Sunday 11 March 2012

Motley mish-mash of low-key migration

Heysham Obs
The highlight, in a strictly local fashion, was a northbound flock of 8 Carrion Crow - not the commonest spring migrant here

North wall 0800-0825
Red-breasted Merganser - influx with 17 visible
Carrion Crow - flock of 8 north
Meadow Pipit - 2 out of only 6 seen all morning heading north
Pied Wagtail - 3 north
Twite - 9, c15 later
Goldfinch - 2
Linnet - 2
Shag - at least 2 around
Cormorant - still 35 at high tide
No obvious sign of Purple Sandpiper amongst the mass of Turnstone and a few Redshank on the wooden jetty but could easily have been in the flock

Reserve
Unringed Robin (2) and Dunnock (2) hinted at something happening, but the only Goldcrest caught (out of two present) was ringed a week ago, most unusual for a spring migrant!
Green Woodpecker - in the tank farm about 0730hrs

Moths
Early Grey new for the year and welcome here where not quite annual plus Hebrew Character (3), Dotted Border (2) and March Moth (2)