Sunday 28 September 2008

A scattering of migrants & plenty of Pink-feet

Heysham Obs
The last settled day for a bit saw calm conditions following an overnight weak weather front, followed by a light-mod. north-westerly. Quite a reasonable selection of birds but the vis, assuming it was passing over here like Caton Moor (see LDBWS site posting for today), was a little too high to record all but Pink-footed Geese. These were flying south at a height which was above the recording level for the likes of Meadow Pipit.

Grounded
Willow Warbler - one ringed (Middleton)
Chiffchaff - probably less than 5 (2 ringed)
Goldcrest - c10 (5 ringed)
Reed Warbler - juv ringed (nature reserve)
Blackcap - small influx; one at Middleton & 4 ringed on HNR
Coal Tit - irruptive singletons totalling c10, but no flocks recorded (4 ringed)
Robin - just one unringed bird trapped
Wheatear - an influx with 8 scattered around the coastal sites

Vis mig
Grey Wagtail - c7 (5 colour-ringed)
Meadow Pipit - very few at low level - just 7 SE at Middleton and 3 attracted down to the HNR tape
Pink-footed Goose - 12 flocks totalling about 1,250 birds (dawn to c1000hrs) - mostly heading due south & NOT apparently coming from 'over the bay'.
Linnet - 5 SE
Skylark - 9
Siskin - flock heard & 1 SE

North harbour wall
Med Gull - 3 adult
Shag - up to 4 juveniles on wooden jetty

Elsewhere
No sign of the Pec Sand at Leighton Moss during the morning but 2 x Little Stint and 1 x Curlew Sandpiper there. Further (post 1000hrs) Pink-footed Goose movements e.g. Farleton confirming that most of the movement was from the N/NE, not from "across the Bay"