Tuesday 4th April 2017

A sixth site record this morning of a Cetti's Warbler started an increase of migrants through including at least 15 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler & a White Wag on the reserve. Only 1 Meadow Pipit on the reserve plus a dozen flying south (compared with 40 grounded Mipits yesterday). The Black Redstart continue to show well.  Vis mig also included southbound 15 Goldfinch, 3 Siskin, Jackdaw & Kestrel. Offshore worth a mention were 2 Red-breasted Merganser southbound.

24 birds Ringed: 12 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Linnet, 2 willow warbler and singles of Cetti's, Goldcrest, Redwing, Chaffinch and Wren

Monday 3rd April 2017

50 Mipits on the reserve is a distinct improvement on just one yesterday. Other migrants today include 4 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, Black Redstart & White Wagtail. A Golden Plover was flying around in the murky conditions early on but otherwise fairly quiet offshore.

The Herald is a common enough moth inland but one that does not appear here annually.

6 birds ringed: 3 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenfinch

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Glorious sunny morning. Handful of Chiffchaffs plus the first Blackcap of the spring noted plus at least 1 Black Redstart on the reserve. A couple of Siskins paid a brief visit and a Kestrel went south. Gull numbers have thinned out following shipping over the last week although southbound went 52 Black-headed Gull & 16 Common Gull presumably making their way back to their breeding grounds.

Small Quaker is a common enough moth in Suffolk but only occurs here in very small numbers.

9 birds ringed: 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Blue Tit, 1 House Sparrow.

Saturday 1st April 2017

Fairly predictable early April fare with a handful of new Chiffchaff & Robins on site plus 2 Black Redstart. Some Vis Mig in the form of southbound 10 Carrion Crow, 4 Jackdaw, Rook, Mipit & Goldfinch. Offshore highlight was 6 Oyk south from which one can assume not a lot.

Blossom Underwing is the first site record of this species and part of an overnight immigration along with other sites on the coast. The first Diamond-back Moth of the year also noted.

7 birds ringed: 3 Robin, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Wren

March Ringing Totals

121 of 21 species is about 20% down on the last couple of years largely due to very few Blackies, thrush's & no Greenies.

Chiffchaff 28 Song Thrush 2
Long-tailed Tit 21 Chaffinch 2
Robin 15 Willow Warbler 2
Goldcrest 13 Black Redstart 1
Blackbird 11 Firecrest 1
Dunnock 7 Grey Wagtail 1
Wren 6 Starling 1
Blue Tit 5 Wood Pigeon 1
Collared Dove 4 House Sparrow 1
Redwing 3
Goldfinch 3
Linnet 3

Friday 31st March 2017

Small influx of arriving summer visitors & departing wintering ones including 8 Chiffchaff, 4 migrant Robin, 3 Swallow, Willow Warbler, Fieldfare & Brambling with 2 of both Jackdaw & Siskin going south overhead. Offshore southbound 7 Shelduck, 4 Oyks, 3 Turnstone, 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shovelar, Curlew with northbound 1 Red-throat plus a Bonxie loitering off the river mouth for a while.

Ringing 14 birds: 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Robin, 3 Linnet, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Blackbird, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Thursday 30th March 2017

A harbinger of spring in the shape of the first Willow Warbler of the year was most welcome and always cheers one up. Other migrants this fine mild morning were 3 Mipits, 2 Wheatear, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Black Redstart, Yellowhammer & Merlin. Offshore not a lot but with it feeling a lot more spring like - who cares ?

Emperor moth is a stunning beast and another good reason to be cheerful.

4 birds ringed: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Starling.