Wednesday 15th March 2017

Winter appears to be on the way out, and Spring is just around the corner. As this Fieldfare shows, the winter visitors are making their way back north, hopefully to be replaced by summer migrants.Yesterdays Wheatear is still here, but little else new except for 2 Goldcrests, a Redwing, Skylark and 1 or 2 birds still moving offshore, which included 2 Red-throated Divers, a Gannet and a Common Scoter north.

Better numbers of moths are beginning to appear in the traps, including the first Clouded Drabs.

5 Birds ringed: 2 Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest and a Dunnock.

Tuesday 14th March 2017

A Swallow heading north is the observatories earliest ever by quite some margin. Another first of the year today was a Wheatear with the arrival date being about plum on cue. Other migrants included 6 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Fieldfare plus a couple of new Robins. Vis mig was represented by southbound 3 Mipit, Stock Dove, Carrion Crow & Siskin. Offshore southbound 12 Knot, 9 Brent, 8 Red-throated Diver, 6 Dunlin, 6 Common Gull, 2 Mute Swan, Great-crested Grebe and Gadwal plus northbound 22 Brent, 9 Red-throated Diver, 2 Mute Swan, Great Northern Diver & Common Scoter. 2 Red-legged Partridge are on, what has become, a classic "spring" date - ever since their extinction as a breeding bird at Landguard the odd record occurs at this time of the year presumably as winter coveys break down and birds wander in search of nesting sites.

Agonopterix curvipunctosa is a site speciality, Red Data Book species and one of the few places in the whole of the UK where this rarity is noted annually. March & early April is when we get the bulk of our records.

6 birds ringed: 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin, 1 Redwing, 1 Blackbird.

Monday 13th March 2017

Migrants this morning included 28 Redwing first thing, single Grey Wag, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Brambling with southbound 4 Siskin, Jackdaw and Skylark plus northbound a Rock Pipit. As it warmed up a Red Kite went inland over the docks (only the 10th site record) where a Buzzard loitered & an extra male Peregrine wound up the regular pair. Offshore fairly quiet although 50 Golden Plover north are worth a mention. 4 Greylag Geese will be local wanderers and yet another group of Long-tailed Tits turned up which suggests this species had good winter survival rates and they are going walkabout looking for fresh sites for breeding.

Oak Beauty is not an annual visitor here despite being a common moth in woodlands inland. In the butterfly department the first Comma of the year appeared.

10 birds ringed: 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 great Tit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Blackbird.

Sunday 12th March 2017

Magpie parliament in full swing. Not too many migrants on site this morning. On the move heading south 2 Mipit, Skylark plus a Grey Wagtail loitering on site briefly before departing northwards. Offshore still not a lot but northbound 9 Common Scoter, 3 Brent, Oyk & Curlew plus southbound 2 Canada Geese & Common Scoter.

Variation in the colour of Common Quakers is notable at the moment.

13 birds ringed: 9 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Wren, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Dunnock, 1 Collared Dove

Saturday 11th March 2017

Several "first" of the year this morning in the form of 4 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, Firecrest & Black Redstart. These along with a small arrival of Robins plus southbound a couple of Mipits and singles of Woodlark, Siskin, Greenfinch & Carrion Crow. Offshore can be basically forgotten with the mist not helping although 61 Barnacles did go south just offshore in three groups.

More expected March fare are now appearing in the traps including Diurnea fagella

10 birds ringed: 3 Goldcrest, 3 Robin, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Great Tit.

Friday 10th March 2017

Nice new boardwalk across the shingle on the nature reserve should concentrate the footfall and protect some of the shingle flora in this area. Very few migrants on site this morning with just a single Redwing on site although 66 Starling are worth a mention as they loiter on the coast before migrating out east. Offshore movements almost non-existent although a Bonxie put in an appearance late morning.

Shoulder Stripe up until the last few years had only been noted once but is now possibly trying to gain a hold ?  It is apparently an abundant moth in Suffolk and lives on Dog Rose, of which there is not a vast amount here, so it is unlikely to become common at Landguard.

4 birds ringed: 1 Wren, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Dunnock.

Thursday 9th March 2017

More signs of spring this morning making it much more pleasant and entertaining. Worth a mention are southbound 13 Siskin, 8 Starling, 3 Rook, 3 Mipit, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Skylark, Grey Wagtail & Carrion Crow plus a northbound Woodlark over the observatory then docks which is always a good bird to get here. Early on 70 Starling & 45 Redwing were on site with common migrants in the bushes represented in the ringing total below. Offshore northbound 80 Brents, Shelduck & Red-throated Diver plus southbound 20 Dunlin & Red-throat. 2 Sanderling were on the beach (11 were here yesterday evening).

The first Frog of the year was in the Butts pond and the first butterfly noted here this year put in an appearance in the form of a Small Tortoiseshell.

14 birds ringed: 4 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Great Tit, 2 Blackbird, 1 Wren, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Blue Tit.