LANDGUARD - 29th July

 Clear and sunny pretty much throughout the day but with a hefty force 5 westerly wind somewhat spoiling things; a little trickle of random waders heading south at sea was the day’s highlight which included 16 Black-tailed Godwits (given the hundreds that are currently up the nearby rivers and on wetland reserves, they are surprisingly rarely seen at Landguard), 3 Curlews, a Whimbrel, 3 Dunlin, a summer plumaged Golden Plover, a summer plumaged Grey Plover, 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Sanderling and 7 Turnstone.   

Other birds comprised a Grey Wagtail, 11 Sand Martins, 88 Swifts and a Yellow Wagtail.

Willow Warbler (from 28th)

Holly Blue

Southern Hawker

Copper Underwing

Marbled Clover

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

LANDGUARD - 20th April

 Very calm again first thing but due to a quirk of the weather, it was fairly clear over the point with thick morning mist enveloping Essex across the river and Felixstowe town just to the north and through the hole poured a good and varied arrival of migrants, producing the busiest morning of the spring so far.   The gap didn’t last too long however with the fog realizing its mistake, coming back in and covering the point by 09:00 and lingering all day (when apparently, it was clear not too far inland!).   

Migrant totals in the compound through the morning as I was ringing comprised a Cetti’s Warbler (the first I’ve ringed for many, many years), a Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling just outside the fence, 19 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 5 Robins, the first Reed Warbler of the year, a Sedge Warbler, the first Tree Pipit of the year, a Chaffinch, 8+ Song Thrush, a Redwing, 11 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrest, a Stock Dove, a Swallow, a Yellow Wagtail, 5 Lesser Redpolls and a Whimbrel heard calling in the fog.   

A walk round the reserve in the afternoon allowed me to catch up with the Nightingale at the Mine Station as well as adding 5 Whitethroats, 3 Song Thrushes (all really grey, classic ‘continental’ birds), 2 Chiffchaffs, 4 Wheatears, 3 Robins and the singing Black Redstart to the day.

Cetti's Warbler

Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Lesser Redpoll

The Willow Warblers included this plain, greyish individual

SWEDEN - 7th October

 Rain again and a Long-eared Owl floating around the Obs just before dawn promised another busy day in the nets and so it was with 85 new birds made up of 30 Goldcrests along with the usual Robins, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings while a late Willow Warbler was the only different thing (it was a distinctive, pale bird that looked super-rare hanging in the net but it wasn’t to be!).   

A few other bits were seen around including a late Swallow south, a Hawfinch north, a Sparrowhawk, a Grey Wagtail, 3 White Wagtails and a Great-spotted Woodpecker while high tide counts on the estuary in front of the Obs included 57 Grey Plover, 2 Spotted Redshank and 14 Taiga Bean Geese.   

A cycle out west in the afternoon produced a 1cy Little Gull, 7 Little Grebes, 120 Eiders, a Redstart and 3 Wheatears out by Getteröns Marina and counts of 53 Goldeneye, 22 Goosander, 45 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Red-throated Diver (a Swedish tick!), 7 distant Gannets, an Oystercatcher and a Marsh Harrier on the other side by Sillhallsvik while again every garden, hedge or little clump of trees were full of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Robins and Song Thrushes but again, I couldn’t find anything else with them!

Pale, late Willow Warbler

Goldcrest action

SWEDEN - 10th September

 A lovely morning, clear and sunny but with a little breeze which sprung up a few hours in; the nets at Fågelsjön were profitable with a nice spread of species highlighted by a Grasshopper Warbler (an overdue Swedish tick!), another 4 Bluethroats, a late Marsh Warbler (first one for several weeks), a Yellow Wagtail, 2 Garden Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, a Blackcap, a couple of Bearded Tits and good numbers of Reed Warblers and Siskins.   

Other birds included a Golden Plover, 8 Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, a Great White Egret, an Osprey and 2 Tree Pipits.   

An hour’s look from the Hammarmaden platform in the evening was also productive as birds of note comprised 2 Hen Harriers (both ringtails), 3 White-tailed Eagles, a Sparrowhawk, 5 Buzzards, good counts of 24 Herons, 172 Wigeon and 52 Shoveler, 13 Golden Plover, 14 Ruff and a Great White Egret.   

Grasshopper Warbler

Willow Warbler

SWEDEN - 27th June

A few more birds were caught at Rysjön in the morning with fledglings beginning to make up a higher percentage of the catch, juveniles today included Pied Flycatcher, Thrush Nightingale, Willow Warbler, Robin, Chaffinch and Reed Bunting.   There wasn’t too much new from the tower as birds seen included my first Swedish Green Woodpecker, a singing Icterine Warbler, the Savi’s Warbler giving a little burst of song and a Curlew.   A look at Löten late afternoon produced 7 Pochard, a singing Quail in fields nearby, 7 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Curlew, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Spotted Redshank, 40+ Wood Sandpipers, 15 Ruff and 3 Redshank.

