Thursday 6th November 2025

 

Red sky in morning... alas no rain today!

A calm, warm autumn day with plenty of birds deciding today is the day to move. 780+ Brent Goose South but with the mist nets so busy there's a good chance we missed a few! Flocks of Woodpigeon also passing over Southbound. A rather unexpected fall of Blackbird late morning coupled with wandering Long-tailed Tit flocks bumped up the ringing total. The Pallas's Warbler is still with us behind the kitchen. Migrants include 50 Blackbird, 1 Brambling, 6 Chaffinch, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Fieldfare, 65 Goldfinch, 20 Goldcrest, 17 Redpoll, 14 Redwing, 25 Robin, 1 Rock Pipit, 18 Siskin, 6 Song Thrush, 125 Starling, 1 Stonechat and 220 Woodpigeon.

Offshore 38 Black-headed Gull, 41 Cormorant, 1 Curlew, 45 Dunlin, 36 Knot, 1 Red-throated Diver, 43 Shelduck, 4 Turnstone and 47 Wigeon.

Still a few species for example Setaceous Hebrew Character lingering in the mild conditions.

Ringing: 23 Blackbird, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 12 Goldcrest, 17 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Meadow Pipit, 9 Robin, 1 Redpoll, 1 Redwing, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Wren.

Wednesday 5th November 2025

 

After October's Pallas's Warbler stayed a whole week without entering a mist net it was quite a shock to find another one on today's first net round. It has been showing intermittently behind the kitchen hanging out with the Goldcrests. Still the odd Firecrest cropping up around the site and another 3 Swallow South. Definitely some turdus movement noted over night. Migrants include 25 Blackbird, 9 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Fieldfare, 12 Goldcrest, 203 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 34 Meadow Pipit, 18 Redwing, 15 Siskin, 15 Song Thrush, 18 Stock Dove and 100 Woodpigeon. 3 Turnstone on the point.

Offshore 17 Brent Goose, 2 Common Scoter, 35 Cormorant, 13 Dunlin, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Guillemot, 12 Knot, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Teal and 26 Wigeon.

Ringing: 8 Blackbird, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Pallas's Warbler, 1 Robin, 5 Song Thrush, 1 Woodpigeon.

Tuesday 4th November 2025

 Southerly winds taking the chill out the air as we are presented with more autumnal migrants. A 1st Winter Little Gull was seen slowly making its way out the river mouth along the beach. 4 late Swallows noted heading South throughout the morning and another Merlin for the year. A couple Firecrest are still loitering around the compound. Other migrants 25 Chaffinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 150 Goldfinch, 28 Meadow Pipit, 3 Redpoll, 3 Redwing, 46 Siskin, 2 Sparrowhawk, 11 Stock Dove and 40 Woodpigeon.

Offshore 6 Brent Goose, 1 Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover and 12 Wigeon.

Firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus is a species slowly spreading North in the UK.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Woodpigeon.

Monday 3rd November 2025

 

Windy with inconveinient showers early morning. More moving offshore with southbound up to mid-day 261 Knot, 161 Dunlin, 73 Brent, 31 Common Scoter, 17 Wigeon, 11 Common Gull, 7 Black-headed Gull, 6 Grey Plover, 6 Shelduck, 5 Snipe, 4 Gannet, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Kittiwake, 3 Skylark, 3 Teal, 2 Curlew, 2 Ringo, 2 Tufted Duck, Arctic Tern, Goldeneye (1st of the autumn), Golden Plover & Sanderling with northbound 3 Red-throated Diver (+2 on the sea). 144 Starling came in off with a handful of other birds moved south prior to the rain including 18 Stock Dove 11 Goldfinch, 7 Chaffinch & 5 Mipit. On site 14 Redwing & 3 Fieldfare first thing, Firecrest & Woodlark.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush. 

Sunday 2nd November 2025

 

Still waiting for a big Brent push this autumn.

Annoying belt of rain for a couple of hours this morning stiffled activities. Southbound 167 Goldfinch, 132 Starling, 54 Brent, 43 Shelduck, 25 Mipit, 22 Siskin, 17 Redpoll, 14 Dunlin, 13 Black-headed Gull, 8 Common Gull, 7 Skylark, 5 Chaffinch, 3 Knot, 2 Gannet, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Sanderling, Crossbill, Red-throated Diver, Snow Bunting & Woodlark with northbound 3 Common Scoter & a Red-throat (+ 2 more fishing offshore). From mid/late morning to mid-day at least 1,220 Starling & 9 Chaffinch came in off the sea. On site very few grounded migrants but included 25 Mipit, 5 Stock Dove, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Med Gull, 2 Redwing, Chiffchaff, Firecrest & Woodlark. 

Turnip Moth has two emergences throughout the year & can still be around throughout November.

Ringing: 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Wood Pigeon, 1 Wren.

Saturday 1st November 2025

Still the odd Red Admiral on the wing.

Winter thrushes two a penny at first light likely grounded by the over night rain. Migrants on this breezy day included 1 Blackcap, 30 Blackbird, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Merlin, 50 Redwing, 12 Song Thrush, 6 Siskin, 2 Sparrowhawk, 28 Skylark, 209 Starling and a single Swallow.

It's been a while since we've had any substantial wader passage but offshore 193 Dunlin headed South alongside 74 Knot. Also 3 Avocet, 3 Curlew, 24 Brent Goose, 163 Cormorant, 11 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Guillemot, 2 Pintail, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Red-throated Diver, 69 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler and 120 Wigeon.

Ringing: 9 Blackbird, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 5 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk.

OCTOBER RINGING TOTALS 2025

 

The 4th Jack Snipe ringed at LBO since 1983.

Well September was a tough act to follow but we've had a good stab at it and hopefully generated a few recoveries! Last time we hit over 1000 birds in October was in 2020. Of all 29 species ringed this month numbers seem to be up across the board in comparison to the last three years. Good movement of Redpoll yielded a Brussels ringed control. 24 Firecrest ringed appears to be a monthly record with the last highest count being 18 in October 2004. Chiffchaff numbers have been exceptional! This month also saw Landguard's 47th Yellow-browed Warbler ringed. 

 

Oct-25
Species	No. Ringed
Goldcrest	153
Redpoll	119
Chiffchaff	110
Blackbird	109
Blackcap	93
Long-tailed Tit	73
Blue Tit	64
Song Thrush	62
Robin	57
Great Tit	42
Meadow Pipit	41
Firecrest	24
Redwing	21
Chaffinch	21
Wren	16
Grey Wagtail	6
Dunnock	6
Cetti's Warbler	6
Linnet	4
Goldfinch	4
Woodpigeon	3
Sparrowhawk	2
House Sparrow	2
Whitethroat	1
Magpie	1
Jack Snipe	1
Greenfinch	1
Yellow-browed Warbler	1
Pied Wagtail	1
Total	1044