Monday 24 October 2011

Starlings lead the vis mig parade

Heysham Obs
Vis mig by the office 0730-1100
Golden Plover - 1
Lapwing - 9
Woodpigeon - 5
Meadow Pipit - 2
alba Wagtail - 7
Fieldfare - 43
Song Thrush - 1
Redwing - 174
Jay - 1
Carrion Crow - 2
Raven - 5 together south
Starling - 1,304 south-west
Chaffinch - 401
Brambling - 1
Greenfinch - 15
Goldfinch - 12
Linnet - 1
Bullfinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 1

Grounded
Goldcrest - just 3-4
Chiffchaff - 2 (north-east corner and by dipping pond)
Blackcap - one ringed with off-passage fat score of 4
Blackbird - absolute minimum of 50 first thing around the office (landfalling overnight and flushed in the dark from gorse and hawthorns)
Redwing - relatively few before dawn (5-10)
Robin - lot of ticking first thing but just the one lightweight unringed bird caught


A couple of windblown insectivores in the north-east corner during the afternoon (Chiffchaff and Goldcrest).  Thanks Janet

North harbour wall
Twite - 8 seen early afternoon, 2 wearing our colour rings
Linnet - 10
Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Eider one inshore

Miscellany
At least three Treecreeper around with one already ringed, one unringed and one of unknown 'status'.  Small amount of ringing this morning in winds which were less than forecasted with new birds comprising:  Blackbird (3), Song Thrush (1), Chaffinch (7), Greenfinch (2), Treecreeper (1), Long-tailed Tit (1), Blackcap (1), Robin (1)

Butterfly
Red Admiral north harbour wall late morning with at least three seen early afternoon flying along NHW from harbour entrance towards Half Moon Bay.