Ringing: 10 Blue Tit, 10 Goldcrest, 9 Chiffchaff, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren.
Sunday 12th October 2025
Ringing Recoveries
Wood Pigeon ringed LBO 14th September 2022 was taken by a raptor 11 km away at Nacton 14th August 2025
Reed Warbler ringed LBO 21st August 2025 was retrapped at Trimley five days later.
Blue Tit ringed LBO 7th September 2023 was retrapped 14 km away at Alderton 28th August 2025 is probably nesting somewhere near this site.
Chiffchaff ringed LBO 22nd April 2024 was retrapped 174 km away at Stanford Reservoir, Northants 26th September 2025 would be on migration through both sites when caught.
Reed Warbler ringed Hollesley 26th July 2025 was retrapped 17 km away at LBO 8th August 2025
Nightingale ringed Hollesley 30th July 2025 was retrapped 17 km at LBO 16th August 2025
Great Tit ringed Trimley 5th September 2025 was retrapped at LBO 28th September 2025
Great Tit ringed Witnesham, Suffolk was retrapped 20 km at LBO 10th October 2025
Chiffchaff ringed Iken, Suffolk 20th September 2025 was retrapped 30 km away at LBO 7th October 2025 would be on autumn migration through both sites.
Saturday 11th October 2025
Nearly every morning for the past couple weeks somebody has piped up and said 'Where's this Yellow-browed Warbler then?' Et voila! It has spent most the day chilling in the Sycamore outside the kitchen. Not much else out the ordinary but a reasonable day for Blackcap and Chiffchaff whilst still more Song Thrush coming through. Other migrants include 1 Brambling, 5 Chaffinch, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Greenfinch, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Redpoll, 6 Redwing and 4 Skylark. Offshore 2 Eider and a Red-throated Diver.
Double banger today! A new site moth Epinotia caprana. There are very few Suffolk records.
Ringing: 9 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler.
Friday 10th October 2025
Short-eared Owl on the prowl.
A notable arrival of Song Thrush over night whilst new flocks of Tits continue to pour in! This morning's Short-eared Owl didn't stay long before it decided to check out what was happening in Essex. Out to sea 33 Brent Goose went south - we are still waiting for our big Brent day. 222 Goldfinch, 14 Skylark and 26 Meadow Pipit observed heading Southbound. Other migrants 5 Blackcap, 20 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 21 Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 3 Rock Pipit, 2 Snipe, 32 Siskin and 2 Swallow.
Offshore 1 Curlew, 1 Eider, 1 Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Shelduck, 1 Turnstone and 12 Wigeon.
Cypress Carpet first turned up 15 years ago and has since colonised the Cypress Trees in Felixstowe. Occasionally we get a wanderer down here.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 9 Blackcap, 12 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 4 Great Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Magpie, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin, 6 Song Thrush, 1 Wren,
Thursday 9th October 2025
17 Chaffinch joined us over night and were making themselves heard as they left their roost site this chilly morning. At least a couple Redwing around at first light too. Vismig today mostly dominated by 60 Skylark and 170 Goldfinch southbound but still 33 Meadow Pipit passing over. Also moving through today 3 Blackcap, 18 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Redpoll, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Siskin, 1 Snipe, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat and 10 Swallow.
Mottled Rustic is appearing in the autumn in small numbers in recent years having traditionally been finished by early August
Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Chaffinch, 10 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch, 4 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 2 Robin, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren.
Wednesday 8th October 2025
Couldn't sleep last night? Blame it on yesterday's full moon whilst today the 8th, the moon is at its closest point to earth in its monthly cycle.
Offshore 5 Brent Geese, 2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Gannet, 2 Med Gull, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Sandwich Tern and 2 Shelduck.
First Large Wainscott of the Autumn; a reed bed specialist which sometimes wanders down here.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 14 Blackcap, 6 Blue Tit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 13 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Great Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Wren.
Tuesday 7th October 2025
All that hovering must get tiring but there's plenty of vantage points by the dock for Kez.
Offshore 10 Brent Goose, 7 Cormorant, 1 Common Tern, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet, 1 Red-throated Diver and 1 Shelduck.
White-speck is an infrequent migrant noted in 10 previous years.
Monday 6th October 2025
Ringing: 11 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.
Sunday 5th October 2025
Ringing: 4 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest.
