Plenty of finches but few new warblers

Heysham Obs
Despite a ringing total of almost 60 new birds by the office, the cloudy conditions, albeit with a NW wind failed to deliver any numbers of warblers, with Willow Warbler especially absent and far fewer Whitethroat than yesterday (when there were five on a fence together by office).  However, 5 new juvenile Blackcap were ringed and a couple more Chiffchaff.  The Willow Warbler to Chiffchaff ringing ratio this year is something like 90:72 i.e. a fantastic number of Chiffchaff for this early in the autumn.  Every chance that Chiffchaff totals will be higher than Willow Warbler this year for the first time ever

Most of the new birds were a fresh gang of finches finding the seed again after a few days where the stock was empty - unlike many other places these days, we seem to have a bottomless pit of Greenfinches with some excellent recoveries providing the incentive to ring them.

A too late in the tide check of the outfalls produced 9 Med Gulls with the usual habit of 1CY remaining to feed over the tide reflected in 7 of them being of that age class

White-spotted Pug in the moth trap

Overnight rain produces a few warblers

Heysham Obs

Outfalls
Med Gull - at least 16 (7 1CY, 3 2CY, 2 3CY, 4 Ad)

Middleton
Mixed catch of about 50 new birds, mainly warblers and a noticeable influx of Common Whitethroat from about 0830 onwards.  First Garden Warbler of the post-breeding season and 5 unringed Lesser Whitethroat notable but Sedge and Willow Warbler numbers unremarkable

A Common Sandpiper was heard in flight and 6 Swift flew south

Gull lift-off

Far more gulls this morning now we have a decent onshore wind 38 Med Gulls reported before I got there (18 juv, 15 ad, 5 2CY). A quick check of Red Nab added 2 x 3CY. The darvic -ringed adult 2P96 was on Red Nab - hope the earlier observer(s) found some ringed birds (info on pager)

Ad Little Gull seen at 1015ish but not reported by earlier observer(s)

Hopefully the new glasses next week will allow telescope use to be comfortable not an eye-straining ordeal. In the meantime, as this mornings observer(s) indicated, there are a lot of birds to be seen and we know what happened last year when the big influx started......

News of a couple of bypass verge Pyramidal Orchid earlier this year - right at the Heysham end

Low numbers of roosting Swallow at Middleton - no more than 100 plus a few Sand and, surprisingly House Martin (one of the latter ringed)

Gull event sees proper coverage of the outfalls area

Heysham Obs


The highlight of the gull event was a full summer adult Little Gull.  Thanks to everyone for attending - shame the weather was not a bit rougher and Heysham One outfall was proving unattractive to gulls


Med Gull - 4 adults (including yellow 2P96, but no other birds bearing darvic rings), 2-3 3CY, 4 2CY and 6 1CY
Little Gull - adult summer new in
Whimbrel - one heard

Friday 25th July

Adult and 2CY Med anting over the reserve

Three Meds and an ant or two

Nothing happening yesterday other than a Canary-shouldered Thorn in the office trap

An enforced stay this evening - horrendous accident plus having no car led to plans being changed and the Swallow roost will be visited in an hour or so

In the meantime, two adult and a 2CY Med around the office targeting flying ants


The Swallow roost held about 400 birds of which 75 were ringed.  One Grasshopper Warbler singing regularly

Tuesday 22nd July

Heysham Obs
Birds
11 Med Gulls on and around Red Nab but again terrible problems with heathaze and this is likely to be an underestimate - esp 2CYs.   2P96 was amongst them

Ringing at Middleton was limited to a trickle of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat and a few other odds and ends in increasingly warm conditions.  A few Swifts were active but uncertain as to whether on the migratory move or blogging

Moths
An actinic at Middleton contained a rather early Bulrush Wainscot and the office trap held two Bordered Beauty.  Further north on Heysham Head (SD46A), Russell Edmondson kindly allowed a 125 MV to be set and this produced over 60 species with the most notable being 6 Barred Rivulet.  Thanks to Russell and family.  The north wall actinic held Common Footman - new for SD36!! plus a variety of previously recorded species, dominated as usual by White-line Dart

Gull lift off

................loads of seagulls in a dreadful heat-haze.  Saw a couple of adult Meds in flight, but the rest impossible in the short time available.  Needs someone with really good pair of eyes to grill this lot on incoming tide - the numbers were equivalent to last year at this time

Middleton NR
c250 Swallows in the roost tonight but they roosted in the central marsh and only 20 or so were ringed in the western marsh.  Two Grasshopper Warlers at least around and Grey Wagtail again heard around the sewage works

Sorry getting a bit scrappy with postings

Heysham Obs

Fen Wainscot in the office trap this morning

Sunday
At least 6 Med Gulls red nab/outfalls in very brief visit

Saturday
Late afternoon check saw about 13 Meds including 2 x 2CY, 1 x 1CY and including 2P96 and the elusive as regards reading it green -ringed bird

I am having difficulty using a scope for any length of time at the moment which is one reason why the gull counts have been very patchy.  New glasses may help resolve some issues but there are long-standing right eye problems and I "cannot"! use a scope with left eye.

18th July Leps day

Heysham Obs
...............Not just this evening with a dozen Netted Carpet and an unexpected Beautiful Carpet at a local site.  The moth trap held the first Silver Hook for the reserve (population at Middleton) and a Dark-green Fritillary flew through late afternoon - a not quite annual visitor

At least 7 adult/3CY, 2 2 CY and 2 1CY Meds Red Nab/off Ocean Edge with one of the juvs looking very young