Willow Warbler fledgling

Juvenile Pied Flycatcher

Thrush Nightingale fledgling - I really don't know how or why this got into a net!

LOCKDOWN - Week Two

31^st March

                Nice and dry again with a light but chilly northerly airflow still; presumably the same Blackcap was singing near Benthall Farm (with two still singing near Wyke), 3 Snipe, a Heron, 6 Chiffchaffs and quite a few Redwings still with 19 at The Vineyards and 18 at Benthall Hall – 42 species.

 1^st April

                Overcast and still a bit chilly but not bad really; the highlight of today’s visit to Benthall was a pair of Peregrines on pylons just to the north of Benthall Hall (both adults which really should be on eggs now…).   Other birds included two singing Blackcaps now on site (plus a couple of new singing birds at Wyke and along Benthall Edge), a good count of 42 Meadow Pipits – a migrant flock of 20+ at Benthall Hall and several groups purposefully heading NW, still a few Redwings around with odd ones along Benthall Edge (which were giving little bursts of sub-song) and a flock of 14 high over Benthall Farm, a Snipe, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and 6 Chiffchaffs.   A Red Kite flew west over Wyke at lunchtime and two hirundines seen heading high north over The Vineyards were probably Swallows but were too far away to be sure – 41 species.

2^nd April

                Fairly quiet on patch with a Red Kite over Benthall Edge finally making the list and a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits heading NW finally totalling 40+ in small flocks regularly moving through; three flocks of Woodpigeons totalling 25 birds were also seemingly heading in the same direction.   The real excitement came after dark though with a flock of Common Scoters heard heading north at 22:05 (just luck that I was outside at that time) – part of a big overland movement recorded right across the country, these at the best guess, would have been moving up country from the Severn Estuary to the North Wales coast before heading eastwards across the Pennines to Yorkshire (where most of the records came from) and back out towards Scandinavia – 39 species.

3^rd April

                A nice day, plenty of sunshine but still a bit of a chilly SW wind; birds seen on the daily rove to Benthall included 2 Peregrines again but this time it was an adult male seriously seeing off a 2cy male over Benthall Edge, 3 soaring Sparrowhawks, endless Buzzards, still a handful of Redwings and Fieldfares, still a trickle of Meadow Pipits going NW (although today they were higher up and most of them were only heard), one singing Blackcap, three Little Grebes and 11 Snipe (first double figure count for a while).   There was a single male Wheatear in the traditional field up the Cart-track and three Red Kites were over Wyke – two messing around low and another very high up, purposefully heading SW – 41 species.

4^th April

                A nice day but still a chilly wind; birds on the walk included the first 2 Sand Martins of the year west across the fields, still a trickle of Meadow Pipits heading NW and 11 Redwing.   There was then a good flock of 46 Fieldfares at Wyke while a Red Kite went over – 40 species.

5^th April

                Partly sunny but with a brisk southerly wind; there seemed to be a bit of movement across the area but there was no pattern to it with my first 3 Swallows heading west (a one and a two), 3 Sand Martins – one north over The Vineyards and two east over Water Lane, 22 Linnets heading SW (including a flock of 16), 2 Siskins west and a handful of Meadow Pipits heading NW as usual.   Other birds included my first singing Willow Warbler by Benthall Hall, distant Red Kite, Peregrine, Cormorant and Lesser Black-backed Gull over Benthall Edge, two displaying Lapwings over fields to the SE of the patch and an increase to 14+ Chiffchaffs – 49 species (the best total so far).

6^th April

                Generally a lovely day with plenty of sunshine, although there were a couple of showers and a brisk wind (not as strong as yesterday though); the showers probably led to a brilliant ‘fall’ of 23+ Willow Warblers concentrated around the pools (five at Pool One, eleven at Pool Two and seven at Watery Lane), there were also at least 15 Chiffchaffs around as well; it was great to stand there with multiple Phylloscs flicking around in the trees – just like a coastal arrival!   Other birds included my first House Martin of the year high over Benthall Edge, at least 5 Swallows through, a Sparrowhawk, loads of Buzzards, 15+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls high to the north, 2 Snipe, a Red Kite, a handful of Redwings still in the woods along Benthall Edge and a good count of 36 Linnets while a handful of Meadow Pipits and a Siskin went NW.   The Long-tailed Tit nest that I’ve been following is now a completed dome, five days after being started – 46 species.

