FENCING REMOVAL

 

It is planned to take down the temporary fencing for ground nesting birds & botany on the reserve this  Thursday 17th September at 0930 hrs. Many hands make light work so all welcome. Please wear appropriate clothing & footwear for the job in hand with a pair of gardening type gloves also useful. If anyone wishes to undertake future voluntary tasks on the nature reserve the Ranger will be present to provide further details.

Monday 14th September 2026

 Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata). 

Migration picking up with a bright but mostly overcast morning with a small amount of rain before sunrise. A decent amount of visible migration, with 415 Meadow Pipit south. Hirundine migration really picking up with 1806 Swallows, 4 House Martin and 3 Sand Martin south. 

Inside the compound: A Grey Wagtail over early, a Redstart and a Sedge Warbler, both caught in a mist net late morning as well as multiple Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers.

Out on the reserve: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Black Redstart near the point, 4 Wheatear and 15 Pied Wagtail mobile, on the beach a Ring Plover and a Turnstone. 3 Clouded Yellow Butterflies.  

Seawatching:

South: 113 Teal, 56 Common Tern, 52 Sandwich Tern, 32 Wigeon, 22 Black-headed Gull, 17 Cormorant, 17 Shelduck, 4 Common Gull, 4 Mallard, 4 Redshank, 3 Oystercatcher, a Common Scoter, a Curlew, a Grey Plover, a Hobby, a Pintail and a Shoveler.  

North: 5 Common Scoter. 

South West (towards river): 9 Shelduck,

Feeding offshore: 11 Great Black-backed Gull, 6 Sandwich Tern and a Black-headed Gull. 

Moth trapping: 54 Moth species between our 3 traps. Yellow-tail is the moth of the morning, slightly bit later in the year than expected. 

Yellow-Tail (Sphrageidus similis). 

Bird ringing: 7 Willow Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Meadow Pipit, 3 Robin, 2 Great Tit, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Redstart, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk. 

Sunday 13th September 2026

 

Rain to mid-morning then some annoying showers later on that appear to have dropped very few migrants in. On site 6 Blackcap, 3 Wheatear, 2 Lesser 'throat, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler. Southbound 40 Sand Martin, 17 Swallow, 2 Teal & Whimbrel. Purp on the point & Sanderling nearby.

Vestal is a migrant that we only see on rare occasions despite it being noted more frequently by others in Suffolk. This fresh "red-striped" individual doesn't look like it's migrated far to reach us.

Ringing: 1 Blackcap.

Saturday 12th September 2026

 

Small selection of typical mid-September fare on an increasingly breezy morning. Southbound 433 Swallow, 12 Sand Martin, 11 Mipit, 8 House Martin, Hobby & Yellow Wagtail. On site migrants, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Lesser 'throat, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, Blackcap & Sedge Warbler. Single Sanderling on the beach & a Great Spot visited.

Beautiful Hook-tip first appeared ten years ago, colonised, and now appears to be having a second emergence in the autumn in addition to it's main one in the summer months. Always comforting that some species are doing well in these troubled times.

Ringing: 5 Meadow Pipit, 5 Robin, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler. 

Friday 11th September 2026

2 Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). 

Rain overnight, clearing early morning. A small mix of warblers inside the compound including Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcaps. 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers also visited the compound. Out on the reserve a Whinchat, a male Redstart, a Skylark and 2 Wheatear. Out on the beach 2 Turnstone and a Purple Sandpiper. Hirundine movement: 276 Swallow and 4 House Martin south. 18 Meadow Pipit south.

Seawatching: South: 2 Cormorant, 2 Teal,  North: 3 Common Tern, 3 Shelduck and a Cormorant. Feeding offshore: 6 Sandwich Tern. 

Moth trapping: 21 moth species present between our 3 traps - a decrease due to the overnight rain. Moth of the morning is the Carnation Tortrix, appearing in the UK in the early 1900's and has undertaken a slow northwards colonisation across England over time.   

 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana).
 

Bird ringing: 8 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin. 

Thursday 10th August 2026

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus).

A sunny and still morning with slightly more visible migration, compared to yesterday, with 400 Swallow and 30 Meadow Pipit both south. Other hirundine migration: 15 House Martin and 6 House Martin south. Out on the reserve 1 Wheatear and a Redstart. A Great Spotted Woodpecker inside the compound. 1 Yellow Wagtail also south.   

