More Reed Buntings

Heysham Obs
Heysham NR office area
The main theme of the Nature Reserve ringing was Chaffinches, with 17 caught at one net site. A Grey Wagtail was ringed - surely we are now at the back-end of the migration of this species. Apart from a single Chiffchaff, there was little else migrant-wise.

Middleton IE
Vis:
Meadow Pipit 12
Chaffinch 6
alba Wagtail 3
Siskin 5
Greenfinch 4
Skylark 6
Song Thrush 1
Starling 2
Goldfinch 1
Grey Wagtail 3

Ringing:
13 Reed Buntings, without any retraps from yesterday, indicates a significant passage for this species at this site, with a record 27 ringed in two days (plus the capture of a 1CY ringed at Leighton in July, therefore almost certainly out of a nest there). As significant numbers are also being ringed at Leighton, just the one movement between the two most definitely does not suggest local origin for all these birds. Indeed, the recent Little Bunting (accompanying Reed Buntings) at Seaforth does perhaps indicate that some of the Reed Buntings could even be from across the North Sea. A Chiffchaff was also ringed at Middleton but little else of note.

Elsewhere
2 x Great White Egret Leighton Moss (including the French colour-ringed bird)