Saturday 1st August 2026

 Clouded Yellow (Luscinia megarhynchos)

Sunny and a gentle breeze. A Skylark - first since spring, Greenfinch, Collared Dove, Green and and Great Spotted Woodpecker all seen from the observatory viewpoint. A freshly emerged Clouded Yellow Butterfly also made itself at home flying around the open areas on top of the observatory hill. Out on the beach, a Sanderling and 5 Ring Plovers with 2 Chicks remaining.  

Seawatching produced: 17 Sandwich Tern and 2 Gannet North. South movements: 24 Cormorant, 10 Teal and an Oystercatcher. 2 Little Tern and a Mediterranean gull feeding offshore. 

Moth trapping: 79 Species recorded between our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning is Ethimia quadrillella which is a nationally scarce species living on Comfrey. 

Ethmia quadrillella first site record. 

Bird ringing: 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch. 

July 2026 Ringing Totals

Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)... one of 4 Juveniles ringed this July here at Landguard.  

We close this month on 281 birds ringed, with recent years catching 130 - 200 birds, this month we seem slightly up despite the now severe drought conditions. We have to go back to 2022 to see a higher number of 445 birds ringed - which interestingly was anouther warm summer. Linnet numbers seem on par with 88 being ringed in 2022. The largest contributor to 2022s good July appears to be the 133 Starlings being ringed!

Linnet	84
House Sparrow	22
Goldfinch	21
Reed Warbler	15
Great Tit	13
Lesser Whitethroat	12
Blackcap	11
Whitethroat	10
Dunnock	9
Blue Tit	9
Robin	8
Cetti's Warbler	7
Willow Warbler	7
Blackbird	6
Song Thrush	6
Sedge Warbler	6
Chiffchaff	5
Great Spotted Woodpecker	5
Starling	5
Nightingale	4
Wren	4
Garden Warbler	2
Herring Gull	2
Pied Wagtail	2
Woodpigeon	2
Black Redstart	1
Coal Tit	1
Grey Wagtail	1
Green Woodpecker	1
Total	281

Friday 31st July 2026

Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe).

A bright but quiet morning once again in the compound with Willow Warbler and Reed Warbler song briefly. Out on the reserve we have a Wheatear which does look like a juvenile from the freshness of the wing feathers in the picture above. 2 Lapwing were present early morning near the point. 4 Adult Ring Plover were present with 2 chicks. A Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel were both also seen from the compound. 

Seawatching produced a handful of movements with 15 Teal, 2 Black-headed Gull, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Grey Heron and an Oystercatcher, all south. Feeding offshore: 14 Sandwich Tern, 5 Mediterranean Gull and a Cormorant. 

Moth trapping: 79 Moth species recorded last night between our 3 moth traps. Moth of the morning is the Oak Processionary Moth, first noted on site in 1995 and in six subsequent years. The caterpillars of this moth species cause severe damage to oak trees by stripping leaves and can pose a risk to human and animal health with small irritational hairs they shed. The moth is Native to Europe but not to the UK and although internet sources say the moth was introduced accidentally to the uk in the 2000s and only causing damage to oak tree when in large populations in 2006, our early records are evidence of them naturally crossing into the UK.  

Oak Processionary (Thaumetopoea processionea)

Bird ringing: 1 Linnet.

Thursday 30th July 2026

Female Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). 

A hazy morning with a light wind. Quiet within the compound with mostly Linnets and Goldfinch flying around. Out on the reserve a Yellow Wagtail and a Wheatear. 1 family of Ringed Plover with 2 chicks remain. A Peregrine flew over calling towards the port mid morning.

Seawatching: South; 39 Black-headed Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, a Knot and a Whimbrel. Feeding offshore ; 15 Sandwich Tern and 5 Mediterranean Gull.

Hirundine movement included 42 Swallows and 3 Sand Martin both South and 2 Swift flying in circles high in the sky. 

Moth trapping: 82 Species recorded in our 3 traps last night. Moth of the morning is this freshly emerged Poplar Kitten, a very smart looking moth! It didn't have to travel far from our nearby poplar trees.   

Poplar Kitten (Furcula bifida). Forcula in latin means little fork and bifida two parts, both referring the caterpillar split appearance and also possibly the moth.   

