Monday 5th October 2026

Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) seen this afternoon inside the compound behind the kitchen. 

Starting clear but then swamped by a bank of fog until lifting and burning off late morning, a slight W wind. 22 Redwing and 4 Siskin seen flying over the compound, out on the reserve 2 Shore Lark remain. A Black Redstart was observed down viewpoint road mid morning. 3 Buzzards seen soaring high by 11am. Mid-day a Yellow-browed Warbler was heard and later seen in the compound behind the kitchen (16:30). 

22 Meadow Pipit, 10 Swallow and 7 Rook also South over the top of the observatory. 

Seawatching 

South: 95 Wigeon, 11 Teal, 7 Common Gull, 6 Pintail, 5 Brent Goose, 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Egret and a Knot.

North: 4 Common Scoter, 3 Brent Goose, 2 Heron and a Cormorant.

West: 3 Egyptian Geese.  

Feeding offshore: 8 Black-headed Gull and 6 Great Black-backed Gull.

Moth trapping: 29 moth species between our 3 traps this morning. Moth of the morning, very deservingly so, is the Merveille du Jour, which makes an appearance october most years

Merveille du Jour (Griposia aprilina).

Bird ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Robin.  

Sunday 4th October 2026

 

Glorious sunny, calm autumnal day. A Barn Owl was quartering the Butts pre-dawn & not long after daylight 14 Little Egret went north. Also on the move southbound 16 Mipit, 8 Siskin, 6 Crows, 5 Spoonbill, Grey Wag, Jackdaw, Rock Pipit, Rook & Woodlark. Offshore movements negligible. On site at least 20 Mipit, 14 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcap plus a Lesser 'throat showing characteristics of C.c.blythi. A Purp was on the point & the 2 Shorelark are still with us.

Cypress Pug inhabits various ornamental Cypress trees. Failed to get one last year, although it has been almost of annual occurrence in the past 20 years since it arrived in Suffolk in the early part of this century.

Ringing: 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blackcap, 2 Robin, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock.