Perfect conditions, routine birds

Heysham Obs
Martin Cade summed up the feeling perfectly on the Portland Obs website - just about had enough of these E/NE winds producing slowly diminishing levels of interest as they stubbornly refuse to include poor offshore visibility in the agenda - need a break - learn how to get wet and windswept again - maybe even see something which qualifies as a seabird!

Vis mig office area
Goldfinch - 5
Redwing - just 43
Blackbird - 8
Song Thrush - 3
Chaffinch - strong movement in first half hour of daylight then stopped dead as cloud cam in from NW - 86 S
Bullfinch - 2+3 high to S
Pink-footed Goose - 120N + 93 NE + 520 N
Kestrel - 1+1 high to south
alba Wagtail - 8 S
Grey Wagtail - 1 SE
Sparrowhawk - 1 high to S
Reed Bunting - 2
Mistle Thrush - 3

Grounded Heysham NR
Blackcap - 1m
Goldcrest - c15
Chiffchaff - 4
Blackbird - 30
Song Thrush - 19 (highest nos so far this autumn)
Redwing - just 7
[Treecreeper - one retrap]

Vis mig Middleton (thanks Andrew)
Woodpigeon - 55 S
Reed Bunting - 2 S
Chaffinch - just 7 S
Redpoll spp - 2 S
Siskin - 2
Grey Wagtail - 2
Mistle Thrush - 2
Blackbird - 6
Jay - 2
Meadow Pipit - 2
Redwing - 302
Pink-footed Goose - same as HNR plus 200 S (way to east)
Snipe - 1
Goldfinch - 18

Miscellany
Teal - 10 Middleton

Ringing - combined new birds
Goldcrest (14), Blackbird (1), Song Thrush (2), Redwing (9), Coal Tit (1), Great Tit (1), Chiffchaff (1), Reed Bunting (5), Dunnock (1)

Fits and starts

Heysham Obs
No consistent interest retainers this morning although it always seemed 'something might happen' with variable, often quite heavy cloud and a wind which oscillated between light and moderate E/NE.  In the end there was nothing of real interest for the large visiting group from Macclesfield

Heysham NR grounded
Ring Ouzel - a noisy scaly imm first thing which headed inland as did the other thrushes about 0730hrs
Blackbird - c30
Redwing - c150
Song Thrush - 7
Goldcrest - 7-10 new in
Chiffchaff - only one new in
Robin - one unringed lightweight

Vis mig all morning
Redwing - the grounded birds flew inland c0730 plus another 171
Fieldfare - 3+87
Song Thrush - 5
Blackbird - 10
Grey Wagtail - 1
Lesser Redpoll - 4
Goldfinch - 8
alba Wagtail - c10
Meadow Pipit - 4
Reed Bunting - 1
Chaffinch - 14 (!)
Brambling - one with 5 Chaffinch
Pink-footed Goose - 65+100 but a lot more over Middleton
Jay - 3
Raven - 1

Others
Tree Sparrow - one ringed Middleton
Blackcap - one ringed Middleton and an unidentified 'tac' at HNR was almost certainly this species
Chiffchaff - just one ringed Middleton
Med Gull - 2CY Red Nab

Ringing Middleton/Heysham (new birds)
Goldcrest (11), Chiffchaff (2), Coal Tit (4), Lesser Redpoll (5), Robin (1), Blackcap (1), Redwing (2), Wren (2), Chaffinch (2), Tree Sparrow (1), Long-tailed Tit (1).

Yet another Yellow-browed Warbler passes through and calling Cetti's Warbler

Heysham Obs
Jean Roberts located a calling YBW along the north end of the reserve at about 0815hrs and it appeared to move inland along northern edge and was located in the large sycamore about an hour later (unringed as expected)

Another landmark, where we never thought we would get anywhere near last year's record catch, was our 200th Chiffchaff of the year - the vast majority in the last month or so and all but the odd one or two in rapid transit, based on retrap data and field sightings of unringed birds  - rather like the Yellow browed Warblers

Interesting to compare the fortunes of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff over the years:
1986     Willow Warbler   440 (mainly due to tremendous spring passage during the Chernobyl weather) (grand total 1980-6 = 1425)
              Chiffchaff  33   (grand total 1980-6 = 85)

1996       Willow Warbler  260  (grand total 1980-1996 = 3459)
               Chiffchaff   35 (grand total 1980-1996 = 440)

2006       Willow Warbler  83 (grand total 1980-2006 = 4927)
               Chiffchaff     45  (grand total 1980-2006 = 870)

2014       Willow Warbler   180 (grand total 1980-2014 = 6144)
               Chiffchaff            227 (grand total 1980-2014 =  1648)

