Monday 27th March 2017

Purgatory at the moment - not sure what sins we have committed in a previous life but we are sure being made to pay for it ! Today's migrants on a cold dreary morning were a couple of Mipits, single Brambling, Grey Wagtail and a new Robin. The Linnet numbers are steadily increasing but apart from that it's bleak out there, but not as bleak as it was for one of the Collared Doves that was taken by a Sparrowhawk (that's 2 Collared Doves predated in recent days so one must assume they taste pretty good). Misty & murky offshore which obscured what little was out there.

Ringing: 1 Robin.

Sunday 26th March 2017

Still hard graft due to the north easterly airflow although the odd migrant is battling through as evidenced by a Ring Ouzel alongside View Point Road early on and this Chiffchaff with a mass of sap & pollen above its bill which it will have acquired during the winter from vegetation around the Mediterranean area. Single Skylark & Mipit went south and a couple of Goldcrest are loitering on site. Offshore, apart from a mass of seagulls, just a couple of Red-throated Divers & Gannets noted. The Iceland Gull put in another appearance as the Stena Britannica went out.

2 birds ringed: 1 Wren, 1 Chiffchaff.

Saturday 25th March 2017

What we don't need at this time of the year is high pressure over Scandinavia plus a cold north-easterly airflow. As such migrants are very hard to come by. A Brambling was here at stupid o'clock early doors (thank god the clock is changing today), with the only other migrants being singles of Goldcrest, Chiffchaff plus a new Robin. Starring offshore a waste of time with a lot of effort put in starring at seagulls producing nothing of note. Turnstone has been on the point in recent days.

Ringing: 1 Robin + a control Blue Tit.

Friday 24th March 2017

166 Gannet heading north so far (early blog so if numbers go up this will get updated later) plus a couple following ships into the river. Also northbound 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Fulmar & a Knot. Yesterday's Iceland Gull put in another appearance (and as I write is sitting just inside the dock along View Point Road) and at least 2 Bonxie have been off the estuary mouth. Cold ENE gale not conducive to many migrants on site although single Chiffchaff & Goldcrest are new in. Late news is off 2 Black Redstart around the Fort in the afternoon.

Iceland Gull is a second-winter - didn't see it well enough yesterday to work out it's age.

2 birds ringed: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest

Thursday 23rd March 2017

Spot the Iceland Gull which loitered in the harbour for about an hour or so. Also noted offshore 5 Gannet, 5 Barnacle Geese, 4 Common Scoter, single Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Brent Goose, Bonxie & Curlew moving one way or the other but the cold wind drifting around to the north-east as the morning went on did not make for a pleasant experience. Migrants in the bushes almost non-existent although yesterdays Black Redstart is still with us.

3 birds ringed: 2 Collared Dove (pullus), 1 Wren.

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Up the workers - fencing for ground nesting birds put up on the reserve this morning. SSE gale brought in the first Firecrest of the spring plus a Black Redstart. Other grounded migrants hard to come by but included Skylark, Meadow Pipit & Chiffchaff. A Brambling shot along the front briefly and may have dropped in. Offshore southbound 15 Barnacles Geese, 4 Shelduck & 2 Gannet plus northbound 5 Gannet, Oyk & Fulmar plus 6 Gannets following a ship in.

2 birds ringed: 1 Black Redstart, 1 Firecrest.

Tuesday 21st March 2017

Glorious sunny but colder morning with the wind picking up not long after first light. A handful of new Chiffchaffs and a Long-tailed Tit new in on site plus a Woodcock whizzing around at one point which will be a bird stopping off on the coast as it makes it's way back to the continent. Land-birds heading south were 61 Starling, 5 Siskin, 2 Jackdaw & Goldfinch. Offshore records barely worth a mention. The Sweet Violets in the observatory compound are particularly splendiferous at the moment.

4 birds ringed: 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Long-tailed Tit.