Sunday 7 September 2008

A bit disappointing

Heysham Obs
Nothing mind-boggling this morning with the weather being very uncooperative as any large-scale ringing was negated by a strong early morning wind which abated rather too late. Given the windy conditions, a 'whoosh' net was used for the Grey Wagtail colour-ringing project and this resulted in one bird too many i.e. it was sat on the metal pole or elastic whilst the other 7 were in perfect position. You cannot fire the net under these circumstances and only two remained when it was safe to do so.

Outfalls
Little Gull - Ad & 2 x 2nd W (one looks like an ad but we know differently from its moult history!)
Med Gull - Czech-ringed adult
Common Tern - juv

General
Spotted Flycatcher - one in the sycamore near Gate 38
Wheatear - 13 along coast/non-op land
Tree Pipit - 1 over Middleton IE & 1 grounded at Heysham Nature reserve
Grey Wagtail - 8 down to tape for a short time (2 ringed) and 5 later SE
Chiffchaff - 11 scattered around (including 5 with Middleton LTT flock, 2 by the Moneyclose Lane traffic lights)
Whitethroat - one by office pm
Lesser Whitethroat - one
Robin - 'lots' - including 6 on the rocks at Red Nab
Goldcrest - just 1!
Meadow Pipit - 17 SE
Swallow - c20 SE
Goldfinch - flock of 83 at Red Nab
Linnet - 8
Eider - 2 off NHW

Elsewhere
Black-necked Grebe Conder Pool. 6 adult & 1 2nd W Med Gulls on nearby Lune Estuary, one Ad on Conder Pool & another by Greyhound Bridge, Lancaster. Ad Yellow-legged Gull & Ruff Lune Estuary. Little Egret over Asda early morning.