as this flock was the only volery to appear all autumn.

Saturday 30th November 2024

 

Still a few late autumn movers & shakers including some new Blackies, Brambling, Woodcock + the first Chiffchaff for nearly three weeks. Southbound passerines were 11 Mipit, & 6 Linnet. Offshore southbound 142 Teal, 19 Wigeon, 18 Brent, 7 Black-headed Gull, 6 Shelduck, 5 Red-throated Diver, Curlew, Goldeneye & Red-breasted Merganser. Purp & Rock Pipit still on the point as well as close in Red-throat in the river.

Very few moths now on the wing with this Diamond-back this mornings only representative.

Ringing: 5 Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff.

Friday 29th November 2024

 

A late autumn arrival of at least 26 Blackies & a Redwing but no indication of owt else. Offshore southbound 63 Brent, 23 Shelduck, 19 Common Gull, 11 Common Scoter, 10 Wigeon, 8 Dunlin, 6 Black-headed Gull, 3 Kitts, 3 Red-throated Diver, 2 Teal, Curlew & Lesser Black-backed Gull with northbound 11 Red-throats & a single Eider. Purp on the point with, hopefully, one of those winters when they will be seen regularly.

Ringing: 7 Blackbird.

Thursday 28th November 2024

 

Glorious sunny late autumn/early winter morning produced a handful of new Blackies, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Songies, Mistle Thrush, Woodcock & a moribund looking Little Egret sat on the reserve. Some basic vis mig with southbound 14 Starling & 8 Goldfinch. Offshore movements non-existent although a Goosander flew inland. 3 Greenfinch paid a visit, pair of Peregrine were siting on dock cranes, close inshore Red-throated Diver along the river again plus single Purp & Rock Pipit at the point.

Slowly running out of moths with just a few expected species for the time of year, like Angle Shades, still flying.

Ringing: 3 Blackbird.

Wednesday 27th November 2024

 

Onshore wind & rain overnight dropped in some classic late autumn laggards with 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, some new Blackies and at least 3 Woodcock. Offshore observations difficult in the rain but included southbound 6 Dunlin, 5 Shelduck, 3 Brent, 3 Knot, 3 Teal, 2 Pintail, Kitt & Wigeon although when the rain cleared sightings didn't pick up.

Tuesday 26th November 2024

 

The wind having abated plus a reasonably pleasant morning to boot some late season vis mig with southbound 45 Goldfinch, 30 Starling, 29 Linnet, 15 Mipit, 7 Chaffinch, 2 Little Egret, 2 Siskin, Greenfinch & Pied Wagtail. Offshore movements negligible. On site a couple of new Blackies was as good as it got. With the gale having gone 3 Ringos were on the beach early on & 2 Purps reappeared on the point.

Ringing: 2 Blackbird.

Monday 25th November 2024

 

Wind abating during the morning. 532 Cormorant headed out fishing early doors. Offshore movements still pathetic with southbound 8 Brent, 4 Wigeon, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Common Gull, 2 Pintail, Med Gull, Red-throated Diver & a juvenile female Peregrine. Very much "last knockings" in the bushes as far as autumn is concerned. Still 12 Mipits on the reserve, Woodcock in the compound plus a lingering Goldcrest, that has been here three weeks, that may be contemplating wintering here. An adult Caspian Gull on the reserve sporting a yellow Polish/Ukraine/Belarusian colour ring, frustratingly, was disturbed by dog walkers before the combination on it could be elucidated.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird

Sunday 24th November 2024

 

Mild, windy morning. 1,359 Cormorant went out fishing. Very little moving with southbound 12 Brent, 5 Common Gull, 3 Common Scoter, Red-throated Diver & Shelduck. Despite the rough seas sat offshore reasonably close in were 2 Common Scoter, Black-throated Diver & Red-throated Diver (at one point almost side by side). Immature Peregrine put in an appearance with the only passerine of note being a single Jackdaw.