Landguard Point - 3/9/2021

Juv PED WAGTAIL, a bird that's common on the Point.

What can I say about Landguard? Not much. On most visits I don't see much, I see more on my Local Patch at times, but what little you see at Landguard is usually interesting. Somehow something unusual turns up and there could be something worth the visit. However today was fairly quiet, birds were few and far between and there's not much to report really, but I enjoy writing blogs so included a post anyway.

RABBITS are common on the Point

Bucking the trend for the summer, this early September has been blessed with some sunny weather. However this glorious weather though good for a day out was not great for birdwatching. Landguard is all about the migrants, and September is a good time for the movement of birds, but this site is reliant on the right kind of weather to bring the migrants in. The right type at this time of year is a nice strong wind blowing from the north and east, to blow the migrants in from the continent, and when adding in overcast conditions can create a fall of lost migrants.

A REDSTART was in the bushes around this building

The best way to describe Landguard is as a desert, a dry land where little grows. The Point sticks out between the sea and the Orwell and Stour rivers, with water on all sides, except for the north where the urban fringe of Felixstowe town and docks provide an artificial barrier. Landguard is shaped like a dog's canine jutting out into the sea, and by sticking out like this it attracts migrants. The site is vegetated shingle, with scattered bushes to the north where they grow around the various crumbling old buildings on the spit. In bushes around the building near the radar a female REDSTART was seen briefly, her red tail flashing as I saw her flight. As you move further south the bushes die out and it opens up as an area of grassland. This is a good spot for WHEATEARS and a male was present today, but that was all, its been a pretty poor Autumn for them so far.

The sandy beaches of Landguard looking towards Felixstowe

There were plenty of birds of the commoner variety, which despite being so plentiful are still just as good as any rarity. Landguard is great for LINNETS with large numbers nesting in the scattered bushes around the spit, and as well there were large numbers of GOLDFINCHES, STARLINGS, and PIED WAGTAILS present on the Point. The wagtails like the open grassy areas to the south.

GULLS following the fishing boat coming into land. Harwich is in the background, across the river

With the Point sticking out into the sea, it is surrounded by nice sandy beaches, where despite the closeness of urbanity were nice and quiet. Feeding on the beach by the groynes were three SANDERLING,  a first record for me at this site, they are waders of sandy mud. The sea was fairly quiet, just some GULLS following the fishing boats.

The docks of Felixstowe seen across the Point, the tall white building is the Radar. Landguard at this point is an open desert.

A quiet time at Landguard, then, but it was worth a try just on the chance there might have been migrants about. Birdwatching at this time is like a gamble, on the chance that the conditions are right enough to attract some migrants. Myself, I like to find my own birds, rather than reacting and waiting for other people to find the rare birds for me, I like going out into the wild and just finding out what's about, common or rare.