LANDGUARD - 8th July

 A decent day with a moderate WSW breeze, overcast at first but with spells of warm sunshine from mid-morning; there was a trickle of birds offshore through the morning including a nice variety of waders heading south, consisting of 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper (a Landguard tick!), 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, 7 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Teal, 18 Sand martins, 3 Swallows and 6 Swifts.   

Also of note were the Black Redstart family still, the lingering Chiffchaff and a confiding juvenile Stock Dove.

Stock Dove

Woodpigeon and chick

(not) LANDGUARD - 7th July

 Visited Hollesley RSPB, Boyton RSPB and the River Deben at Melton through the morning where the highlights consisted of 2 Spoonbills at Hollesley where there was also a Common Sandpiper and 10 Black-tailed Godwits, at least 31 Curlew, 17 Little Egrets and 3 Black-tailed Godwits at Boyton and a good selection of waders at close quarters at Melton as the tide came up including 234 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshank and 44 Redshank.

Spoonbill

Greenshank

Black-tailed Godwits

Oystercatcher and chick

LANDGUARD - 5th July

 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 highlight came just after lunch when a male Serin flew in to land in the Poplars at the back of the Obs, gave a few bars of song before disappearing again.   

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

Bedstraw Hawkmoth

Clancy's Rustic

Common Emerald

Clouded Border

Shore Wainscot

LANDGUARD - 1st July

An overcast start to the month but it gradually broke up, producing a pleasant day with the sun making some half-hearted appearances; the most notable event of the day was three juvenile Great-spotted Woodpeckers all arriving together mid-morning – possibly all from the same brood but anyway, a record day count for the Obs!   

Other birds comprised the Black Redstart family, two lingering Chiffchaffs, 10 Curlews south, a Whimbrel, a Grey Wagtail south, 4 Teal south, 9 Oystercatchers, 12 Sandwich Terns and 55 Swifts.

Hornet Moth

Great-spotted Woodpecker

(not) LANDGUARD - 30th June

 Drove up to East Yorkshire last night but when I got to Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve first thing it was a pretty grim morning with drizzly rain and a brisk, cold northerly wind, there was though, 200+ people already there waiting patiently!   Everyone had to wait a good couple of hours before the shout went up and the magnificent adult BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS appeared over the cliffs and cruised towards us, passing beneath us to the west, I’ve never seen so much relief in a twitching crowd!   

It soon reappeared over our heads heading back to its favoured little section of cliff from where it circled round out over the sea and along the cliffs, sometimes briefly landing with the Gannets, as if looking for a friend before flying west again to show very well on the cliffs opposite the centre – awesome!   

It was brilliant to be in a seabird colony again with the strong wind coming up the cliffs making it perfect for the thousands of Gannets, Auks and Kittiwakes to just hang in the updrafts at the top of the cliffs; other birds were not really paid much attention but did include a Barn Owl, a singing Corn Bunting and lots of Tree Sparrows.

Black-browed Albatross

LANDGUARD - 29th June

 Another grey and overcast morning with spells of drizzle but it brightened towards lunchtime – although it was hardly tropical!   Quiet on the bird front although bits did include the Black Redstart family, a dispersing juvenile Chiffchaff, a Curlew north, a Grey Wagtail, a Mediterranean Gull, 5 Sandwich Terns, a Sparrowhawk and 36 Swifts drifting north.

Juvenile Chiffchaff

LANDGUARD - 26th June

 After some biblical spells of rain overnight, the early morning cloud dispersed quickly, leaving a warm and sunny day; it was quieter offshore than the last couple of days but highlights comprised 8 Common Scoter, 2 Curlews, 2 Fulmars, 5 Mediterranean Gulls and a Sandwich Tern.   

Other birds included 3 Black Redstarts, a Greenshank over (a Landguard tick!), another dispersing juvenile Coal Tit, 4 Swifts and the peeping, tiny Pheasant chicks still being watched over by a protective mother.   

Of great local note was a male Banded Demoiselle floating around one of the net lanes – only the third site record after individuals in 2003 and 2004, the paucity of records unsurprising due to the lack of flowing water of any kind!

Pheasant chick