Saturday 4th October 2025
Ringing: 1 Goldfinch
Friday 3rd October 2025
'Just a wee trim please sir.' This adult male blackbird in post breeding moult was colour ringed as a youngster back in May 2022. If you have any sightings of our colour ringed Blackbirds please just drop us an email.
Strong winds and scattered showers always pose a challenge for the daily records but an Arctic Skua annoying the Sandwich Terns is better than a poke in the eye. Late morning a couple Gannet battled against the wind South before turning tail and whizzing back north. Also moving on the sea were 4 Brent Geese, 2 Cormorant, 1 Common Tern, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Med Gull, 3 Teal and 11 Wigeon. As per migrants on site just 2 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Meadow Pipit and 1 Song Thrush managed.
Ringing: 2 Chaffinch.
Thursday 2nd October 2025
Woke up 8 Redwing this morning as the nets were opened. The air was filled with Robin calls too as new arrivals were being chased around by other lingering migrants and resident birds. Mid-morning an Arctic Tern was feeding just offshore, caught a couple fish off the surface and continued its way Southbound. A few new Goldcrest have arrived but really struggled to find a Chiffchaff this morning!
Also to report 2 Blackcap, 12 Chaffinch, 12 Goldcrest, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 39 Meadow Pipit, 2 Siskin, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Stonechat, 5 Swallow and 2 Wheatear. Offshore 16 Brent Goose, 1 Little Egret, 15 Sandwich Tern, 10 Teal and 16 Wigeon.
Ringing: 3 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 5 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Robin, 2 Song Thrush.
Wednesday 1st October 2025
Large female Sparrowhawk on the lookout.
Calm conditions will continue however a little decrease in the volume of birds coming through this morning. 3 Black Redstart are still with us often seen hopping around the bushes on the reserve. 8 more Redpoll dropped in and a record flock of 12 Egyptian Geese heading North was quite out the ordinary. Also of note 7 Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 60 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 20 Robin, 2 Skylark, 1 Siskin, 2 Sparrowhawk, 7 Swallow, 5 Song Thrush, 5 Stonechat and 2 Wheatear.
Offshore 33 Black-headed Gull, 2 Brent Goose, 1 Common Tern, 4 Cormorant, 3 Med Gull, 3 Pintail, 11 Sandwich Tern, 2 Teal and 32 Wigeon.
Ringing: 4 Blackcap, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Great Tit, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Robin, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Wren.
SEPTEMBER RINGING TOTALS 2025
It has been the busiest September we've had for quite some time. Just over double the birds last year; 721 over 36 species has kept us far too busy to complain about the lack of recent scarcities. In terms of species it has been a very typical Autumn selection for Landguard but it is hopeful to see many iconic species in reasonably healthier numbers.
| Species | No. Ringed |
| Blackcap | 139 |
| Chiffchaff | 135 |
| Meadow Pipit | 100 |
| Willow Warbler | 59 |
| Robin | 56 |
| Blue Tit | 42 |
| Goldcrest | 38 |
| Great Tit | 16 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 15 |
| Grey Wagtail | 15 |
| Reed Warbler | 14 |
| Song Thrush | 13 |
| Lesser Whitethroat | 9 |
| Whitethroat | 8 |
| Pied Flycatcher | 7 |
| Cetti's Warbler | 6 |
| Blackbird | 6 |
| Woodpigeon | 5 |
| Sedge Warbler | 5 |
| Dunnock | 5 |
| Redpoll | 4 |
| House Sparrow | 4 |
| Spotted Flycatcher | 3 |
| Wren | 2 |
| Sparrowhawk | 2 |
| Linnet | 2 |
| Goldfinch | 2 |
| Wood Warbler | 1 |
| Starling | 1 |
| Redstart | 1 |
| Greenfinch | 1 |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | 1 |
| Magpie | 1 |
| Garden Warbler | 1 |
| Coal Tit | 1 |
| Brambling | 1 |
| Total | 721 |
Tuesday 30th September 2025
Stonechat numbers now up to 5.
The weather doesn't get much calmer than this down here as the morning began with a calling Siskin. 6 recorded in the end and at least 4 Redpoll too. Tit flocks have been passing through - 17 new Blue Tit and 7 Great Tit ringed today but there's always tomorrow to catch the rest... Other migrants 20 Chiffchaff, 15 Blackcap, 5 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 55 Meadow Pipit, 14 Robin, 5 Skylark, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk, 14 Swallow, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Wheatear.
