Saturday 18th October 2025

 

A sense of anticipation at the crack of dawn this morning... Dunlin heard migrating overhead in the dark alongside Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird but today the wind swings East! The Brent Geese have decided today is their day - 1872 South offshore. Onshore winds also brought a Juvenile Sabine's Gull (12th LBO individual & first for ten years) sat on the sea but to say it stayed long, would be an understatement. 3 Arctic Tern remain just offshore and 2 Arctic Skua were seen distantly heading North. Both the star warblers - Pallas's Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler still present. 

Migrants as follows 3 Brambling, 13 Chaffinch, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Fieldfare, 20 Goldcrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Greenfinch, 28 Meadow Pipit, 8 Redpoll, 1 Reed Bunting, 18 Robin, 5 Skylark, 1 Snipe.

Offshore 25 Common Gull, 1 Common Scoter, 12 Gannet, 3 Greylag Goose, 2 Med Gull, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Kittiwake, 1 Little Egret, 6 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shelduck and 153 Teal. 

The first Sallow this Autumn. We've normally had several of these by now!

Ringing: 8 Blackbird, 5 Blackcap, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 20 Goldcrest, 4 Great Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, 7 Robin, 1 Redwing, 6 Song Thrush, 2 Woodpigeon.

Friday 17th October 2025

 

Mistle Thrush was only recorded on 6 days last year.

Overcast with a light North-easterly but vismig has died off a little. Still some good birds about though as the Pallas's Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler continue with their usual tricks. New Song Thrush and Blackbird still trickling through joined by a Mistle Thrush. At least 5 Arctic Tern feeding just offshore and occasionally heading in to the river mouth. Other migrants 3 Goldcrest, 7 Goldfinch, 3 Grey Wagtail, 32 Meadow Pipit, 9 Redpoll, 1 Rock Pipit, 4 Redwing, 2 Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stonechat, 1 Snipe and one lonely Swallow. 

Offshore 2 Brent Goose, 1 Eider, 1 Razorbill, 4 Red-throated Diver, 5 Teal and 2 Wigeon. 

Green-brindled Crescent is present in low numbers in October living on Hawthorn and Dog-rose.

Ringing: 5 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 7 Great Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 11 Meadow Pipit, 1 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Wren,

Thursday 16th October 2025

 

Lesser Weever Fish on the menu for this Black-headed Gull. Europe's most renowned venomous fish to be eaten with care...

Pallas's Warbler is back giving plenty of birders the slip today and while it favours certain spots like the Holm Oak out the front of the observatory, it certainly doesn't like to stay put. The Yellow-browed Warbler a bit more vocal has preferred the southern area of the compound. Jack Snipe flying over the observatory always welcome but quite the shock to find one in a mist net. The 4th Jack Snipe ringed here at LBO. Also of note a very brief visit from a Short-eared Owl mid morning and a Firecrest creeping about the compound. 

Other migrants 20 Blackbird, 1 Brambling, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 19 Meadow Pipit, 25 Redpoll, 2 Redwing, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Siskin, 2 Skylark, 6 Song Thrush, 1 Stonechat and 6 Swallow. Offshore 4 Eider seen heading North.

Two Dark Arches is indicative of the very recent preponderance to have an autumn emergence as they should finish in August.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap, 4 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Jack Snipe, 10 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Song Thrush.

Wednesday 15th October 2025

 

Rock Pipit with breakfast - See you later, Sea Slater!

Not quite the volume of birds observed yesterday but still plenty around to keep us on our toes. At least 1 Yellow-browed Warbler present however no confirmed sighting of yesterday's Pallas Warbler. A single Woodlark gave a few bursts of song before flying off North. We've had to give the 'Cormorants' a second glance of late - yet another Glossy Ibis passed over the cottage. Other migrants include 20 Blackbird, 8 Chaffinch, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Fieldfare, 10 Goldcrest, 2 Redpoll, 6 Redwing, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Siskin, 5 Skylark, 5 Song Thrush and a young male Sparrowhawk.

Offshore a little group of 3 Arctic Tern were catching fish quite close in. Also 5 Brent Goose, 1 Gannet and 2 Red-throated Diver.

First Large Ranunculus for 8 years. They used to be more frequent before they suddenly disappeared.

Ringing: 7 Blackbird, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Goldfinch, 3 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush.

Tuesday 14th October 2025

 

Pallas's Warbler

For a second day running it's been raining thrushes nicely accompanied by a couple star birds. Yellow-browed Warbler back behind the kitchen although a different bird to the last one - funny how they like that spot. The show was however stolen by a Pallas's Leaf  Warbler which surfaced, as they often do, a bit later in the day. In fact it's our earliest autumn record by one day. Today's selection of Autumn Migrants include 75 Blackbird, 8 Brambling, 62 Chaffinch, 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Jack Snipe, 10 Meadow Pipit, 20 Redwing, 18 Skylark, 50 Song Thrush and 1 Woodlark. For the first time this year our ringing total exceeded 100 birds.  

Offshore 20 Brent Goose, 1 Common Gull, 9 Common Scoter, 3 Little Gull, 2 Red-throated Diver, 3 Snipe, 8 Shelduck and 2 Turnstone.

 

Mallow is a regular October species in small numbers.

Ringing: 38 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Brambling, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 23 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Redwing, 6 Robin, 9 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Wren.

Monday 13th October 2025

 

First decent sign of the upcoming winter with more "turdus" around early on including 30 Blackbird, 28 Redwing, 20 Song Thrush & 4 Fieldfare. The supporting cast included 15 Mipit, 12 Goldcrest, 8 Brambling, 5 Chaffinch, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 3 Rock Pipit, 3 Swallow, 2 Skylark, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wag, Jack Snipe & Reed Bunting. Southbound 275 Brent,150 Wigeon, 32 Teal, 11 Black-headed Gull, 6 Pintail, 4 Heron, 3 Mallard, 2 Common Gull, 2 Shelduck, Common Tern, Hen Harrier & Oyk with northbound 2 Oyk & a drake Eider. A Long-eared Owl flew in off the sea mid-day at the same time a Woodlark started singing, with another Long-eared Owl in off and upriver at 14:14.

A handful of Barred Sallow have been noted in recent days which lives on Field Maple & Beech so not sure why they visit us.

Ringing: 16 Blackbird, 13 Song Thrush, 4 Blue Tit, 4 Linnet, 4 Robin, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Great Tit, 3 Wren, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Redwing.

Sunday 12th October 2025

 

Pleasant mid-October session with yet more Tits wandering down here although no new Lotti's today. Worth a mention in the migrant department 20 Chiffchaff, 16 Goldcrest, 5 Blackcap, 4 Song Thrush, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Redwing, Brambling, Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Siskin, Woodlark & a Coal Tit not seen well enough to work out whether it is a wandering British bird or a foreigner. Offshore 58 Brent went south & 11 north with very little else moving. A flock of 100 Starling in off the sea late morning is probably the start of their  autumn migration.

Always a welcome sight, Merveille du Jour failed to put in an appearance last year.

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.