Thursday 8th July 2021

Stock Dove

 A decent day with a moderate WSW breeze, overcast at first but with spells of warm sunshine from mid-morning; there was a tickle of birds offshore through the morning including a nice variety of waders heading south consisting of 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, 47 Curlew, 2 Dunlin, 5 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank and 5 Whimbrel along with 41 Black-headed Gulls, 6 Common Gulls, 9 Common Scoter, 2 Common Terns, 2 Gadwall, a Heron, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Teal, 18 Sand Martins, 3 Swallows and 6 Swifts.

Also of note were the Black Redstarts still, the lingering Chiffchaff, an immigrant juvenile Stock Dove and another Southern Migrant Hawker around The Butts pond.

Ringing: Dunnock 5, Robin 1, Wren 1, Blackbird 2, House Sparrow 1, Linnet 3, Goldfinch 2, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 1

The Coronet is only noted occasionally with every one different in colour!

Wednesday 7th July 2021

Begging Rabbits scrounge carrots whilst the moth traps are being emptied but, what's more worrying is the fact that one finds oneself talking to them - although it would be even more worrying if they answered back !

Breezy dull morning. Southbound 2 Whimbrel, Curlew & Swift with northbound 2 Gannet, 2 Sandwich Tern & Swallow. On site it's baby bird time of the year.

Probably one of the poorest July nights on record with very few moths in the traps. Heart & Club was non-existent here last century but is presently one of the commonest species recorded.

Ringing: 4 Linnet, 3 House Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Great Tit.

Tuesday 6th July 2021

 A tough day in the field with a force 6-7 WSW wind picking up through the morning bringing frequent spells of precipitation ranging from light drizzle to heavy rain showers, although there were some sunny spells in the afternoon; all the notable birds were offshore and included a few ducks early on with 16 Teal, 4 Gadwall and a Pochard heading south along with 3 Common Terns, 7 Curlew, 3 Whimbrel, a Fulmar, 2 Gannets and 9 Sandwich Terns.

Ringing: House Sparrow 1

Another former immigrant, now thought to be established is Langmaid's Yellow Underwing

Monday 5th July 2021

Starlings

 Light rain lingered from dawn through until around 08:00, after which it turned into a pleasant, warm day with an increasing WSW wind; the day's birding highlight came just after lunchtime with a male Serin which flew in, gave a few bars of song before disappearing.

A few other bits and pieces comprised a trickle of birds moving south including 19 Black-headed Gulls, a Brent Goose, 2 Common Gulls, 12 Curlew, 2 Swallows, 30 Swifts and 2 Whimbrel, a dispersing juvenile Blackcap, and the first spangly juvenile Peregrine of the year.

Also of note for the site was a Southern Migrant Hawker, seemingly emerging from the Butts pond - the first record for the Obs.

Ringing: Herring Gull 2 (pullus), Song Thrush 1, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 1

Southern Migrant Hawker

Clancy's Rustic - formally a vagrant, then an immigrant, it has now colonised during this century

Sunday 4th July 2021

The nature reserve is botanically the best we have seen it for years at the moment - it's amazing what a bit of rain can do.

Southbound 34 Black-headed Gull, 12 Curlew, 12 Swift, 9 Whimbrel, 4 Sand Martin, Gannet & Swallow with northbound a single Gannet. On site a male Blackcap will be a failed breeder wandering & is the first since the last of the spring on 6th June. 3 dispersing juvenile Chiffchaff may have wandered here from as close as Langer Park.

Another addition to the site list, from yesterday, is Grapholita tenebrosana whose main claim to fame is a lack of features.

Ringing: 3 House Sparrow, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Linnet, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blue Tit. 

Saturday 3rd July 2021

We need some more sunny spells to bring the butterflies out - even Meadow Brown's are in short supply.

Southbound 83 Black-headed Gull, 9 Common Scoter, 6 Curlew, 3 Oyk, 2 Common Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, Swallow & Whimbrel with northbound 7 Sandwich Tern & Common Scoter. On site a couple of dispersing Chiffchaff arrived but, otherwise, it's baby birds time of the year. It was only on the 9th June that the last Sanderling of the spring were noted on their way to the far north with 2 today probably the first of the autumn on their way back to West Africa.

First site records in the moth department have been non-existent so far this year & we were not expecting to add what we thought was Pleurota bicostella to the list but may actually be the similar looking Sophronia semicostella which we have also not seen before.

Ringing: 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Starling, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Friday 2nd July 2021

Kestrel

Once the early morning cloud had dissipated it was a lovely, very calm, sunny and warm day; a day for lounging in the sun with few birds to distract you but what was here included the Black Redstarts (with another fledgling finding a mist-net), a Curlew, a very brief Great-spotted Woodpecker, 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Sandwich Terns and 12 Swifts which were probably just visiting from town.

Ringing: Woodpigeon 1, Dunnock 1, Black Redstart 1, Starling 2, House Sparrow 3, Greenfinch 2, Goldfinch 2

Bedstraw Hawkmoth is an immigrant that is more than welcome to settle on the profusion of Lady's Bedstraw on site