Wednesday 9 September 2015

An already ringed Grey Wagtail!

Heysham Obs
A Grey Wagtail ringed as a nestling by the five gate road Upper Roeburndale ford on 21/5/15 (much nearer my house than Heysham NR!) was caught along with an unringed bird at Heysham NR at 0815hrs.  Given that the usual flightline of vis mig birds is NNW to SSE it was a bit unexpected to find a movement of 19km SSW.  Its obviously had a good wander since fledging.  A case of 'scrutinise properly and you will find' with the neap high tide roost this morning - 13 easy to miss 2CY Meds!

Red Nab/Ocean Edge high tide
Mediterranean Gull - 5 adult, 13 2CY but only one 1CY - usually far more than this.   13 of the Meds were in the small flocks of roosting gulls on the sand-flats south of Ocean Edge
Little Gull - the usual adult bathing in the stream - the easiest time to find it!
Grey Plover - 260
Bar-tailed Godwit - 82
Curlew - 230 Red Nab
Redshank - 220 Red Nab

Heysham NR
Large bird of prey - one in-off very high, then south, seaward side of the power station - light very poor but structure, flight mode and size suggested a migratory Common Buzzard - c1305hrs
Grey Wagtail - flock of four, then two caught (one already ringed elsewhere) - no others seen/heard - an excellent ratio of captures to sightings so far this autumn
Meadow Pipit - 2
Goldcrest - 4
Willow Warbler - one ringed
Blackcap - 4 ringed
Whitethroat - one ringed
Treecreeper - one ringed - unusual in early September

Middleton NR
52 Goldfinch ringed but otherwise just two Blackcap, two Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler and a Chiffchaff