Brambling highlights trickle of cold weather movement

Heysham Obs
A male Brambling was by the feeder next to the office mid-morning.  Interesting Twite paper in R & M begs the question as to whether there are biometrical differences between the most southerly and most northerly Scottish birds.  Need to  analyse our wing-lengths, but 'impressions' have always been that rather a low proportion of males and females can be clearly separated on wing length compared to e.g. Linnet and that surely cannot be due to a higher proportion than we thought of smaller Pennine birds 'muddying' the issue as this would surely have manifested itself in more Pennine captures/Pennine ringed birds caught here?  If there is a variation throughout the Scottish range, would this explain our rather indeterminate data as 'our' birds seem to originate from anywhere between Lochinver and Sanda?

Lots of uncooperative Pink-feet in difficult-to-watch fields to the north of Heysham Moss this morning (thanks Janet for alerting me but unfortunately the 'easy' ones were flushed)

North harbour wall
Concentrated on distant offshore for 20 mins
Eider - 91
Red-throated Diver - 1
Great-crested Grebe - 3
Twite - 101 max count, inc green/white both legs Machrihanish bird,12+unringed
Goldfinch - 4
Linnet - none

Eastern boundary fields
Mistle Thrush - 6
Fieldfare - 13
Redwing - 1
Woodpigeon - flock of 55

Hey NR office area
Brambling - male
Redwing - 1

Mammal
Grey Seal - 1 inshore

No snow area

Heysham Obs
The best driving conditions for over a week today with every road beautifully gritted, including a lot of effort on the dodgy sloping drive at home.

Nyger seed donations
Very many thanks for your donations, John B, John, Tom and Pete.  Definitely reduced the size of the hole in my pocket and much appreciated!  Anyone wishing to make a donation, please either call in the Heysham Nature reserve office or send to Pete Marsh, Leck View Cottage, Ashley's Farm, High Tatham LA2 8PH.  Thanks very much.

North harbour wall
Twite  104 max, although a lot of work taking place in the centrica compound kept spooking them. The 'old' Machrihanish-ringed bird (red/white right leg,metal over green/white left leg) was conspicuous, remaining on the seed when the rest were spooked
Goldfinch - 5
Linnet - 1
Song Thrush - 1
Dunnock - 1
Robin - 3
Wren - 1
Med Gull - adult
Eider - 50+
unidentified interesting-looking duck - one in the distant murk in flight (????Long-tailed) - keep an eye open in the region of the Eider flock when the light gets better
Wigeon - flock of 22 flew 'in'
No sign Shag

Twite tonnage

Heysham Obs
The finch swarm reached new heights this morning with perhaps the Potts corner flock from the other day joining the usual Heysham flock.  There could easily have been other birds around as the pigeons were slightly spooking them

North harbour wall
Med Gull - Czech-ringed bird - the first part of the number (inc letters) seen today and these are not worn like the rear end of the number
Eider - 68
Twite - 108 counted at once on the food and there may have been up to 10  others around.  One appeared to have a red/yellow split on the right leg, but it may, I suppose have been a stained white i.e. Machrihanish origin.  At least 15 unringed but difficult to see individual birds!
Linnet - 10
Goldfinch - 10
Rock Pipit - 1

Heysham N Reserve
Redwing - 2 - unusual this time of year

Elusive shag resurfaces, then disappears again

Heysham Obs
Presumably the same Shag reappeared in the harbour today but was nowhere to be found at lunchtime

North harbour wall
Twite - record count for this winter of 96 at lunchtime, earlier 11/77 were unringed
Linnet - 9 (4 unringed)
Goldfinch - just 2
Rock Pipit - at least one seen three times on circuit
Meadow Pipit - one heliport area, one flew back across harbour earlier
Song Thrush - one with metal ring on left leg on feeder - is this the local bird?
Robin - at least 3
Dunnock - 1
Wren - 1
Med Gull - 2 adult
Pied Wagtail - 2
Shag - 2CY in the harbour mid-am

Grey Seal year-tick

Heysham Obs
A bit of ringing by the office is producing a trickle of finches and tits as this is being typed

North harbour wall
The Twite flock which flew past Shorefields caravan park was seen further south at Potts Corner yesterday afternoon (c60) - thanks for info Steve
Twite - 64 - at least 2 unringed
Linnet - 6
Goldfinch - 5
Robin - 3
Song Thrush - 1
Eider - 75 offshore
Med Gull - adult in harbour

Mammal
Grey Seal offshore

Merlin and Jack Snipe fieldcraft

Heysham Obs
Please try and watch the tide covering the saltmarsh for Jack Snipe in on 10m tides, rather then the couple who walked the tideline - there were no birds left on the saltmarsh/shoreline when we arrived. If the shoreline is undisturbed, they roost on the edge, rather than being forced to fly off elsewhere.  Thanks.

Ocean Edge/SD45E boundary
Merlin - female chasing waders - first for two years!
Rock Pipit - one in the 'corner' of OE saltmarsh, flock of 3 further south by the tetrad boundary
Twite - flock of 61 flew purposefully south towards Pott's Corner - NOT the north harbour wall flock
Lots and lots of waders!

North harbour wall
Med Gull - 2 adult and one 3CY
Twite - c60/c75 finches

Jack Snipe perform again

Heysham Obs

North harbour wall pre-tide
Twite - 61, 10 unringed, rest all Heysham ringed
Linnet - 7, at least 2 unringed
Goldfinch - 12
Med Gull - Czech-ringed adult

Half Moon Bay
Rock Pipit - 1

Ocean Edge saltmarsh high tide
Jack Snipe - 2 - one flew inland, the other 'bounced' on the beach



Thanks Janet

Snipe time

Heysham Obs
High tide saw 31 Common Snipe all out on the beach trying to conceal themselves along with a single Jack Snipe.  I was just about to leave and another single Jack Snipe flew out of the only remaining spartina protruding above the water in which it must have been 'swimming'

North harbour wall/harbour area
No sign of yesterday's Shag, just the usual 2CY Cormorant on the 'waterfall'
Purple Sandpiper - wooden jetty
Med Gull - adult
Twite - c60

Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Snipe - 31
Jack Snipe - 2

Elsewhere
Heaton Marsh south end high tide:  Rock Pipit 2, Meadow Pipit 7, Skylark 5, Reed Bunting 1 - to add to SD46 10k survey.  No sign of any waxwings at Glasson early morning. 

Mostly spring tide north wall fare

Heysham Obs
A 2CY Shag was by the waterfall this morning

North wall
Shag - see above
Red-throated Diver - 2-4 offshore
Guillemot - 1 offshore
Purple Sandpiper - roosting on wooden jetty at high tide (& 40 Turnstone)
Med Gull - 2 adults
Twite - at least 45
Linnet - at least 2
Song Thrush - 1
Pink-footed Goose - large movement to SW with 175 in 7 skeins

Coastal circuit and thorough Middleton check

Heysham Obs
Thanks for covering Middleton this morning, Malcolm - it shows what the rest of us miss through not checking all the nooks and crannies

Middleton NR
Mute Swan - 2+6juv, Goldeneye - 1, Pochard - 2, Mallard - 17, Tufted Duck - 20, Teal - 32, Snipe - 19, Coot - 4, Moorhen - 2, Grey Heron - 1

North wall
Purple Sandpiper - its own at base of seawall 1000hrs
Med Gull - Czech adult
Twite - 67
Linnet - 3
Goldfinch - 14
Song Thrush - 1
Guillemot - 1

Ocean Edge
Wigeon - 135

Half Moon Bay/heliport
Med Gull - 3CY but unable to  get it to land and see ring!