Saturday 10th January 2025

 

550 Cormorant heading out fishing is a lot higher count than recently presumably due to birds wintering inland in the UK being frozen out of their fishing sites & resorting to the coast. Southbound 61 Brent, 17 Lapwing & 3 Wigeon. Woodcock on site with an additional bird coming in off the sea. 3 Snow Bunting & 2 Mipit still on the back beach. 

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Woodcock.

Friday 9th January 2026

 

Cold & wet. 245 Cormorant went fishing early, single Dunlin & Little Egret flew south, Mistle Thrush was new in & 3 Snow Bunting still on back beach. Muntjac with tiny fawn is worth a mention.

SEASONAL WARDEN LANDGUARD BIRD OBSERVATORY

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

Thursday 8th January 2026

 

Sitting on the fence is a good idea when there are two foxes in the cottage garden eyeing one up for breakfast. Another fox on Darrell's Battery may, or may not, be one of these two individuals.

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.

Wednesday 7th January 2025

 

Belt of overnight rain has shifted the snow although the ground underneath is still mostly frozen. 182 Cormorant went out fishing early. On site 3 Snow Bunting, 2 Oyk, 2 Ringo, Mipit & Sanderling. Almost an hour starring out to sea produced seagulls & just a single Red-throated Diver sat offshore. 

Tuesday 6th January 2025

 

Plenty of fox prints in the snow.

Sunny & cold. 3 Snow Bunting & Mipit again on the back beach.

Monday 5th January 2026

 

Light dusting of snow at dawn. 192 Cormorant went out fishing. Only sign of any cold weather movements were southbound 30 Lapwing & 14 Teal plus a Golden Plover along the beach. 3 Sanderling were on the riverbank & a Firecrest was along the front.

Sunday 4th January 2026

 

Sharpest frost of the winter so far, glorious sunshine & an unpleasant wind chill. Meadow Pipit the mornings highlight! Turnstone along the riverbank but nowt else to report.