Bird ringing: 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Linnet. 

Wednesday 29th July 2026

 

Juvenile Peregrine on the point.

Spoonbill flew south early morning. Also southbound 17 Cormorant, 5 Swallow, 4 Common Tern & Curlew. At least 5 Willow Warbler & a Sedge Warbler in the migrant department plus a Turnstone on the jetty.

Maiden's Blush was formerly very infrequent here but has managed to turn up in nine out of last ten years.

Ringing: 1 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Starling, 1 Whitethroat.
 

Tuesday 28th July 2026

Gull Aggression between Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A sunny morning with a gentle breeze. A variety of warblers inside the compound. A Turnstone and a Wheatear out on the reserve. It appears one pair of Ringed Plover have lost their final offspring leaving one pair with 2 chicks that are approaching a week old. 

Hirundine movement consisted of 3 Swallow and 2 Sandmartin both south.  

Moth Trapping: 82 species of moths recorded this morning between our 3 traps. Tawny Wave is the moth of the morning, a rare species, with its UK stronghold being the Suffolk Brecks and Sandlings, it is far from annual here at Landguard in recent years. 

Tawny Wave (Scopula rubiginata).

Bird Ringing: 6 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Starling. 

Monday 27th July 2026

Our first post breeding passage Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) this year out on the reserve. 

A sunny morning with a brisk WNW wind, turning to overcast late morning. Reed Warblers calling from inside the compound and a good variety of butterflies on the buddleia including Comma and Painted Lady. Another Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the compound. 1 Sanderling out on the beach.     

Seawatching produced south: 7 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Turnstone, a Dunlin, a Common Gull and a Curlew. 

    North: A Common Scoter. 

6 Sandwich Tern, 5 Little Tern, a Common Tern and a Common Gull feeding offshore. 

Hirundine movement included 8 Sand Martin south, 1 Swallow south and 2 Swift north. 

Moth trapping: 31 Species in our 3 moth traps - windy and dry conditions. Moth of the morning is the Tufted Oak Knot-horn, an immigrant species first recorded here in 2018. The moth is now becoming established in Oak trees in Suffolk.     

Tufted Oak Knot-horn (Acrobasis tumidana).

Bird ringing: 2 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Nightingale. 

Sunday 26th July 2026

 

Windy & even a couple of spots of drizzle that was a waste of time as it didn't even dampen the dust down. Migrants include southbound 41 Swift, 17 Sandwich Tern, 10 Curlew, 5 Sand Martin, 4 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 3 Common Tern, 3 Oyk, 2 Common Gull, 2 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel & Golden Plover. In the bushes single Blackcap, Reed, Sedge & Willow Warbler plus it's also getting to the time of year when new Lesser Whitethroat & Whitethroat may be migrants started to head south as opposed to locally bred stock.

Double figure catches of Cydia amplana in recent days is suggestive of an immigration of fresh migrants. It was first noted here in 2003 and has been annual the past six years.

Ringing: 2 Goldfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Linnet, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren.

Saturday 25th July 2026

 

First Willow Warbler of the autumn is right on cue. Other migrants were southbound 45 Swallow, 3 Sand Martin, 2 Swift & a Curlew. Several Sandwich Tern were in the river & offshore. Green Wood & a young Grey Wag visited.

Brown-veined Wainscott is another reed bed species that wanders in hot weather. Good to get one as we drew a blank last year.

Ringing: 3 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Willow Warbler.

Friday 24th July 2026

 

Sanderling (Calidris albaon) on the beach yesterday mid morning. 

A somewhat hazy sunny morning with a gentle breeze building off the sea. A Green Woodpecker and a Nightingale found there way into our nets. A Black Redstart was once again calling from the fort. Flying ant time of year with Starlings and Gull ammassing, including 80 Black-headed Gulls. 3 Ringed Plover chicks + 1 with different parents survive anouther day!  

Seawatching produced South movements; 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Shelduck and 3 Little Tern. 

Hirundine movement included 1 Swift and 3 Sand Martin low over the beach mid afternoon.   

Moth trapping: 67 recorded species of moths last night. Moth of the morning goes to our first site record of Aristotelia ericinella, which lives on heather on the Suffolk Heaths but has not ventured down here before. 

Heath Elder (Aristotelia ericinella).

