Landguard Bird Observatory landguardbo

Thursday 5th March 2026 Glorious sunny, mild morning. A new Firecrest is a tad early for the first of the spring, as opposed to the over wintering individuals. Other migrants include 3 Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Mipit, Robin, Rook & Skylark. 24 Common Scoter offshore & Snow Bunting still present. Nice to get a couple of Peacock & a Small Tort butterflies in the sun. Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Robin, 1 Wren.

05.03.2026 12:57 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

Wednesday 4th March 2026 Small arrival of Chiffchaff with other migrants limited to 2 Redwing & a new Blacky on a murky misty old morning. Some new wandering Long-tailed Tit turned up, over wintering Firecrest encountered again & we are down to one remaining Snow Bunting. Ringing: 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackbird.

04.03.2026 13:22 — 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 First Chiffchaff of the spring is bang on cue although other migrants were limited to a Skylark heard & a new Dunnock which may, or may not, be on the move. Raft of Common Scoter still offshore & one of the wintering Firecrest was noted.Twin-spotted Quaker is another one of those early season flyers that we don't encounter annually. Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Dunnock, 1 Linnet.

03.03.2026 13:45 — 👍 9 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

Monday 2nd March 2026 Pleasant sunny morning with a southerly breeze produced very few migrants to bother us with a new Robin & a Skylark overhead about it. A single male Shelduck was walking around the reserve early on looking for luv, which will cause disruption when the locally paired breeders turn up any day now. 2 Snow Bunting still here.Small Quaker is an early season flyer occurring in small numbers most years although it has failed to appear in others. Ringing: 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Robin.

02.03.2026 14:09 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

Sunday 1st March 2026 Meteorological spring supposedly begins today but it still feels like winter down here. 105 Cormorant went out fishing early doors. Raft of Common Scoter offshore & 2 Snow Bunting present & accounted for. 2 Song Thrush singing in the compound which explains the new one ringed. Ringing: 1 Song Thrush.

01.03.2026 11:36 — 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Saturday 28th February 2026 Dull very predictable end to the month. 2 Snow Bunting still here. Roll on spring !Only our third site record of Early Moth which is one in each of the last two year's plus this one today. It is on the IUCN Red List as "vulnerable".

28.02.2026 14:58 — 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 1

Friday 27th February 2026 Drizzly start to the morning. Offshore sightings have been largely non-existent with an hours effort producing southbound 9 Gannet, 5 Brent & 2 Red-throated Diver with northbound 6 Brent & Great Crested Grebe. 50 Common Scoter offshore, 2 Snow Bunting on back beach & an elusive wintering Firecrest on the reserve. Peregrine sightings have been very infrequent so far this year so good to see one this morning.Hebrew Character has started to appear which should be out from now to early May time.

27.02.2026 12:24 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

Thursday 26th February 2026 First Siskin of the year went past with other migrants single Fieldfare, Mipit & Skylark. Only 20 Common Scoter this morning, 3 Snow Bunting still here plus a new Long-tailed Tit visited with some locals.This Beautiful Plume is probably regretting coming out of hibernation. Ringing: 1 Long-tailed Tit.

26.02.2026 15:05 — 👍 9 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

Wednesday 25th February 2026 Glorious sunny, mild day for the time of the year. Good chunk of time spent putting up the nets for the season so observations limited to 2 Barnacle Geese south, usual raft of Common Scoter & the Snow Bunts.Grey Shoulder-knot is not annual here so always good to get one. It emerges in the autumn, hibernates, then comes out again in the spring.