Great day to see Clouded Yellow.
Ringing: 8 Blackcap, 17 Blue Tit, 13 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 7 Great Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redpoll, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Woodpigeon, 1 Wren.
Monday 29th September 2025
Slow Worm lives here in small numbers it's just that we don't bump into them very often.
Misty start followed by a reasonable day for standard late September fare including the first 3 Stonechat of the autumn. In today's selection box at least 40 Chiffchaff, 30 Blackcap, 26 House Martin, 25 Goldcrest, 11 Swallow, 5 Songies, 4 Siskin, 2 Wheatear, Chaffinch, Heron, Lesser 'throat, Redstart, Redwing & Willow Warbler. A volery of 15 Long-tailed Tit paid a visit & the usual 3 Black Red were out there. Clouded Yellow got into double figures with a worn Meadow Brown on the Butts very late on parade.
Ringing: 20 Goldcrest, 19 Chiffchaff, 15 Long-tailed Tit, 14 Blackcap, 7 Robin, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Great Tit, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Song Thrush.
Sunday 28th September 2025
Ringing: 4 Blue Tit, 4 Robin, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Linnet.
Saturday 27th September 2025
Getting late for Willow Warbler now.
One of the calmest days autumn has offered us so far with a good dose of sunshine on top. A couple firsts for the season; Rock Pipit on the jetty and 3 Redwing. The Brambling was at least still around in the morning while a single Chaffinch and Redpoll heard also. Two Spoonbill noted flying Northwest however well inland. Also on the move 3 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 House Martin, 20 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 20 Robin, 2 Skylark, 8 Song Thrush, 35 Swallow, 2 Wheatear and 3 Willow Warbler.
Beet Moth first turned up five years ago but is now a regular.
Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Meadow Pipit, 4 Robin, 1 Song Thrush.
Friday 26th September 2025
One of 3 Arctic Skua this morning.
A male Brambling decided to spend the day in the compound with us favoring the bushes near Darell's Battery. Brent Geese really starting to move now alongside a reasonable list of other waterfowl as follows; 267 Brent Goose, 10 Common Scoter, 1 Pintail, 1 Shoveler, 105 Teal, 72 Wigeon. Our 4th Merlin this autumn moved south along the tideline and a bit of Arctic Skua action never fails to disappoint - one bird spent quite some time flying in the river. Other migrants 6 Chiffchaff, 10 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Warbler, 18 Robin, 8 Song Thrush, 6 Swallow and 2 Wheatear.
First Brick of the autumn.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 3 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Brambling, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Dunnock, 9 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Reed Warbler, 10 Robin, 5 Song Thrush.
Thursday 25th September 2025
One lone Wheatear today.
A calmer morning than expected but soon enough Landguard was back to its windy old self. At least 8 Song Thrush around the observatory and a little flock of newly arrived Goldcrest flitting in the bushes. Willow Emerald numbers seem to be building whilst quite a few new Blue Tit have been scoping out the area too. Other migrants 1 Brambling, 4 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 12 Meadow Pipit, 7 Swallow.
Offshore 4 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet, 7 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Sandwich Tern, 29 Teal and 14 Wigeon.
Satin Wave is normally done and dusted by now with this one our first since late August.
Ringing: 2 Blue Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Robin, 4 Song Thrush.
BABBINGTON' BIRD OF SUFFOLK
Wednesday 24th September 2025
Willow Emerald have turned up yesterday & today despite having seen none all year so far.
Brisk north-easterly quickly picked up throughout the morning. Southbound 108 Wigeon, 54 Black-heads, 48 Teal, 32 Brent, 2 Sandwich Tern, Common Scoter, Curlew & Red-throated Diver with northbound 13 Common Scoter. Birding hard work in the increasing wind with records including 12 Mipit, 9 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Black Red, Lesser 'throat, Swallow, Wheatear & Whitethroat.
Ringing: 2 Blue Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Tit, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Meadow Pipit.
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
Mipit numbers have dropped off, but will the coming North Easterlies bring more?