Bird ringing: 4 Linnet, 2 Robin, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Nightingale, 1 Pied Wagtail  

Thursday 23 July 2026

Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) most likely feeding on Whitebait.

An overcast morning with a gentle breeze produced a nice group of 4 Sanderling on the beach as well as an increase up to 14 Ringed Plover, possibly 2 juveniles dispersing, with 4 of our tiny chicks still surviving. A new Great Spotted Woodpecker also ventured down to the point and on the way back visited one of our nets. 3 Common Gull is also worth highlighting from the seawatching.  

Seawatching produced South movements: 2 Oystercatcher, a Common Scoter and a Curlew. North movements: 3 Cormorant, 2 Gannet and a Common Tern. 5 Sandwich Tern and 3 Common Gull feeding offshore. Hirundines observations: 3 Swallow feeding on site with 1 North, a Sandmartin North and 8 Swift South. 

Moth trapping: 66 moth species recorded last night, a slight increase from recent days owing to a less windier night. Moth of the day is the Plain Pug, a moth recorded singularly each year with last year the moth being absent, this is mainly due to the moth having to travel a fair distance from its preferred saltmarsh habitat (small area at Trimley nature reserve) to be caught in our traps.

Plain Pug (Eupithecia simpliciata).

Bird ringing: 6 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Reed Warbler. 

Wednesday 22nd July 2026

 

Sizeable flock of gulls feeding just offshore & on the reserve included at least 15 Med Gull & the first Common Gull's for a while. Also offshore several Sandwich Tern going back & forth plus 2 Porpoise. New migrants limited to 4 Swallow & a Sedge Warbler plus a visit from yet another Great Spotted Woodpecker. At least one Black Red still about.

Rest Harrow is on the IUCN Red List as "near threatened". It has been annual here over the last nine years in small numbers & is probably living here on, as it says on the tin, Common Restharrow.

Ringing: 2 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Sedge Warbler.

Tuesday 21st July 2026

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) with its now one-week-old chick, having unfortunately lost the other.

An overcast morning with a gentle breeze. Although seemingly quiet within the compound plenty of dispersing migrants found their way into nets as well as a good dose of young Linnets. Out on the reserve 3 Lapwing were on the beach early morning and a Black Redstart calling from the Fort again. 3 young Kestrels again near the point, let's hope that ring plover keeps hiding well!.   

Seawatching produced South: 28 Sandwich Tern, 19 Black-headed Gull, 13 Cormorant, 5 Curlew

North:18 Sandwich Tern, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Gannet.     

Moth trapping: 30 Moth species last night - very quiet for this time of year potentially due to the drought conditions. Moth of the morning is the Marbled Clover, a nationally scarce species, far from annual here, that is having a good year with 10 of these recorded at this location this month. This moth can be seen during the daytime feeding on Viper's-bugloss, common across the reserve. 

Marbled Clover (Heliothis viriplaca).

Bird ringing: 11 Linnet, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Nightingale, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Wren, 1 Whitethroat. 

Monday 20th July 2026

Male Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) joins a Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) this morning out on the reserve, the Woodpigeon looks a little shocked.

A bright morning. Once again quiet within the compound with juvenile birds and the odd migrant starting to filter through with juvenile Reed and Sedge Warblers. A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker also briefly visited the compound again. A family group of Kestrels were out on the reserve with between 2 and 3 young that have moved down from Felixstowe factory units. One juvenile Ringed Plover still surviving.      

Seawatching produced; north: 4 Common Scoter, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern. South: 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Sandwich Tern. 3 Sandwich Tern remaining feeding offshore. 

Moth trapping: Only 33 moth species last night. Pima boisduvaliella is moth of the day, a nationally scarce species living along the coast on flowering coastal plants such as Bird's-foot Trefoil.   

Pima boisduvaliella.

Bird ringing: 1 Reed warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler. 

Sunday 19th July 2026

 

Ruddy Darter.

Some movement with southbound 20 Sandwich Tern, 9 Oyks, 2 Curlew & Sand Martin with northbound 5 Little Egret, 5 Sandwich Tern, 2 Med Gull & Gannet. Only obvious migrant on site a Reed Warbler. Several young Kestrel have appeared.