25.02.2026 18:26 — 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

FELIXSTOWE TOWN COUNCIL GRANT Landguard Bird Observatory is extremely grateful for being awarded an "occasional grant" from Felixstowe Town Council for funding towards replacing our computer which has been running on now outdated Windows 10. Further information on Occasional Grants, who is eligible & how to apply are on - https://felixstowe.gov.uk/council-services/grants/

25.02.2026 18:26 — 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Tuesday 24th February 2026 Total of 41 Barnies south including this flock of 36 just offshore. 2 Songies singing this morning with one at the obs as well as one in the Pear tree at the Butts. Today's migrants were single Jackdaw, Redwing & Skylark. Usual raft of 50 Common Scoter offshore & 3 Snow Bunts on back beach - but for how much longer ? Moth traps have been out for the last four nights with the milder conditions finally encouraging a couple out to play with Common Quaker one of them. Folks inland will be getting a fine assortment whereas it is still bleak at Landguard at this time. Ringing: 1 Redwing.

24.02.2026 12:56 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Monday 23rd February 2026 406 Cormorant went out fishing, 50 Common Scoter & 3 Snow Bunting still present. 48 Linnet is the best count of the year so far.

23.02.2026 13:20 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Sunday 22nd February 2026 308 Cormorant went out fishing, 50 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts out the back, Fieldfare & Skylark on the reserve. Ringing: 1 Fieldfare.

22.02.2026 13:45 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Saturday 21st February 2026 Couple of notable sightings this morning with a croaking Raven paying a visit winding up the local crows, our eighth site record with only three of those this century, all being in the last two years. Also a Yellowhammer landing in the Hawthorn by the observatory before departing north being our first since 22nd February 2024 almost two years ago to the day. Early spring passage of Yellowhammers from late February onwards used to be the norm but, alas, no more. Also this morning southbound 4 Egyptian Geese, Curlew & Oyk with 50 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts on the back beach & a Skylark. The moth traps were put out last night, as it is getting milder, producing 'nil pois' reminding us that it is still winter & it can take a couple of milder nights to get things going.

21.02.2026 17:06 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Friday 20th February 2026 Predictable morning. Todays migrants are 3 Lapwing & a Skylark. 50 Common Scoter offshore, 6 Sanderling on beach early doors & the usual 3 Snow Bunts on back beach.

20.02.2026 14:32 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Thursday 19th February 2026 Vicious easterly gale overnight gusting to Force 9. Rain, then drizzle with wind abating this morning. 700 Cormorant went out fishing early doors, 3 Snow Bunts on back beach, 2 Turnstone with 2 Lapwing the mornings migrants obviously keen to head back to breeding grounds.

19.02.2026 12:01 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Wednesday 18th February 2026 534 Cormorant went out early with at least 2,900 coming in from the north an hour or so later to the feeding grounds offshore. Since more effective effort has been put into persecuting them at Loompit Lake over recent years it is not sure where at lot of them now roost. The early morning birds heading out will be from Trimley Marshes with some still roosting at Loompit. Birds coming in from the north will be from an unknown roost up to 50 miles away with flocks coming in from the south probably roosting in North Kent. They are a dynamic species well used to moving roost sites in response to human harassment but with some individuals living up to 30 years old experienced birds can soon go back to remembered traditional roosting sites. During the afternoon this winter flocks are now often seen heading north from daytime loafing sites as space is limited at Trimley Marshes. If anyone is aware of roosts in North Suffolk it would be interesting to know more. Bit windy although a tight raft of Common Scoter is visible bobbing up & down in the waves with an additional flock of 20 flying north distantly. 3 Snow Bunts still with us.

18.02.2026 12:26 — 👍 9 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

Tuesday 17th February 2026 Butts pond nice & full at the moment. 430 Cormorant went out fishing early, 4 Stock Dove & a Canada Goose flew south, Common Scoter flock distantly offshore & 3 Snow Bunts still here. 2 Peregrine were having a tête-à-tête offshore before one saw the other off.

17.02.2026 12:49 — 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

Monday 16th February 2026 Pleasant morning after yesterday's windy deluge. 11 Starling flew south. Also noted 70 Common Scoter, Cetti's, Mipit, Skylark & the first 2 Greenfinch since this species was last noted on 17th November 2025. Long gone are the days when Greenies were a daily feature here regardless of the time of year.

16.02.2026 13:14 — 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Sunday 15th February 2026 Wet n' windy. Please cut & paste any recent blogs to find out what may, or may not, be here !

15.02.2026 13:39 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This years AGM will be held on Saturday 14th March 2026. Members should have received an agenda plus minutes of last years meeting. If not please email landguardbomembership@gmail.com for details.

14.02.2026 14:03 — 👍 3 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 1

Saturday 14th February 2026 Some pleasant sunshine for a change after a dull chilly start. 415 Cormorant went out fishing plus another 450 came in from the north. Very little moving offshore. 3 Skylark & a Curlew northbound are today's migrants. 70 Common Scoter offshore, 2 Sanderling & 2 Turnstone on the beach with 3 Snow Bunts still with us.

14.02.2026 14:03 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Friday 13th February 2026 350 Cormorant went out early with at least 160 coming in from the north later. Southbound 18 Red-throated Diver, 4 Teal & 2 Shelduck with northbound 20 Red-throats, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Gannet, 3 Velvet Scoter, 2 Brent, 2 Shelduck & Curlew. February is not a good month for Velvets here with only five previous records for this month on file. 50 Common Scoter offshore & 3 Snow Bunting on back beach.

13.02.2026 14:27 — 👍 11 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Thursday 12th February 2026 Catkins on the Hazel is a sign of the impending spring. Another sign of spring is 2 Skylark, one of which was singing his cotton socks off. Several pairs of Skylark used to nest here last century but, alas, no more. Southbound 8 Brent, 7 Red-throated Diver, 3 Canada Geese, 3 Great Crested Grebe & 3 Shelduck with northbound 14 Brent, 3 Red-throats, 2 Shelduck & Oyk. 3 Fieldfare came out of roost in the compound early doors, 2 Turnstone & Rock Pipit on the point, Mipit on the reserve, 70 Common Scoter offshore & 3 Snow Bunts still on the back beach.

12.02.2026 11:54 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Wednesday 11th February 2026 Even Phil the elusive Pheasant is getting jarred off with the ongoing damp, murky conditions. 70 Common Scoter offshore, 3 Snow Bunts back beach, Fieldfare on the reserve & Woodcock in compound. 31 Starling is worth a mention considering how scarce they have been recently.

11.02.2026 12:19 — 👍 9 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Tuesday 10th February 2026 3 Snow Bunting in usual place. That's your lot.

10.02.2026 18:36 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Monday 9th February 2026 Another damp dull morning. 483 Cormorant went out fishing, Common Scoter flock has increased to 90, 27 Brent went north & 3 Snow bunting again on back beach.

09.02.2026 13:07 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Sunday 8th February 2026 Magpies are undergoing nest repairs. They don't seem to worry about the larval nests of Brown-tail moths which are looking a bit manky & some may be terminated out by all the soaking wet weather we have been enduring recently. 880 Cormorant headed out fishing. Southbound 37 Knot, 6 Oyk, 6 Red-throated Diver, 5 Brent, 2 Pintail, 2 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 2 Wigeon & Curlew with northbound 72 Brent, 13 Red-throats & Common Scoter plus the regular 50 Scoter sat offshore. 3 Snow Bunting still here.

08.02.2026 13:31 — 👍 10 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Saturday 7th February A slightly dryer morning. 3 Snow Bunting still here, singing Song Thrush on the Butts & Woodcock in the compound. 5 Ringed Plover and 4 Pied Wagtails on the reserve and beach. 2 Kittiwakes following a boat 30 Starlings north was the first sizeable flock of the year. Ringing - nil.

07.02.2026 13:55 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Friday 6th February 2026 The unpleasant inclement wet conditions with poor visibility persists. 1,440 Cormorant went out fishing early, 3 Snow Bunting still here, single Redwing, Song Thrush & Woodcock in the compound.

06.02.2026 14:20 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

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