Tuesday 13 July 2010

Sun and wind and mist nets

Heysham Obs
...........are not a good combination.  The short early-morning weather window was accompanied  by full sunlight and this neutralised the best of the Middleton net sites with zero birds caught in it compared to about 40 yesterday.  A short ringing session at Middleton and the Heysham NR CES were highlighted by another juv Grasshopper Warbler (Middleton) and the first Treecreeper of the year (& perhaps the last?) at Heysham NR.  Most Treecreeper records at Heysham involve wandering July juveniles or birds with tit flocks in autumn.  A few years ago, it appeared to be joining Jay as a maturing-tree-related coloniser of Heysham NR with at least one ringed bird in residence, but the last two years have seen a return to former (scarce) status

Coastal stuff
Whimbrel - one north harbour wall
Med Gull - 3 x adults/3CY Red Nab & area (wingtips not seen on two of these)
Redshank - 65 Red Nab/Ocean Edge
Moths
The rare micro Phtheochroa inopiana made an appearance in the hut trap.  About half a dozen previous from here/Middleton plus one from Stanah, Wyre Estuary = the VC60 status.  Other notables/new for the year were:  Garden Tiger, Bordered Beauty, 5 x Double Dart, Ph. coronata, U. lutealis and Limnacaecia phragmitella

Quite a bit to post from this last few days - this will happen soon, including Janet's pics!