Monday 11th November 2019

Wet start followed by an increasing chilly wind. Amongst 2,000 large gulls offshore were at least 28 Gannet & 3 Bonxie. Also offshore southbound 15 Wigeon, 6 Brent, 6 Red-throated Diver & Knot with northbound 15 Common Scoter & Red-throated Diver. On site at least 6 Redwing plus a couple of new Blackies & Songies. 5 Snow Bunting on the beach with no photographers following them around for the first time in days - I wonder why ! Also on the beach 2 Ringos on the rising tide.

Tachystola acroxantha is an abundantly common Australian adventive species with this worn one inside the observatory watch point rather than outside in these conditions.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush.

Sunday 10th November 2019

Pleasant morning although few new migrants on site. Yet another gang of Long-tailed Tit turned up with a supporting cast of 4 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, Blackcap, Brambling, Chiffchaff, Fieldfare, Snipe, Tree Sparrow & Woodcock with 3 Purps on the point plus the 4 Snow Bunting on the beach. Like yesterday 5 Lapwing on the reserve were shifted by the first dog walkers of the morning. Vis mig + offshore movements minimal with southbound 5 Mipit, 3 Linnet, 2 Goldfinch & Skylark and northbound 16 Common Scoter, 15 Carrion Crow 3 Gannet & Guillemot.

Ringing: 10 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Blackcap, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Wood Pigeon.

Saturday 9th November 2019

Only 1,794 Cormorant went out fishing early on.

Fairly standard bright 'n clear early November selection  with on site at least 25 Blackbird, 15 Long-tailed Tit, 9 Chaffinch, 5 Mipit. 5 Redwing, 4 Snow Bunting, 3 Brambling, 2 Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Fieldfare & Yellowhammer with 16 Lapwing on the reserve first thing shifted by the first dog walkers of the day. Offshore viewing difficult with the "currant bun" shining bright but included a Puffin heading north with the bulk of our meagre total of sightings of this species at this time of the year. Some vis mig with southbound 17 Black-headed Gull, 17 Goldfinch, 6 Skylark, 3 Crows, 2 Mipit & Siskin.

Getting late (ish) in the season for Painted Lady butterfly.

Ringing: 11 Long-tailed Tit, 9 Blackbird, 5 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 1 Sparrowhawk.

Friday 8th November 2019

Glorious morning was ideal for another 38 Long-tailed Tit to pass through although the supporting cast of migrants was limited to a couple of new Blackies, Chaffinch & a Bullfinch. The Snow Bunts on the beach have found friends with 6 now present. 2 Chiffchaff are loitering & both Purp & Rockit were on the point. Vis mig & offshore movements were restricted to southbound 38 Goldfinch, 8 Linnet, 7 Brent, 3 Common Scoter, 3 Gannet, 3 Skylark, Bonxie, Grey Wagtail & Oyk with northbound 31 Common Scoter, 5 Skylark & 3 Brent. 1942 Cormorant went out fishing.

Ringing: 22 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Blackbird, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Wood Pigeon.

November Litter Pick

Litter pick this Saturday 9th November 0930 hrs start. Usual arrangements on the events page of www.lbo.co.uk

Thursday 7th November 2019

Muntjac are probably on site more often than we record.

Another very wet start but after that it was OK with a few bits'n bobs of interest. Offshore southbound 453 Brent, 73 Gannet, 29 Wigeon, 24 Knot, 13 Dunlin, 12 Teal, 9 Eider, 8 Common Scoter, 7 Common Gull, 7 Red-throated Diver, 5 Mipit, 4 Skylark, 3 Bonxie, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gadwal, 2 Linnet, 2 Siskin, 2 Turnstone, Black-throated Diver, Curlew, Goldeneye, Great-crested Grebe, Great-northern Diver, Grey Plover, Pintail & Red-breasted Merganser with northbound Bonxie, Common Scoter & Red-throated Diver plus loitering offshore at least 13 Gannet & Pom Skua. On site a small arrival of new Blackies, Goldcrest, Redwing, Redpoll, Robin & Fieldfare. The 3 Snow Bunting are still on the beach plus Purp & Rockit on the point.

Bit late in the season for this Shuttle-shaped Dart to be on the wing.

Ringing: 8 Robin, 6 Blackbird, 4 Goldcrest, 2 House Sparrow.

Wednesday 6th November 2019

Little Auk about to be knocked out of the sky by male Peregrine, it crawled down a hole and when emerged was killed by Carrion Crows with a Magpie grabbing the head & flying off with it. Two (possibly three) other Little Auk were noted offshore. Very little on the move with southbound 22 Black-headed Gull, 17 Goldfinch, 8 Brent, 4 Redpoll, 2 Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver, Shelduck, Skylark, Swallow & Wigeon with northbound 12 Common Scoter, Gannet & Goldeneye (plus 2 Gannet loitering offshore). Only 1,340 Cormorant went out fishing but poor visibility due to fog meant we may have missed some. On site a handful of new Blackies, 6 Chaffinch, 4 Fieldfare, 3 Snow Bunting, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Redwing, 2 Turnstone, Chiffchaff, Rock Pipit, Siskin & Stonechat.

Ringing: 7 Blackbird, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Song Thrush.