Willow Warblers

Long-tailed Tit putting the finishing touches to the outside of her nest

Blackcap

Reed Bunting

Blackbird

Robin

NORTH RONALDSAY - 29th September

Still good conditions, bright and dry but the we lost the east out of the wind which picked up a touch and moved into the north; there was again though a reduction in migrant numbers but still a good spread of birds and a sprinkling of scarcities.   Highlights included the male Grey-headed Wagtail again, 2 Barred Warblers – the Quoybanks bird still and a new one seen at Holland, 4 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Red-backed Shrikes – birds trapped at The Obs and at Ancum (one of which is presumably the long-staying bird but I don’t know which!) and the Shorelark again at Bewan – again we’re presuming it’s the over-summering bird but it hasn’t been seen for three weeks…   Other migrant totals comprised 8 Herons, 142 Wigeon, 141 Teal, single Hen Harrier, Kestrel and Peregrine, 3 Merlins, a Ruff, 6 Jack Snipe, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Woodpigeons, a Long-eared Owl seen at Ancum at dusk, 2 Short-eared Owl, 2 Tree Pipits, 39 Robins, 19 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 46 Wheatear, 69 Song Thrush, 51 Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 17 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warblers, 10 Goldcrest, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher, 10 Chaffinches, 13 Reed Buntings, a Lapland Bunting and an influx of 32 Snow Buntings.    Also of note during a look offshore were 3 Sooty Shearwaters, a Manx Shearwater and a Puffin while a late Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at Holland.

Reed Bunting

Silver Y

Willow Warbler

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th September

The westerly wind had eased off (slightly) in the morning, making it a bit better while out and about but it picked back up to blazing again by the afternoon; a few passerines popped out in the lighter winds (probably lingering / hiding birds rather than new arrivals!) including a Barred Warbler glimpsed in Holland, 2 Whinchats, 46 Wheatears, a Garden Warbler, 6 Willow Warblers and a Northwestern-type Redpoll at Garso – which probably was new in.   Some passage offshore was dominated by a good total of 1,700 Gannets along with 4 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 28 Sooty Shearwaters, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas, 14 Bonxies and 4 Arctic Terns.   Some good totals around the island also comprised a Heron, 346 Pink-footed Geese, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Kestrel, 126 Ringed Plover, 800 Golden Plover, 230 Sanderling, 52 Purple Sandpipers, a Ruff, 49 Dunlin, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits and 370 Turnstone.

Willow Warbler

NORTH RONALDSAY - 9th September

Another nice day with a moderate NW breeze which eased off slightly towards the evening; a decent spread of migrants across the island showed some small increases in numbers including the first 3 Rock Pipits of the autumn, 4 Whinchats, yesterday’s Barred Warbler still at Sandback, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Garden Warblers, 10 Willow Warblers, 3 Goldcrest and 5 Pied Flycatchers.   Other birds of note comprised 3 Herons, a Hen Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 2 Merlin, a Peregrine, a Grey Plover, 2 Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit and the Shorelark still at Trolla.

Golden Plover

Willow Warbler

Pied Flycatcher

NORTH RONALDSAY - 29th April

A beautiful day with pretty much wall-to-wall sunshine and a light (but surprisingly chilly) SE breeze; the clear and obvious highlight came in the evening when by a very convoluted route involving blurry photos on the island Whatsapp, then an independent discovery, then a confusing conversation where it was thought by the Obs that they were discussing the photo, when in fact they were actually watching the bird and finally a mad drive up to the Lighthouse to get fabulous views of a lovely MOURNING DOVE on the grass outside the Café – an awesome island first!   It was very approachable, seeming very tired but it had disappeared by dusk, hopefully to be re-found tomorrow.

                There was a similar spread of other migrants across the island compared to previous days as totals comprised a flock of 8 Barnacle Geese north, the two drake Garganey still, a Jack Snipe at Ancum, 2 Whimbrel, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 White Wagtails, a Dunnock, 23 Robins, a Black Redstart, a Redstart, 70 Wheatears, 8 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Blackcaps, 23 Chiffchaff, 14 Willow Warblers, 2 Rook, 11 Brambling and the first Butterfly of the year – a Red Admiral at Holland.

Mourning Dove

One of those grey Willow Warblers

NORTH RONALDSAY - 26th April

Back to our default settings of late with a brisk SE wind and plenty of bright sunshine; there were generally fewer birds around than yesterday although coverage was down.   There were still migrants around though as totals from the south of the island and up the west coast included 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, a Grey Plover, 3 Woodpigeons, a Dunnock, 20 Robins, 50 Wheatears, 3 Ring Ouzels, 8 Song Thrush, a Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 11 Willow Warblers, the unseasonal Yellow-browed Warbler that was found yesterday still at Upper Linney (the first spring record for the island), a Rook and 17 Bramblings.

Lesser Whitethroat

Ring Ouzel

Kestrel

Brambling

Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs

Blackcap

Yellow-browed Warbler record shot

Merlin