Heysham Obs
Coverage was pretty good today and great for butterflies and year-ticking various flies and the like..........but bird-wise it was a real scraps under the table effort after the last two days, but not without interest, notably a Goldcrest 'control' EPR198
Grounded office area etc
Goldcrest - 15 ringed plus one control
Willow Warbler - at least 3 singing males early on (2 ringed)
Blackcap - 2 singing males early on
Chiffchaff - no evidence of any migrants - odd
Wheatear - just one
Vis mig
Meadow Pipit - 255 NE
Redpoll - 12 NE
Woodpigeon - very prominent early on but uncertain of status - definitely at least 14 migrants heading north
Goldfinch - 11 NE
Carrion Crow - definite passage birds comprised 4+2+8 north
Reed Bunting - 4 NE
Swallow - 3 NE
Linnet - 23 NE
alba Wagtail - just 2 N E
Miscellany
Cetti's Warbler - 2 bursts of song western marsh
Snipe - 2 Middleton
Gadwall - 3 pairs Middleton
House Sparrow - male gate 38 (again)
Bullfinch - unringed bird caught
Wren - as above
Great Tit - as above
Eider - 180
Mammal
Day-flying small bat spp by dipping pond
Insects
Brimstone (6), Comma (2), Peacock (2), Small Tortoiseshell (1) Heysham NR transect
Lots of drone flies for the first day. Moths included Shoulder Stripe
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.