JUNE RINGING TOTALS

 

155 birds of 20 species is in many respects a similar year to 2024 albeit 11 birds less. Cetti's Warbler have bred again for a second year running and have seen success on at least 2 broods so far. The Tits both Blue and Great have managed to carry the ringing total this month as we ringed less than half our usual Linnets. Not so many young House Sparrows around either which was expected with less adults being observed. Blackbird is another species which seems to have had an abysmal breeding year but there is still time. 

Species	No. Ringed
Blackbird	4
Blackcap	4
Blue Tit	22
Cetti's Warbler	5
Chiffchaff	9
Coal Tit	2
Dunnock	14
Goldfinch	2
Great Spotted Woodpecker	1
Great Tit	33
Grey Wagtail	2
House Sparrow	3
Lesser Whitethroat	6
Linnet	15
Reed Warbler	6
Robin	6
Starling	2
Whitethroat	5
Woodpigeon	2
Wren	12
Total	155

Monday 30th June 2025

Hot & humid start. A dispersing juvenile Wheatear near the point will have been bred not far away so good to know a pair has churned a brood out somewhere up the coast. An adult Lapwing on the reserve will be a post-breeder coming into the country to moult, probably from the Low Countries. Finally another Great Spot visited. 

In the evening around 250 Starling were feeding not far from the point and a single Shelduck possibly the last of the year yet to depart. 

Gypsonoma minutana is a nationally scarce species living here on the Poplars.

Ringing: 1 Woodpigeon.

Sunday 29th June 2025

 

Plenty of day flying insects in this soporific heat including Six-spot Burnet.

Southbound 36 Sand Martin, 5 Barwit & 5 Swallow. A Reed Warbler was singing along View Point Road. 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker paid a visit together with the number of recent records hopefully suggesting that they have had a reasonable breeding season. A Red-veined Darter was the first for 8 years.

Moth traps fairly busy in this heat & humidity with several infrequent visitors from inland including Suspected, a species we have only had a couple of times previously with worn examples like this easily overlooked.

Ringing: nil.

Saturday 28th June 2025

 

Gatekeeper have started to appear.

Southbound 16 Curlew, 15 Swift, 14 Black-headed Gull, 14 Sand Martin, 6 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 2 Sandwich Tern & Bar-tailed Godwit with northbound 5 Barnacles & 4 Med Gull. Otherwise baby bird time.

Small Ranunculus in the moth trap & larvae on Prickly Lettuce in the moat. The species has colonised this century after being first noted in 1999.

Ringing: 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat.

Friday 27th June 2025

Overnight rain and a blustery morning but you could soon feel the sun's heat. Another young, wandering Great Spotted Woodpecker present along with a Male Sparrowhawk - both of which manage to bounce out of mist nets. Also worth noting 6 Barnacle Goose, 1 Brent Goose, 10 Curlew, 1 Greenfinch and 9 Swift.

Another tick in the book for Landguard's Moth List! Coming in at only around 4-5mm Caryocolum alsinella is a Nationally Scarce moth.

Ringing: 1 Goldfinch, 2 Wren.

Thursday 26th June 2025

 

Pyramidal Orchid has appeared in the fence at the Butt's pond. Just goes to show what can spring up in areas that don't get all the public footfall. In other news Curlew migration seemed to peak today as 90+ birds went South. Adult Black-headed Gulls also moving South tried to give the Curlew count a run for their money but petered out late morning at around 62 birds. Also of note 4 Barnacle Goose, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Lapwing, 1 Med Gull, 11 Sand Martin, 27 Swift and 2 Whimbrel.

Agate Knot-horn Nyctegretis lineana is a red data book species only noted here on a couple of previous occasions.

Ringing: 1 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 3 Linnet.

 

Wednesday 25th June 2025

Singing Male Blackcap at first light today being closely watched by a female - or was he chasing her? Also a Juvenile Black Redstart at Manor terrace car park later followed by another seemingly different bird right at the point. A young peregrine perched up on the seafront seemed to be having a break before continuing to wander North. Also of note 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Swallow and 4 Swift.

Acrobasis tumidana is a scarce migrant in the UK first noted here in 2018. It will be attempting to colonise on Oak trees.

Ringing: 2 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Dunnock, 4 Linnet, 3 Whitethroat.