Sunday 23 September 2012

Weather falls between two stools

Heysham Obs
Not quite the cloud cover anticipated at dawn this morning and it was obviously too clear for any numbers of night migrants.  On the other hand, after a reasonable start, the SE wind 'kicked in' and knocked the vis mig on the head after about 0915hrs, especially Meadow Pipit.  However, the forecast certainly does look interesting this week, albeit hard to be certain of detail.  At the moment, it looks like 'game on' on Wednesday for the advice given yesterday, including finding the stuff which will be grounded in the bad weather the next two days!  A Red-breasted Flycatcher in one of the Sunderland Point gardens would be very nice!

Vis mig mainly by the office dawn to about 1000hrs
Tree Sparrow - one south
Grey Wagtail - just two south and another grounded on the NHW mound
Meadow Pipit - 411 SE (nearly all pre-0930hrs)
Chaffinch - 132 S
Goldfinch - 36 S
Sparrowhawk - 1+1 high to south
Pink-footed Goose - flock of 28 S
alba Wagtail - 44 SE
Linnet - 3 S
Redpoll spp 1+1 SE
Swallow - 36 SE
Greylag - 6 NW
Cormorant - one high to south
Coal Tit - flock of 4 moved through
Greenfinch - just 6 southbound highflyers counted as vis
Carrion Crow - 3+13 S
Grey Heron - 1 S

Grounded
Meagre fare
Willow Warbler - one by office early on soon moved inland
Chiffchaff - c10 located with some obviously in situ, including an old retrap.  Some migrants however with 4 ringed
Blackcap - Two unringed birds and a retrap from two days ago
Wheatear - 2
Dunnock - 3 ringed
Robin - little obvious evidence of migrants but 4 new birds ringed
Goldcrest - just the four migrants located

Ringing
New birds:  4 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 10 Meadow Pipit, 7 Chaffinch, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Wren

Inshore 
Med Gull - 2 Ad, 1 2CY, 1 juv