Wednesday 25 September 2013

The forecast doesnt half look good

Heysham Obs
Time to lock the hides and send everyone out to the bushes and coastal trees keeping an ear open for the vis.  This morning was a little 'taster' without any proper wind and probably limited to British migrants, although Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher at nearby Sunderland Pt may have been of non-British origin.  Tomorrow sees the easterly kicking in and a shedload of stuff already on the east coast to the north of us.............

A bit awkward today as there was a lot of ?steam release from the power station and the vis was badly under-recorded.  However, there were certainly 'plenty' of Meadow Pipit, alba Wagtail plus a few other odds and ends, but the main Grey Wagtail passage seems to be past, given the numbers in relation to other vis.

Vis mig dawn on and off until mid-morning
Meadow Pipit - 280 SE (see above)
alba Wagtail - 45 SE (see above)
Grey Wagtail - 5 SE plus one mid-afternoon (2 ringed)
Chaffinch - at least 17 S
Goldfinch - no noticeable movement
Linnet - 5 S
flava Wagtail - one sounding like flavissima south
Skylark - 13 S
Siskin - heard once
Hirundines - none!

Grounded
Stonechat - 2 female types north wall
Robin - plenty of migrants, at least 12-15 on mound/sandworks area first thing (6 ringed nat res)
Chiffchaff - at least 12 on nature reserve (4 ringed)
Goldcrest - 2 north wall just the one seen nature reserve
Reed Warbler - one seen in the field looked like a juvenile Reed Warbler
Blackcap - at least 5 nature reserve
Tits - a flock of Long-tailed Tits numbering 22 along with 5 Coal Tits were the first sign of any movements this autumn

Miscellany
Czech-ringed Med Gull north wall, 2P96 on Red Nab at high tide plus two unringed Meds
Sandwich Tern (3) Red Nab at high tide

Moths
Big influx of Silver Y and Pink-barred Sallow and Treble Bar added to SD36 list