Seawatching: South: 30 Teal, 6 Cormorant and a Curlew. South West: 5 Shelduck. Feeding offshore: 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Great Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Tern and a Common Gull.  

Moth trapping: 54 moth species between our 3 traps last night. Frosted Orange pays a visit on infrequently occasions and not every year.

Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago).

Bird ringing: 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat. 

 

Wednesday 9th August 2026

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) - not a regular sight from Landguard. 

A cold but sunny morning with strong W winds. Hirundine movement starting to pick up again from the bad weather yesterday with 175 Swallow, 1 House Martin both South. Meadow Pipit migration is starting with 10 Seen over the duration of the day, 2 Spotted Flycatchers seen with one inside the compound and anouther near Manor Road. 1 Wheatear out on the reserve, 2 Reed Warblers and a Whinchat. Late night one Ringed Plover, a Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper over the observatory. 

Seawatching produced: South: 4 Wigeon, 3 Cormorant, 2 Great Black Backed Gull, 1 Dunlin. Towards the port: 5 Cormorant and 5 Egyptian Goose. Feeding offshore: 2 Common Tern and a Common Gull.    

Moth trapping: 19 Species last night between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning, Bright-Line Brown-Eye is a regular in the moth traps in low numbers. 

Bright-Line Brown-Eye (Lacanobia oleracea).

Bird ringing: 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Robin, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Spotted Flycatcher. 

Tuesday 8th September 2026

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) chasing each other in the late evening sunshine.   

A wet morning, continuing to late evening before clearing up. The rain set in from around 5am with sightings from the observatory peaking on an Arctic Skua chasing Sandwich Terns offshore and 2 Grey-headed Yellow Wagtails feeding on the nature reserve, 1 Wheatear also observed within the conservation cordons. Hirundine migration hit hard with only 5 Swallow South. 

Seawatching produced: South: 28 Teal, 14 Greater Black-backed Gulls, 9 Common Tern, 7 Sandwich Tern, 3 Cormorant, 3 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover. Feeding offshore: 7 Sandwich Tern and an Arctic Skua. 

Moth trapping: 37 species between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning, the Scarce Bordered Straw is an immigrant species that turns up in variable numbers one year to the next.

 Scarce Bordered Straw (Helicoverpa armigera).

Bird ringing: na 

Monday 7th September 2026

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) seen on the left, Dunlin (Calidris alpina) on the right. 

A warm and bright morning with most notable migration coming in the form of Hirundines: some 821 Swallows, 22 House Martin and 6 Sand Martin. Over the compound 6 Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff singing in front of the observatory. 2 Wheatear out on the nature reserve, a Tree Sparrow out on the Butts and along the beach early morning: a Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Sanderling.  

Seawatching produced: South: 53 Cormorant, 6 Teal, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck.  North: 14 Sandwich Tern. Towards the port: an Oystercatcher. Feeding offshore: 3 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern, a Great Black-backed Gull.

Moth trapping: 57 moth species between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning, Small Brindled Tortrix is a nationally scarce species on poplars still appearing this late in its flight period.  

Small Brindled Tortrix (Gypsonoma minutana) 

Bird ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat.

Sunday 6th September 2026

 

Hard work. Southbound 28 Swallow, 7 Shelduck, 7 Wigeon, 5 Oyk & Teal plus a Gannet north. On site more birds appeared to have left us than arrived with meagre offerings including 5 Whitethroat, 2 Lesser 'throat & 2 Wheatear. Good to see a couple of juvenile Common Tern with adults off the point. Yet another Great Spot turned up - they must have had a bumper breeding season judging by the newbies turning up.

Good to get a Clifden Nonpareil which have been turning up in recent years. The one's here are possibly primary immigrants as opposed to the recent colonists.

Ringing: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Willow Warbler.

Saturday 5th September 2026

Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra).

A sunny and bright morning but a slightly chilly wind from the W. Quiet within the compound. 211 Swallow south over the nature reserve, 4 Meadow Pipit and a Grey Wagtail. Out on the reserve: a Whinchat, 5 Wheatear, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 17 Pied Wagtail. 3 Ringed Plover on the beach. A Clouded Yellow butterfly also seen near the cottage. 

Seawatching produced: South: 3 Common Scoter, an Oystercatcher. Feeding offshore: 8 Black-headed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Common Gull and a Common Tern. 

Moth trapping: 27 moths between our 3 Traps. Pick of the bunch is the Old Lady, it wanders into the buildings in the Autumn. 

