2 probably 3 Woodcock in the compound late morning will be heading back to the continent & the first Stonechat of the year was on the reserve. Few other migrants noted with a new Goldcrest joining a couple remaining from yesterday with an overwintering Firecrest still with us. 7 Common Scoter offshore & a Skylark in song maybe one hanging around. Offshore 9 Red-throated Diver went north & one south but otherwise deadly quiet.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Wren.
The trickle of early March migration continues with the first 3 Goldcrest of the spring plus 5 Jackdaw, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Siskin, Fieldfare & Red Kite. In the days before the mass introduction of Red Kites in England March was the month when genuine wild Red Kites would occur as rare visitors to our shores so its impossible to know whether this one is a genuine migrant or offspring from the release scheme. Murky offshore although 4 Pintail south worth a mention & only 7 Common Scoter noted. Single Snow Bunting still here.
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.
Ringing: 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackbird.
First Chiffchaff of the spring is bang on cue although other migrants were limited to a Skylark heard & a new Dunnock which may, or may not, be on the move. Raft of Common Scoter still offshore & one of the wintering Firecrest was noted.
Pleasant sunny morning with a southerly breeze produced very few migrants to bother us with a new Robin & a Skylark overhead about it. A single male Shelduck was walking around the reserve early on looking for luv, which will cause disruption when the locally paired breeders turn up any day now. 2 Snow Bunting still here.
Meteorological spring supposedly begins today but it still feels like winter down here. 105 Cormorant went out fishing early doors. Raft of Common Scoter offshore & 2 Snow Bunting present & accounted for. 2 Song Thrush singing in the compound which explains the new one ringed.
Ringing: 1 Song Thrush.
Dull very predictable end to the month. 2 Snow Bunting still here. Roll on spring !
Drizzly start to the morning. Offshore sightings have been largely non-existent with an hours effort producing southbound 9 Gannet, 5 Brent & 2 Red-throated Diver with northbound 6 Brent & Great Crested Grebe. 50 Common Scoter offshore, 2 Snow Bunting on back beach & an elusive wintering Firecrest on the reserve. Peregrine sightings have been very infrequent so far this year so good to see one this morning.
First Siskin of the year went past with other migrants single Fieldfare, Mipit & Skylark. Only 20 Common Scoter this morning, 3 Snow Bunting still here plus a new Long-tailed Tit visited with some locals.
Glorious sunny, mild day for the time of the year. Good chunk of time spent putting up the nets for the season so observations limited to 2 Barnacle Geese south, usual raft of Common Scoter & the Snow Bunts.
Further information on Occasional Grants, who is eligible & how to apply are on -
https://felixstowe.gov.uk/council-services/grants/
406 Cormorant went out fishing, 50 Common Scoter & 3 Snow Bunting still present. 48 Linnet is the best count of the year so far.
308 Cormorant went out fishing, 50 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts out the back, Fieldfare & Skylark on the reserve.
Ringing: 1 Fieldfare.
Couple of notable sightings this morning with a croaking Raven paying a visit winding up the local crows, our eighth site record with only three of those this century, all being in the last two years. Also a Yellowhammer landing in the Hawthorn by the observatory before departing north being our first since 22nd February 2024 almost two years ago to the day. Early spring passage of Yellowhammers from late February onwards used to be the norm but, alas, no more. Also this morning southbound 4 Egyptian Geese, Curlew & Oyk with 50 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts on the back beach & a Skylark.
The moth traps were put out last night, as it is getting milder, producing 'nil pois' reminding us that it is still winter & it can take a couple of milder nights to get things going.
Predictable morning. Todays migrants are 3 Lapwing & a Skylark. 50 Common Scoter offshore, 6 Sanderling on beach early doors & the usual 3 Snow Bunts on back beach.
Vicious easterly gale overnight gusting to Force 9. Rain, then drizzle with wind abating this morning. 700 Cormorant went out fishing early doors, 3 Snow Bunts on back beach, 2 Turnstone with 2 Lapwing the mornings migrants obviously keen to head back to breeding grounds.
Bit windy although a tight raft of Common Scoter is visible bobbing up & down in the waves with an additional flock of 20 flying north distantly. 3 Snow Bunts still with us.
430 Cormorant went out fishing early, 4 Stock Dove & a Canada Goose flew south, Common Scoter flock distantly offshore & 3 Snow Bunts still here. 2 Peregrine were having a tête-à -tête offshore before one saw the other off. A Goldcrest, in the Holm Oaks, is probably the same bird as seen a month ago that will be attempting to overwinter here.
