Saturday 7th November 2015

A rather wet and windy day today but still we aren't put off by any weather and all carried on as normal. Still a few birds hanging around the observatory and nature reserve.

New arrivals today and on the move included 29 Cormorant, 4 Gannet, 3 Brent Geese, 6 Common Scoter, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Kittiwake, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Turnstone, c.15 Robin, c.15 Dunnock, 4 Pied Wagtail, c.12 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 6 Fieldfare, 1+ Redwing, 7 Goldfinch, 5 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 4 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Skylark, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap.

This December Moth turned up in our moth traps this morning, must be showing a sign that winter is here.

Ringing: No birds ringed today due to the bad weather.

Friday 6th November 2015

Heavy cloud, westerly winds and intermittent spells of rain proved to drop in a few migrants around the observatory throughout the morning.

With the mild conditions, migrants like Rush Veneer are still turning up in small numbers.

Migrants today involved 78 Cormorant, 12 Brent Geese, 2 Gannet, 7 Common Gull, 6 Common Scoter, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kittiwake, 7 Wigeon, 40 Golden Plover, 1 Shelduck, c.15 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare, c.15 Robin, 44 Goldfinch, 30 Siskin, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 8 Chaffinch, 7 Linnet, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Brambling, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Skylark, 24 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit and 1 Swallow.

Ringing: 10 birds ringed during the morning including 5 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Greenfinch.

Thursday 5th November 2015

After the rain finally stopped mid morning, still we were shrouded in thick cloud and a strong south westerly wind which did pay dividends for a few niceties seen during the morning.

New migrants on-site today included 27 Cormorant, 25 Brent Geese, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Kittiwake, 2 Common Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Northern Diver, 37 Knot, 17 Dunlin, 4 Grey Plover, 3 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Grey Phalarope, 8 Robin, 7 Goldcrest, c.15 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 27 Goldfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 3 Linnet, 1 Greenfinch, 20 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit, 10 Skylark, 6 Pied Wagtail and 1 Jackdaw.

A single Rock Pipit hanging around the nature reserve at the moment, feeding up on any small insects that are still available at the moment.

Ringing: 3 birds ringed which include 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Robin.

Wednesday 4th November 2015

With the continuing  mild weather migrant moths are still appearing, like this Rusty-dot Pearl(Udea ferrugalis). 

The rain arrived just before dawn and continued off and on all morning, making it something of a frustrating day, especially for those looking for yesterdays Pied Wheatear, which unfortunately could not be found today. Not much else was seen either just a few Brent Geese and Cormorants passing offshore along with 4 Shelduck and 1 Curlew, whilst on site 4 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 1 Brambling and a Stock Dove.

Ringing totalled just 3 Goldcrests. 

Tuesday 3rd November 2015

The continuing south easterly wind proved to bring up the goods today with quite a few new migrants on-site including a rather little stunner. 

A stunning adult male Pied Wheatear appeared early this morning on the nature reserve and showed very well throughout the rest of the day. This is a site first and the third site first so far this year. The bird was reported yesterday briefly but was unable to be found due to the thick and heavy fog on-site at the time.

Other migrants found today include 53 Cormorant, 24 Brent Geese, 5 Common Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Wigeon, c.15 Blackbird, 6 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Fieldfare, c.10 Robin, 204 Goldfinch, 109 Siskin, 59 Linnet, 41 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Chaffinch, 8 Greenfinch, 3 Brambling, 3 Goldcrest, 54 Meadow Pipit, 5 Rock Pipit and 19 Skylark.

Ringing: 24 birds ringed ringed during the morning including 14 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Redwing, 1 Robin and 1 Pied Wheatear.

Monday 2nd November 2015

Shrouded in thick and heavy fog all day didn't do much for the migrant front but a few birds still around despite the tricky weather.

New migrants today included 108 Starling, 3 Redwing, 8 Goldcrest, 8 Greenfinch, 7 Goldfinch, 5 Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, 1 Siskin, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Mute Swan, 14 Cormorant, 1 Gannet, 6 Meadow Pipit, 3 Rock Pipit, 5 Skylark, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Reed Bunting, c.15 Blackbird and 4 Stock Dove.

This Little Auk was found this afternoon, unfortunately it had succumbed to the elements and we presume it was taken by a local Peregrine Falcon.

Ringing: 5 birds ringed during the morning including 2 Chaffinch, 1 Robin, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Fieldfare.

Sunday 1st November 2015

Fog - it started to clear but then changed it's mind. A very small handful of new migrants on site but not a lot. Worth a mention are 5 Siskins flying around lost in the murk looking for friends, 3 Skylark, single Woodcock, Snipe, Fieldfare & Wheatear, Mottled Umber is a common enough moth in England but one that we have only noted here in six previous years. As the females are flightless are we just getting wandering males or does the species occur here at a low population density ?

8 birds ringed: 4 blackbird, 1 song thrush, 1 goldcrest, 1 goldfinch, 1 greenfinch.

October Ringing Total

1256 of 33 species ringed. The Goldcrest numbers were record breakers.

Great-spotted Woodpecker	2		House Sparrow	2
Sparrowhawk	2		Wren	45
Woodpigeon	3		Dunnock	14
Grey Wagtail	13		Robin	100
Blackbird	105		Goldcrest	624
Song Thrush	32		Firecrest	8
Redwing	13		Swallow	16
Blue Tit	38		Meadow Pipit	2
Great Tit	7		Long-tailed Tit	10
Common Whitethroat	1		Chaffinch	23
Lesser Whitethroat	1		Brambling	8
Blackcap	55		Greenfinch	5
Garden Warbler	1		Goldfinch	21
Chiffchaff	52		Lesser Redpoll	44
Common Redstart	1		Mealy Redpoll	1
Woodcock	3		Pallas's Warbler	1
Starling	1