Old Lady moth (Mormo maura). 

Bird ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler.  

Friday 4th September 2026

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba).

Windy from the get-go with rain forecast late morning producing a quick downpour after 8am. Quiet within the compound with a Garden Warbler mist netted. Hirundine migration slowing with 182 Swallows and 4 House Martin, viewed flying south. Out on the reserve 3 Wheatear. A Peregrine flying along the shore line and a Kestrel.

Seawatching produced: South: 6 Teal, 3 Oystercatcher, an Arctic Skua, a Cormorant, a Common Scoter, a Curlew, a Sandwich Tern, a Whimbrel and a Wigeon. North: 4 Common Scoter. Feeding offshore: 6 Black-headed Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull. 

Moth trapping: 38 moth species recorded between our 3 traps. Straw Underwing is appearing in double figures most mornings recently. 

Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura).

Bird ringing: 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler,  1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler.    

Thursday 3rd September 2026

One of our juvenile Carrion Crows (Corvus corone) reared on site developing well.

A cloudy morning with wind building over the duration of the morning. Migration slow, with around 115 Swallow passing through south. A small mix of warblers within the compound represented by the ringing totals. 5 Wheatear out on the reserve and some 16 Pied Wagtail.  

Seawatching produced: South: 3 Oystercatcher. North: 8 Sandwich Tern, a Common Scoter. Feeding offshore: 15 Black-headed Gull, 8 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Juvenile Common Tern and a Common Gull

Moth trapping: 41 Species between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is our second Passenger this Autumn, it is an immigrant species that looks set to colonise over time - with one of the caterpillar food plants being bramble - it will certainly do well at Landguard!. 

Passenger (Dysgonia algira).

Bird ringing: 4 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Robin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler. 

Wednesday 2nd September 2026

 

Southbound 382 Swallow, 41 House Martin, 2 Swift, Little Egret, Sand Martin & Whimbrel. Migrants on site include 6 Wheatear, 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 4 Lesser 'throat, 2 Reed Warbler, Mipit, Pied Fly & Whinchat. Regular trickle of new Robins in recent days as youngsters get kicked out by their parents to find their own way in the world. Yet another Great Spot visited & a Black Red was noted.

With only a couple of records in the past 12 years good to get a Tawny Speckled Pug although prior to that it turned up a bit more often. It is on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened. Yet another declining species !

Ringing: 4 Robin, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Reed Warbler.

Tuesday 1st September 2026

Linnets (Linaria cannabina) warming up on the fort roof early morning.

A sunny bright morning with wind dropping late morning. Inside the compound a good mix of migrants with a Garden Warbler, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail and a Tree Pipit over early morning. On the reserve: Pied Flycatcher, 23 Pied Wagtail, 6 Wheatear and a Redstart near the Butts. Lesser Emperor dragonfly seen near the mine station compound. 

Seawatching: South: 11 Golden Plover, 3 Teal, 1 Whimbrel and a Little Egret. Towards the port: A Mediterranean Gull. Feeding offshore: 5 Black-headed Gull 3 Sandwich Tern.

Hirundine migration: 636 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin.  

Moth trapping: 59 moth species recorded between our 3 traps this morning. Todays pick of the bunch is Agriphila latistria. Every year at this time, a handful of Agriphila latistria turn up in our traps.  

Agriphila latistria. 
 

Bird ringing: 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Robin, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Swallow, 1 Whitethroat.   

August 2026 Ringing Total

Female Juvenile Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

175 bird ringed of 30 Species in August is our worst ringing total for August on record since 1983, with 2024 being closest with 194 birds ringed. The numbers of each species are surprisingly similar with 2024 matching 67 Willow Warblers ringed and slightly more Robins (19 in 2024), but fewer Blackbirds than 2024 with just 2 compared to 14... likely linked to the Usutu virus and extreme drought. Interesting from a weather sense as 2024 was not particularly an extreme year for drought with no amber or red warnings issued. 

On the positive side after tallying our Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the number of Juveniles dispersing is the highest on record for our yearly ringed total. 

