Glorious clear calm sunny morning with a small handful of common migrants including 7 Blackcap, 7 Swallow, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Wheatear, 2 Willow Warbler & Mipit plus visits from both Jackdaw & Stock Dove. Southbound 5 Barnacles & 4 Med Gull with offshore activity non-existent. 2 Turnstone & the singing Skylark still with us.
Ringing: 5 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet.
Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Linnet, 1 Pied wagtail, 1 Whitethroat.
A pleasant bank holiday morning in the calm ambient conditions delivered a perfectly acceptable selection. A Sedge Warbler was our second earliest ever only beaten by one on 5th April 2003 with a Great Spotted Woodpecker flying through a scarce spring visitor. Other migrants include 15 Chiffchaff, 15 Wheatear, 12 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, Firecrest plus a Rook flying south. 11 Oyks also went south with offshore passage almost non-existent. What is quite likely to be the Serin from a couple of days ago was whizzing around mid-morning.
Ringing: 10 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.
Windy morning following overnight gale didn't prevent a half decent arrival of fairly predictable early April fare. At least 50 Chiffchaff is our largest ever spring "fall" for this species whose numbers are increasing over the years due to climatic amelioration. The supporting cast included 10 Willow Warbler, 6 Wheatear & 2 Blackcap making for an acceptable arrival. Offshore southbound 10 Black-heads, 2 Avocet, 2 Brent, 2 Rook, 2 Shelduck, Heron, Oyk & Turnstone.
Other migrants include 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 new Songies, 2 Wheatear, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Mipit, Redwing & Swallow.
Blackbird ringed Reddingbootpad, Vlieland, The Netherlands, 10th November 2022 retrapped 286 km away at LBO 15th November 2025 would be on autumn migration through both sites three years apart.
Lesser Redpoll ringed LBO 18th October 2025 was retrapped 306 km away at Nettlefield Wood, Cheshire on 21st March 2026. This bird would be on autumn migration & heading north in spring through Cheshire.
Porpoise offshore, which are always easier to locate when its a calm sea.
Ringing: 16 Chiffchaff, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Blackcap, 1 Robin, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Willow Warbler.
A misty and cloudy morning, but still, finally sounding like spring with multiple Chiffchaffs singing and we got our long overdue first Wheatear of Spring. The crafty bugger avoided the photographers, but hopefully that changes with my afternoon walk, and certainly will in the next few days!
Challenging conditions for sea watching, with sporadic spells of fine drizzle, produced 5 Brent geese going north and a siting of a Red-throated Diver. A Firecrest was also observed flitting through the scrub.
Slow day all round with strong WNW wind by late morning, very few migrants around. The Black redstart was still present this morning but very mobile. A Marsh harrier was observed flying south, 4 Rooks, 2 Cormorant, 2 Common gull and a Reedbunting where also seen southbound. A Red-throated Diver, Buzzard and a Cormorant where seen flying North.
Few moths in trapps once again due to strong overnight wind and rain.
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff.
Ringing:1 Chiffchaff.
Chilly, breezy morning with very few migrants to "upset the apple cart" included 2 Goldcrest, Black Red, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff plus the second Swallow of the spring. Southbound 89 Black-headed Gull, 8 Common Gull, 5 Med Gull, 2 Rook, 2 Shelduck & Little Egret. Singing Skylark still with us.
Ringing: 1 Goldfinch.
A bright but blustery morning, with wind coming from the NW. Provided us with a somewhat notable visitor in the shape of a Reed bunting, the first this year, with one not seen since November 9th last year. A not so common visitor due to only a few sparse areas of reedbed on site.
Cold westerly gale not ideal. This didn't prevent a Swallow quickly flying through which equals our third earliest date with the first ever on the 14th March 2017. Starling numbers built up to 150 as they gather up before contemplating crossing the North Sea back to mainland Europe. Other spring migrants limited to 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing single Fire & Goldcrest. Offshore southbound 16 Common Gull, 14 Black-headed Gull, 3 Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Med Gull, Red-breasted Merganser & Red-throated Diver with the gulls mostly on their way back to the continent having wintered in Britain.