Oncocera semirubella is a nationally scarce species on Bird's Foot Trefoil & Clovers that we do quite well for.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Great Tit, 1 Linnet.

Saturday 18th July 2026

Six-spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae) on Teasel.

A cloudy morning. Quiet within the compound once again with the beginning of the migrants moving south with an adult and juvenile Reed Warbler mist netted, this being quite early suggests a good year possibly for Reed Warblers. 8 Redshank south are our first group to go south this year as we approach autumn. 

Seawatching produced north movements: 8 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Sandwich Tern, 4 Common Tern and a Whimbrel. South movements: 8 Redshank, 2 Black-headed Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and a Sandwich Tern. 

Moth trapping: 97 Species recorded between our 3 traps last night. Pick of the bunch is the two Eastern Bordered Straw moths, which are migrants from Southern Europe. Only recorded in Suffolk for the first time this year.

Eastern Bordered Straw (Heliothis nubigera).

Bird ringing: 2 Great Tit, 2 Reed Warbler.

Friday 17th July 2026

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) adults are now in primary moult. 

Sunny and and slightly less beezy morning. A Black Redstart was calling briefly from the fort early morning. Quiet within the compound with mainly juvenile birds including Cetti's Warbler, Goldfinch, Linnet, Great Tit, Lesser Whitethroat and 2 well developed Reed Warblers. Ring Plovers wandering around the reserve with chicks. Our first Green Woodpecker of the autumn late evening. 

Seawatching today was slow despite the reduced wind: South; 17 Sand Martin, 2 Curlew, a Black-headed Gull and a Shelduck. 2 Cormorant towards the port. 4 Sandwich Tern and 2 Black-headed Gull remaining feeding offshore.  

Moth trapping: 65 moth species recorded last night with it warm and breezy. Moth of the day is the Bedstraw Hawk-moth, with rarely more than 10 annual sightings in Suffolk, this immigrant species from Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and occasionally other parts of northern and central Europe, is mainly found by the coast in the Uk. They may breed in a number of places this year if a significant influx occurs. 

Bedstraw Hawk-moth (Hyles gallii)

Bird ringing: 3 House Sparrow, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Linnet, 1 Reed Warbler. 

Thursday 16th July 2026

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) family with chicks between 2 and 3 days old. 

Bright and sunny from the get go with a relatively strong breeze from the NE. 

Seawatching produced 2 Cormorants towards the river and 4 Sandwich Tern feeding offshore. 

Moth trapping: 66 species species identified between our 3 traps last night. Todays moth of the day is the Twin-Spotted Wainscot, this moth is another reedbeds specialist species that disperses down here occasionally. The moth has fewer than 100 annual records each year in Suffolk, potentially due to the lack of people moth trapping in its primary habitat. 

 

Twin-spotted Wainscot (Lenisa geminipuncta)

Bird ringing: 3 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldfinch, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Starling. 

Wednesday 15th July 2026

 

Stinking Goosefoot Chenopodium vulvaria is up, despite the drought conditions.

Hot & breezy with very few migrants. 12 Black-heads went south with northbound single Curlew & Sandwich Tern. Two pairs of Ringos are in the process of hatching with a couple of day old chicks running around.

First site record of Aspilapteryx tringipennella which lives on Ribwort Plantain so no reason why one hasn't turned up before.

Ringing: 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Linnet.

Tuesday 14th July 2026

Starting cloudy but then clearing late morning. Another brief visit from a Greater Spotted Woodpecker mid morning within the compound. Stinking Goosefoot is now out on the reserve. 

Seawatching produced 2 Sandwich Tern, 2 Black-headed Gull and a Whimbrel south. Northbound: 3 Sandwich Tern only. Hirundine movement consisted of 9 Swift north only. 

Moth trapping: 89 moth species identified in our 3 traps last night - a slight increase from the previous night with it being warmer and less windy around the traps. Pick of the bunch will be the second site record of Monochroa lucidella, with the previous one 23 years ago. This moth is a specialist of wetlands and coastal habitat and has fewer than 100 records annually in Suffolk - Suffolk Moths. 

Monochroa lucidella.

Bird ringing: 3 Whitethroat, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin.   

Our first dispersing juvenile Reed Warbler of the year today, with its post Juvenile moult coming through.