Pleasant morning after yesterday's windy deluge. 11 Starling flew south. Also noted 70 Common Scoter, Cetti's, Mipit, Skylark & the first 2 Greenfinch since this species was last noted on 17th November 2025. Long gone are the days when Greenies were a daily feature here regardless of the time of year.
Wet n' windy. Please cut & paste any recent blogs to find out what may, or may not, be here !
This years AGM will be held on Saturday 14th March 2026. Members should have received an agenda plus minutes of last years meeting. If not please email landguardbomembership@gmail.com for details.
Some pleasant sunshine for a change after a dull chilly start. 415 Cormorant went out fishing plus another 450 came in from the north. Very little moving offshore. 3 Skylark & a Curlew northbound are today's migrants. 70 Common Scoter offshore, 2 Sanderling & 2 Turnstone on the beach with 3 Snow Bunts still with us.
70 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts back beach, Fieldfare on the reserve & Woodcock in compound. 31 Starling is worth a mention considering how scarce they have been recently.
Another damp dull morning. 483 Cormorant went out fishing, Common Scoter flock has increased to 90, 27 Brent went north & 3 Snow bunting again on back beach.
880 Cormorant headed out fishing. Southbound 37 Knot, 6 Oyk, 6 Red-throated Diver, 5 Brent, 2 Pintail, 2 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 2 Wigeon & Curlew with northbound 72 Brent, 13 Red-throats & Common Scoter plus the regular 50 Scoter sat offshore. 3 Snow Bunting still here.
A slightly dryer morning.
3 Snow Bunting still here, singing Song Thrush on the Butts & Woodcock in the compound.
5 Ringed Plover and 4 Pied Wagtails on the reserve and beach.
2 Kittiwakes following a boat
30 Starlings north was the first sizeable flock of the year.
Ringing - nil.
The unpleasant inclement wet conditions with poor visibility persists. 1,440 Cormorant went out fishing early, 3 Snow Bunting still here, single Redwing, Song Thrush & Woodcock in the compound.
Chiffchaff ringed LBO 7th October 2025 was retrapped 692 km away at Plaisance, Saint-froult, Charente-maritime, France 6th November 2025 on its way south for the winter.
Goldcrest ringed LBO 8th October 2025 was retrapped 126 km away at Holme, Norfolk on 13th October 2025 will have been on migration at both sites.
Goldcrest ringed LBO 19th October 2025 killed itself flying into a glass window 248 km away in Sheffield, South Yorkshire on 3rd February 2026 will have been on migration here before, surprisingly, moving north to spend the winter.
Wet 'n windy with poor visibility. 3 Snow Bunting still here.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird.
Updated Systematic lists of rare birds, escapes, butterfly, dragonfly, mammal & moths on https://www.lbo.org.uk/systematic-lists/
SEASONAL WARDEN LANDGUARD BIRD OBSERVATORY
Applicants need to be competent birdwatchers and have a BTO bird ringing ‘C’ permit with a mist net endorsement as a minimum requirement. An interest in other aspects of natural history and biological recording is also needed.
The position runs from Mid-March until mid-November 2026. A job description is available on request. If you require any specifics, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please e-mail landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin.
Thank you to existing members for the support you gave to Landguard Bird Observatory over the last 12 months. It is through your continued membership and donations that the Observatory is able to continue the important work it does.
550 Cormorant went out fishing early, 50 Common Scoter offshore, good to see Mr. & Mrs. Kestrel cavorting together, 26 Linnet shows signs of upcoming spring, 3 Snow Bunts on back beach and, as it's a pleasant calm morning, the 2 elusive overwintering Firecrest were rounded up.
Wet n' windy morning. 595 Cormorant went out fishing, 35 Common Scoter & 34 Kitts offshore, southbound 6 Shelduck, 5 Common Scoter & 3 Brent plus 3 Snow Bunts in favourite spot.
Flat calm morning. 3 Skylark on the reserve that headed north are either birds relocating after recent cold weather, flooded out inland in yesterdays deluge or the start of spring passage as the males in this species are keen to get back to their breeding grounds at the mere hint of longer days. Apart from this fairly predictable with 702 Cormorant going out fishing, 70 Common Gull, 57 Red-throated Diver relocating south following yesterdays gale, 50 Common Scoter, 5 Sanderling, 2 Egyptian Geese flying north, 2 Turnstone, Peregrine, Woodcock & only the second sighting of Collared Dove this year.
SE 6 - 8 gale with torrential rain. Difficult to look out in these conditions. with a short stint revealing 3 adult Little Gull feeding fairly close inshore north of the point. Also of note were 2 Starlings which were the first ones we have seen since before Xmas.
Dull calm morning. 1,150 Cormorant went out fishing, 150 Common Gull, 50 Common Scoter & 11 Kitts offshore, 3 Snow Bunting back beach, 3 Med Gull went south, 2 Turnstone & Rock Pipit on the point plus, what we presume is the same, female Chaffinch visited.
Another dank & dreary day. Southbound 31 Red-throated Diver with northbound 5 Red-throats, 2 Brent & Gannet plus 59 Kitts & 50 Common Scoter offshore. 3 Snow Bunting out the back.
Glorious sunny morning for a pleasant change with 930 Cormorant heading out fishing the highest count of the year so far. A Jackdaw went south keeping going into Essex. Otherwise 50 Common Scoter, 11 Sanderling, 4 Ringos, 3 Snow Bunting, 2 Mipit & a Rock Pipit on the point.
Another dismal, damp & dreary morning. Southbound 13 Teal & Red-throated Diver. 3 Snow Bunting present & accounted for.
Another wet day which is getting tedious. 420 Cormorant went out fishing early. Southbound 5 Teal, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Pintail & Red-throated Diver. 13 Sanderling & Lapwing on the reserve with the usual 3 Snow Bunting on the back beach.
Mostly wet morning. 420 Cormorant went fishing, 50 Common Scoter & 18 Kitts offshore, 18 Sanderling & a Dunlin on the beach, heading south single Red-throated Diver, Shelduck & Teal.
Calm overcast morning. Bit "same old same old". 240 Cormorant went out fishing, 50 Common Scoter & 21 Kitts offshore, 21 Sanderling, 3 Snow Bunting, Mipit & Songie singing north end.
SEASONAL WARDEN LANDGUARD BIRD OBSERVATORY
Applicants need to be competent birdwatchers and have a BTO bird ringing ‘C’ permit with a mist net endorsement as a minimum requirement. An interest in other aspects of natural history and biological recording is also needed.
The position runs from Mid-March until mid-November 2026. A job description is available on request. If you require any specifics, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please e-mail landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk
Today's highlights are a Song Thrush singing pre-dawn at the north end plus the first 2 Collared Dove & Black Redstart of the year. Black Red is a tad unexpected as we haven't seen one since November 9th last autumn & no indication of one wintering locally (although big enough dock next door to go unnoticed in). Flock of at least 45 Common Scoter again offshore.
209 Cormorant headed out fishing. 16 Common Scoter flew around offshore & a Great Crested Grebe went south. 17 Sanderling on the beach & 3 Snow Bunting out the back. Rain from 0930ish so that's it.
Murky, foggy, then rain as predicted - not pleasant at all. 272 Cormorant went out fishing early. 11 Sanderling, 3 Ringos & 3 Snow Bunting on front beach early morning with the Snow Bunting resorting to favourite bit of back beach later. Guess that the Snow Bunts are quite possibly roosting in the shelter of the Marram Grass on the beach overnight ?
5 Red-crested Pochard (2 drakes) in off at 1003 hrs was most unexpected with our only previous record being of a female/juvenile flying south close inshore on 5th September 1990. Southbound 17 Brent, 3 Shelduck & 2 Red-throated Diver with northbound 10 Brent & 9 Red-throats. 13 Kitts were offshore & a single Brent sat on the reserve for a short while. 3 Snow Bunting & Mipit on the back beach.
Ringing: 1 Wood Pigeon.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Woodcock.
SEASONAL WARDEN LANDGUARD BIRD OBSERVATORY
Applicants need to be competent birdwatchers and have a BTO bird ringing ‘C’ permit with a mist net endorsement as a minimum requirement. An interest in other aspects of natural history and biological recording is also needed.
The position runs from Mid-March until mid-November 2026. A job description is available on request. If you require any specifics, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please e-mail landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk
224 Cormorant went out fishing early, 3 Snow Bunting remain on the back beach, Peregrine over the dock, both single Fieldfare & Rock Pipit were 'firsts' of the year & 4 Long-tailed Tits visited. The Lotti's conveniently went into the Helgoland trap with one of them originally ringed here in November 2024 that was one of the pair that bred here successfully last year with the other three birds ringed here last autumn, but not the offspring of this individual.
Sunny & cold. 3 Snow Bunting & Mipit again on the back beach.
232 Cormorant went out fishing early doors. Southbound 8 Shelduck, 2 Lapwing, Little Egret & Marsh Harrier will be heading south for warmer climes. Good to see one of the local adult Peregrine sitting out of the wind on the nearest dock crane. 4 Snow Bunting along the back beach were the first for a while.
Thank you to existing members for the support you gave to Landguard Bird Observatory over the last 12 months. It is through your continued membership and donations that the Observatory is able to continue the important work it does.