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.

But let's not digress too much there are birds to count! Not quite the numbers observed over the last couple days but a further 63 Goldfinch, 53 Meadow Pipit, and 23 Skylark Southbound. Still 3 Stonechat and a late Common Whitethroat seen towards the northern end of the reserve. Other migrants 8 Chaffinch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Grey Wagtail, 3 Goldcrest and 10 Swallow. Early afternoon another flock of Long-tailed Tit passed through. 

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.

Another reasonable day for vismig as a further 247 Goldfinch, 231 Meadow Pipit and 186 Siskin moved through. Yesterdays Firecrest was seen making it's way around the observatory. Plenty of Chiffchaff and Blackcap to keep the ringing room busy throughout the day and a very late Whitethroat made an appearance. Also on the move were 1 Brambling, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chaffinch, 15 Redpoll, 3 Redwing, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Rock Pipit, 3 Rook, 31 Skylark, 8 Song Thrush and 20 Swallow.

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.

Ringing: 19 Blackcap, 8 Blue Tit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 28 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Great Tit, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Wren.

 

Monday 6th October 2025

 

Another day, another Glossy Ibis. More vis mig with southbound 357 Mipit, 322 Goldfinch, 67 Redpoll, 66 Siskin, 43 Skylark, 33 Chaffinch, 16 Swallow, 12 House Martin, 7 Shelduck, 2 Oyk, 2 Ringos, Brent, Crossbill, Grey Wag, Sandwich Tern, Turnstone & Woodlark. A juv Gannet circling over the observatory was a bit odd. On site the first Firecrest & Kingfisher of the autumn plus 25 Mipit, 10 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, 6 Greenfinch, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting, Chaffinch Stock Dove, Stonechat, Wheatear & what is presumably yesterday's Dartford Warbler appeared late morning.

Oak Rustic first turned up six years back & has, presumably, colonised the Holm Oaks.

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

 

Yesterday's gale still going slowly abated later during the day. Several species took the opportunity to go for it with vis mig southbound 468 Mipit, 375 Goldfinch, 105 Linnet, 66 Black-headed Gull, 18 Siskin, 17 Crossbill, 11 Skylark, 9 House Martin,8 Pied Wag, 7 Common Gull, 5 Swallow, 3 Brent, 3 Med Gull, Arctic Tern, Marsh Harrier & Wigeon. On site 40 Mipit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Wheatear, Chaffinch, Dartford Warbler (16th site record), Merlin (that departed north), Reed Bunting & Turnstone.

Ringing: 4 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest.