Heysham Obs
The morning started with scraping ice off the windscreen and a short 'vis' session saw a species composition more suited to mid-October than the last few days of September. The main themes were a very early thrush arrival with the earliest ever Fieldfare (27 years obs.) and an increase in the already perceptible Jay movement
Vis 0730-0930 by the NR office
Redwing - 158, mainly SW. The first was a grounded bird which headed inland at 0730, then swung SW, the rest were all 'vis'
Meadow Pipit - just 41 SE
Fieldfare - 2 SW
Yellowhammer - 1 south (rare here)
Blackbird - at least one migrant flew high inland with Song Thrush
Dunnock - one high to the south
Chaffinch - Just 5 SW
Greenfinch - 47 SW
Jay - 27 south, including a flock of 12
Goldfinch - 8 S
alba Wagtail - 7 SE
Siskin - 1 S
Swallow - 14 S
House Martin - 3 S
Woodpigeon - 6 S
Reed Bunting - 1 S
Tree Sparrow - flock of 7 SE
Carrion Crow - flock of 5 S
Song Thrush - 28 grounded birds high inland to the E. Those seen well appeared to be olive-coloured continental birds and this was certainly suggested by the behaviour (and associated species!)
Ring Ouzel - grounded adult(?) male flew high towards the SE corner of the reserve
Grounded
See above re-thrushes. At least 10 Goldcrest and at least 5 Chiffchaff
Chough
No sign on non-op or on foreshore but plenty of places it could still be.
Outfalls
1st W Med at long range
North harbour wall
Not checked
Elsewhere
Turtle Dove Cockersands late afternoon - flew towards Crook Farm. 'Stubble burning' at Cockersands produced 60-70 Skylark and 30-40 Meadow Pipit but no Laps. Great White Egret Leighton area. Ad & juv Arctic and ad Common Tern on Pine lake. Hybrid Ferruginous x Pochard at Leighton Moss late evening.
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.