Monday 19 May 2014

Another good morning missed

Heysham Obs
Bits and bobs from post-lunch coverage suggested quite a bit was missed earlier on, as did the weather synopsis and the 'fetch' on the SE wind.  Highlighted numerically by a heavy Swallow passage.




However, the "worst coverage of potentially the best mornings (in May)" since I can remember continues - a mixture of unavailability (especially of one key observer) and bad decision-making (on my part!) and too much turning up early doors in clear useless weather and getting disheartened.  The problem is that simplistically the best mornings were down as "wet", but in reality there were early morning weather windows available suitable for extra-careful mist-netting.  This unavailability is unfortunately going to be much worse for  the remainder of the month.  Therefore the pretence to be covering migration this month ends here and any future postings will not be a poor attempt to try and present "coverage", but will just be random odds and ends of interesting sightings.  Hopefully this will be a temporary blip, but it really brings home how much we e.g.  especially rely on one unavailable individual for the seawatching & associated vis




North wall on and off lunchtime-mid afternoon
Swallow - 27 N in 5 minutes, then 75 N in 30 minutes
House Martin - 2 north
Garden Warbler - one in sea buckthorn allowing i.d. as it moved between two clumps
Wheatear - 4 (3 on heliport)




Heysham NR
A trawl round produced:
Spotted Flycatcher - two together in NE corner sycamore




Ocean Edge
Med Gull - black-headed individual again along tideline towards Potts corner
Wheatear - 7 (11 YESTERDAY here plus 4 on heliport)
Whimbrel - 2 on outer Red Nab




Insects
SD36V
Green-veined White female, 4 Common Blue (3 male, one female). YESTERDAY: Small White, 3 Common Blue, Light-brown apple moth
Heysham NR
Burnet Companion - at least one along the entrance road bank (thanks Janet)




Middleton NR
Interesting micro - more later!
Interesting Micro!!