Willow Warbler	67
Robin	21
Linnet	14
Reed Warbler	10
Lesser Whitethroat	7
Whitethroat	6
Pied Flycatcher	5
Redstart	4
Great Spotted Woodpecker	4
Blackcap	3
Blue Tit	3
Grey Wagtail	3
House Sparrow	3
Woodpigeon	3
Black Redstart	2
Blackbird	2
Dunnock	2
Garden Warbler	2
Sedge Warbler	2
Sparrowhawk	2
Chiffchaff	1
Great Tit	1
Green Woodpecker	1
Goldfinch	1
Meadow Pipit	1
Nightingale	1
Song Thrush	1
Starling	1
Wren	1
Wheatear	1
Total	175

 

Monday 31st August 2026

Wet overnight but bright and breezy all morning dodging all showers. Inside the compound 2 Grey Wagtail. Out on the reserve: 9 Wheatear, a male Redstart and a Tree Pipit. 2 Turnstone out on the beach. Raptors: 1 male Kestrel, 1 Peregrine and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Seawatching produced: South: 25 Redshank, 4 Teal, 4 Turnstone, 3 Black-headed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Marsh Harrier. Feeding offshore: 8 Black-headed Gull and 4 Great Black-backed Gull.      

Hirundine migration included some 542 Swallows, 39 House Martin, 1 Swift all south.     

Moth trapping: 31 moth species recorded between our 3 moth traps this morning. Moth of the morning is Eucosma tripoliana, it is a variable species living on Salt-Marsh, the moth wanders down here late August and September.  

(Eucosma tripoliana) 

Bird ringing: 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler.  

Sunday 30th August 2026

Southbound 62 Swallow, 11 Turnstone, 9 Teal, 3 Oyk, 2 Sand Martin, Gannet & Great Crested Grebe. Grounded migrants include 15 Wheatear, 15 Willow Warbler, 7 Whitethroat, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Redstart, Whinchat & the first Spotted Fly of the autumn. Another Great Spotted Woodpecker visited.

Hedge Rustic rarely visits. It's now on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable.

Ringing: 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Wheatear.

Saturday 29th August 2026

WFY and WFZ are the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) youngsters from the museum roof that fledged 12 days ago and are doing fine so far. 

A mostly dull morning with moderate wind. 40 Willow Warbler passing through before rain setting in and 3 Redstart. 8 Wheatear and 14 Pied Wagtail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, out on the reserve. A Turnstone out on the beach.  

Seawatching produced: south: 20 Teal, 4 Dunlin, 4 Shelduck, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Cormorant, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Cattle Egret, a Grey Plover, a Little Egret and a Mediterranean Gull . North: 5 Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern and a Gannet. Feeding offshore: 14 Black-headed Gull, 9 Sandwich Tern, a Common Gull and a Guillemot.   

Hirundine movement included 222 Swallow and 6 Sand Martin. 

Moth trapping: 36 Moth species recorded between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Antler Moth. A moth very occasionally seen here.  

Antler Moth (Cerapteryx graminis).

Bird ringing: 26 Willow Warbler, 2 Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff. 

Friday 28th August 2026

Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis).

A sunny morning with wind changing to WSW. A lot of visible hirundines migration. Inside the compound a Garden Warbler, Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Reed Warbler inside the compound and one on Iccy ridge. Out on the reserve a Whinchat, a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 16 Pied Wagtail. A Turnstone on the Jetty.       

Seawatching produced: South: 11 Shelduck, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Cormorant, a Greenshank and a Redshank. North: 1 Cormorant. 

Hirundine migration included some 800 Swallow, 12 House Martin and 10 Sand Martin flying South throughout the morning.  

Moth trapping: 55 moth species recorded this morning between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the European Corn-borer, individuals we get here could be immigrants or from resident populations.

European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis).  

Bird ringing: 3 Robin, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler.  

 Lunar eclipse this morning with the Earth's shadow crossing the moon. 

RINGING RECOVERY

Linnet ringed LBO 5th August 2009 was recaught 1360 km away at Laguna de San Juan, Madrid, Spain on 13th March 2010. We have seven previous movements to & one from Spain. The dates are correct & it only took the Spanish ringing scheme over 16 years to let us know. Difficult to know whether fewer of our Linnets are going to Spain than in the past or not when it's taking this long to get information back. On the plus side, better late than never & a big thank you to whoever is ploughing through the backlog of outstanding data !

Thursday 27th August 2026

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) 5 Tree pipit is the highest day count since 2015.

A cloudy morning with wind dropping as showers progressed closer around 10am. Redstart within the compound. Out on the reserve 5 Tree Pipit with 4 near the cottage and 1 on the Butts making our highest day count since 2015. Some 24 Pied Wagtail, 3 Wheatear and a Yellow wagtail on the grass area. A Sanderling and a Purple Sandpiper along the beach on the reserve.   