Northerlies have brought with them the first Brambling while the return of some Brent Geese concludes we are now deep in to Autumn. A little fall of Chiffchaff around at first light and 32 Cormorant flying up river are likely returning to their Wintering grounds. Other migrants 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Swallow and 1 Willow Warbler.
Offshore 1 Avocet, 20 Brent Goose, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Gannet, 3 Med Gull, 4 Pintail, 1 Red-throated Diver, 11 Sandwich Tern, 4 Shelduck, 36 Teal and 7 Wigeon.
Brindled Green is an autumnal species noted in most recent autumns.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 4 Blue tit, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 House Sparrow, 6 Meadow Pipit, 1 Robin, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Willow Warbler.
Monday 22nd September 2025
This furtive and strangely quiet Pheasant gets recorded about every other day over the past fortnight.
Migrants include 20 Mipit, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Lesser 'throat, 2 Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sedge Warbler, Wheatear, Yellow Wag & the first 2 Redpoll of the autumn. Southbound 40 Mipit (+ 44 in off), 20 Teal, 18 Black-heads, 14 Wigeon, 3 Common Gull, 2 Heron, 2 Rook, Curlew & House Martin with northbound 5 Gannet & 2 Brent. At least 3 Black Red still with us.
Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler.
Sunday 21st September 2025
Ringing: 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap.
Saturday 20th September 2025
The resident Peregrine soon appears when we have unexpected guests.
Kudos to our excellent team of counters today as more flocks of hirundines poured through. By late morning 2324 Swallow, 249 House Martin and 7 Sand Martin had passed over. Numbers of Meadow Pipit starting to wane but still tallied 358. An Osprey drifting South likely regretted passing over the docks where the Peregrine gave it some grief. A Great Skua sat on the sea momentarily before continuing Southbound. Other migrants 30 Blackcap, 1 Chaffinch, 12 Chiffchaff, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Siskin, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Wheatear and 4 Yellow Wagtail.
Offshore 15 Dunlin, 1 Marsh Harrier, 5 Sandwich Tern, 10 Shelduck, 48 Teal and 5 Wigeon.
Nationally scare, Shore Wainscot has been having a small second emergence in recent years.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 21 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 34 Meadow Pipit, 4 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler.
Friday 19th September 2025
A Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher fly on to a bar...
Another cracking day for Mipit migration - up to 1396. Plenty of hirundines departing too including 82 House Martin, 555 Swallow and 7 late Sand Martin. A fair selection of standard Autumn migrants such as 10 Blackcap, 20 Chiffchaff, 4 Grey Wagtail, 22 Goldfinch, 25 Robin, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Siskin, 7 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Marsh Harrier drifted South and the Wryneck is still cropping up when it feels like it.
The first Feathered Ranunculus of the Autumn slightly late on parade.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 8 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 3 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 25 Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.
Thursday 18th September 2025
4 Wheatear on site today.
1283 the final Meadow Pipit count throughout the morning but by midday mipit movement had for the most part, ceased. 2 Spotted Flycatcher still around and a Wood Warbler seen just South of 'Icky Ridge.' Wryneck back in that area too around lunchtime. 2 Merlin heading South which makes 3 this month already - could be a good year for them! Also on the move 6 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warbler, 16 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Greenfinch, 94 House Martin, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 12 Siskin, 44 Swallow and 1 Yellow Wagtail. Offshore 20 Sandwich Tern and 2 Golden Plover.
Lesser Cockroach is a regular in one of our moth traps.
Ringing: 5 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Garden Warber, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Linnet, 27 Meadow Pipit, 3 Reed Warbler, 6 Robin, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler.
Wednesday 17th September 2025
Plenty of Great Tit across the site after a good breeding year.
A cold and wet start. Rain didn't let up till around 10am but hunkered down migrants eventually began to emerge. 170 Meadow Pipit went South and a single Tree Pipit announced itself. A Short-eared Owl and 2 Snipe flushed on a walk round. 2 Spotted Flycatcher early afternoon in the compound and Wryneck still seaward side near concrete path. Other migrants 5 Blackcap, 40 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow, 2 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 30 Willow Warbler and 1 Yellow Wagtail. Very little on the sea but 3 Gannet, 2 Gadwall, 3 Med Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern and 3 Teal.
Poplar Hawk Caterpillars often get blown out the trees in strong winds.
Ringing: 3 Blackcap, 21 Chiffchaff, 14 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher.
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