Ringing: 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest.
Lesser Redpoll ringed Hockai, Liege, Belgium 28th January 2024 was retrapped 363 km away at LBO 22nd October 2025 is probably a bird from Northern Britain that was wintering in Belgium then caught on migration heading towards the continent the following year.
Blackbird ringed LBO 27th October 2023 was retrapped 20 km away at Witnesham 4th March 2026. This would have been on autumn passage here although difficult to know whether it has settled in Suffolk or is a wintering bird from the continent heading back out this spring.
CHANGE OF DATE FROM WEDNESDAY TO THURSDAY THIS WEEK
It is now planned to erect the temporary fencing to help protect ground nesting birds & the sensitive shingle flora on Thursday 26th March 0930 hrs start. Please meet at the old seawatch hide and wear sensible footwear, gardening type gloves & clothing for the task in hand. Many hands make light work so the more people who can turn up the better.
It is planned to erect temporary fencing to help protect ground nesting birds & the sensitive shingle flora on Wednesday 25th March 0930 hrs start. Please meet at the old seawatch hide and wear sensible footwear, gardening type gloves & clothing for the task in hand. Many hands make light work so the more people who can turn up the better.
Ringing: 1 House Sparrow, 1 Redwing.
Springstar Ipheion uniflorum is native to Argentina & Uruguay & this may be the first site record. Not sure of the beastie on it so if anyone out there knows please drop us an email.
With the winds changing to South Easterly greater prospects of migration were somewhat realised with a Black Redstart arriving. Other migrants include 6 Chiffchaffs, Fieldfare & Goldcrest.
Another slow day for migrants, 1 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, with the highlight being 4 Pintail flying south — an unusual sight for this time of year here.
Other southbound movement included 11 Brent Geese, 3 Red-throated Divers and a Gannet. A raft of 25 scoter remains present offshore. 2 Turnstone present at shoreline.
Ringing: 2 Chiffchaff
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit.
First Blackcap this spring with other migrants including 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Mipit & Woodcock. Southbound 28 Red-throated Diver, 9 Wood Pigeon, 7 Common Gull, 2 Gannet, 2 Oyk, 2 Knot, Heron & Rook with northbound 54 Red-throats. First Comma butterfly of the year was seen.
Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Woodcock, 1 Wood Pigeon.
Chilly morning. 472 Cormorant went north a fair way out. Very few migrants included single Redwing, Skylark, new Blacky & the first White Wagtail of the spring. 4 Rook flew south.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing.
Overnight gale subsided but very little to report. On site 2 Goldcrest, 2 Stock Dove, Chiffchaff & Skylark plus 3 Chaffinch flying south. Offshore southbound 13 Dunlin, 6 Brent & a Shelduck with northbound 3 Gannet.
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Wren.
Ringing: 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Chiffchaff.
21 Skylark is the highest spring count since the mid 1990's & only the second double figure March count this century. Decent selection of early/mid-March fare with 15 Blackies, 11 Mipit, 8 Goldcrest, 7 Redwing, 6 Chiffchaff, 5 Song Thrush, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Jackdaw, 2 Siskin, Greenfinch & Yellowhammer. Single overwintering Fire & Goldcrest from last autumn noted as was the Snow Bunting from early January & the male Stonechat from recent days. Southbound 39 Brent, 17 Barnacles & 4 Oyks. A marauding "murder of 35 Crows" was less welcome as a large gang of juvenile delinquents last spring had a deleterious effect on ground nesting birds.
Ringing: 6 Goldcrest, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 1 Linnet, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Song Thrush.
Fog, unpleasant for both birds & human observers, doesn't stop those disorientated individuals from turning up. Newbies in today include 12 Mipit, 3 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Skylark, Curlew, Redwing, a couple of new Blackies & the first Black Redstart of the spring around by the Museum. Leftovers from recent days include 3 Goldcrest, Fieldfare & Stonechat. Lingering Snow Bunt still here. Wing lengths on Chaffinch's up to 95 mm indicating that they originate well to the north-east of here.
Ringing: 3 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackbird.
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.
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/