Seawatching: South: 111 Teal, 24 Cormorant, 8 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 2 Gannet, a Curlew, a Little Egret, a Sanderling and an Oystercatcher. North: 5 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Tern and a Sooty Shearwater. Feeding offshore: 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern. 

moth trapping: 53 moth species recorded between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning is the Wax moth (shown below). This moth lives on honeycomb in beehives. It is just about annual here with us.  

Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella).

bird ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Redstart. 

Wednesday 26th August 2026

 

Small arrival of migrants on a warm muggy morning with 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Pied Fly, 2 Yellow Wag, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler, Lesser 'throat, Tree Pipit & Whinchat. At least 1 Black Red on the Fort, 2 Sanderling on the beach & a Purp was on the groynes on the Butts. Southbound 124 Teal, 20 Swallow, 10 Common Scoter, 10 Dunlin, 8 Turnstone, 6 Shoveler, 2 Sanderling & Oyk with northbound 12 Sandwich Tern, 5 Common Tern, 3 Common Scoter & Gannet.

Feathered Gothic puts in an appearance about one year in three.

Ringing: 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Garden Warbler.

Tuesday 25th August 2026

Good to see ZXX doing well. Ringed on the museum roof as a chick in 2023. Not long after it fledged it got a discarded fishing hook through its bill and entangled in fishing line. Hook and line removed it survived its ordeal to reach adulthood. 

A sunny bright morning with a strong E wind producing some hope, large movements of Teal south and a Pied Flycatcher late morning. 3 Wheatear present out on the reserve and a Sanderling out on the beach.  

Seawatching produced south: 226 Teal, 25 Common Scoter and 5 Gadwall. North: 12 Sandwich Tern, 2 Gannet and 2 Shelduck. Feeding offshore: 6 Sandwich Tern.   

Moth trapping: 25 moth species present between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea), a moth that should be common at this time of the year but numbers are very low, presumably to drought conditions. 

Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea).

Bird ringing: 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk. 

Monday 24th August 2026

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). 

A bright morning with a small amount of drizzle late morning. Our first Meadow Pipit of the season ringed. A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Jay flying around the compound. Out on the reserve we had Nightingale briefly seen near the boardwalk. A Turnstone out on the beach and Yellow Wagtail.

Seawatching produced: South: 14 Teal, 3 Little Egret, 2 Common Scoter and 2 Redshank. North: 2 Common Tern and 2 Great Black-backed Gull, a Mediterranean Gull. 6 Sandwich Tern feeding offshore.

Moth trapping: 47 Species caught between our 3 traps. Moth of the morning is the Feathered Ranunculus, our 3rd record for this month, a regular in small numbers at this time of the year. 

Feathered Ranunculus (Polymixis lichenea).

Bird ringing: 2 Robin, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Willow Warbler. 

Sunday 23rd August 2026

 

Black -tip to Common Tern's bill can almost disappear by late summer.

Slightly more migrants this morning with 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Lesser 'throat, 4 Whitethroat, Grey Wag, Reed Warbler, Swallow & Wheatear. 2 Black Red still present & yet another Great Spot paid a visit. Offshore quiet with southbound 7 Turnstone, Fulmar & Oyk plus a few Common & Sandwich Terns feeding.

Clancy's Rustic first turned up 20 years ago & has colonised over the past ten settling into two emergences a year.

Ringing: 3 Robin, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

Saturday 22nd August 2026

 

A Spoonbill flew south early morning. Apart from a small arrival of young Robin in search of vacant territories migrants few & far between with 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Lesser 'throat & Whitethroat. Offshore movements southbound 10 Turnstone, 4 Teal, 3 Common Scoter, Barwit, Greenshank & Oyk with northbound 2 Common Scoter & 2 Oyk. Black Red still here.

Ancylosis oblitella is a Nationally Scarce saltmarsh species that is having a good season this year.

Ringing: 4 Robin.

Friday 21st August 2026

 

4 Spoonbill flew south over the observatory early on is still notable for us despite the numbers now nesting up the Suffolk Coast. Migrants included 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 3 Wheatear, 2 Lesser 'throat, Blackcap, Common Sandpiper, Garden Warbler, Grey Wag & Snipe. Several Black Reds still roaming around the locale. Offshore movements paltry

Double digit haul of Pearly Underwing is notable as this migrant normally only occurs here in low single figures.

Ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sparrowhawk.