2015       Willow Warbler   125 (grand total 1980-2015 = 6269)   
(to date)  Chiffchaff            202 (grand total 1980-2015 = 1850)

Grounded Heysham NR
Goldcrest - c25-30, mostly NE corner
Chiffchaff - 6-7
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1
Redwing - c85
Blackbird - c20
Song thrush - 5
Cetti's Warbler - one calling in the middle of the marsh as heard from the boardwalk but not possible to see it in low dense vegetation (about 50 m north of end of boardwalk)

Vis mig over Heysham NR
Not a lot until the weather started clearing a bit late morning, then several large Redwing flocks
Redwing - c570, mainly west
Lesser Redpoll - 6
Pink-footed Goose - 13 north but bigger flock to the east
Raven - 2
Grey Wagtail - 1
alba Wagtail - 5
Chaffinch - only 3!!!
Goldfinch - 6
Meadow Pipit - 1

Ringing Middleton/Heysham
Coal Tit (1), Chiffchaff (12), Lesser Redpoll (8), Redwing (25), Reed Bunting (1), Wren (3), Robin (1), Blue Tit (1), Long-tailed Tit (1), Goldcrest (8)

Windier and trickier

Heysham Obs
The mist nets were not very effective this morning due to a bit of minor blowing about in the stronger NE wind,  Impression was that quite a few migrants sneaked through but all the migrant insectivores that were located were just two species:  Chiffchaff and Goldcrest other than a skinny unringed Robin in the nets.  A probably distant singing Cetti's Warbler on Middleton did not vocally last long and warrants further investigation.  Thanks to Ian for helping out with training

Ringing recoveries
The first Reed Warbler from Northumberland for our area (including Leighton Moss) and an interesting Goldcrest

Reed Warbler

Z152165          3          02.08.15          East Chevington (Northumberland)

Recaptured      3          18.09.15          Middleton NR 163km SSW

Goldcrest

EPT845           5F        04.04.15          Heysham
Recaptured      4F        09.10.15          Kilnsea (East Yorks) 206 km ESE in 188 days

Surely not a Scandinavian bird?

Heysham NR vis mig
Not very conscientious - cold and a late night playing in a 'sesh'
Chaffinch - again conspicuous by absence - 5 S
alba Wagtail - 8 SE
Meadow Pipit - 2 SE
Redwing - about 380 (including flock of c300)
Coal Tit - 4

Grounded
Blackbird - 13
Goldcrest - c20
Chiffchaff - 10 (6 NE side reserve, 2 tank farm, 2 dog walk pond area)
Song thrush - 5

Middleton NR
Reed Bunting - 1
Goldfinch - 37
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 2
Lesser Redpoll - 4
Cetti's Warbler - needs confirming
Fieldfare - 1
Grey Wagtail - 2 blogging

Ringing
Robin (1), Lesser Redpoll (4), Redwing (1), Song Thrush (1), Goldcrest (8), Chiffchaff (1)

Not our turn

Heysham Obs
Not quite right for Heysham this morning with a big clear slot, whilst much tastier conditions seemed to be in the distance - Walney looked more promising than of late today unless the cloud was deceptively further into the Irish Sea.  

Vis Mig (three of us including Andrew Cornall)
Jackdaw - heard once
Rook - 4 N
Carrion Crow - 6 N
Raven -2 N
Redwing - 350 - biggest flock 96
Fieldfare - 1
Linnet - 5
Mistle Thrush - 5 NE
Bullfinch - 2
Skylark - 3 x H
Siskin - 3+
Redpoll - 2 (but 18 ringed Middleton as the flightline is to the east of the reserve)
Jay - 1
Grey Wagtail - 1
Pink-footed Goose - 110+65 S
alba Wagtail - 4
Coal Tit - 6
Chaffinch - only 7!
Greenfinch - 3
Meadow Pipit - 2

Grounded (office area only)
Goldcrest - c10
Chiffchaff - 1-2 plus one caught Middleton
Song Thrush - 8
Blackbird - 5

Ringing (combined Heysham/Middleton)
Wren (2), Long-tailed Tit (4), Bullfinch (3), Greenfinch (1), Chiffchaff (2), Goldcrest (8), Blue Tit (2), Blackbird (1), Coal Tit (3), Lesser Redpoll (18), Redwing (5), Reed Bunting (1)

Another ybw (is this really Lancashire!) and ring ouzel

Heysham Obs

Heysham NR office area
An oddly 'compartmentalised' morning around the office
1) Dawn Redwing drop - 50 ish
2) Flock of 6 Goldcrest in the net
3) A Ring Ouzel "materialises" out of the nearest rather large bush - calling, sticking its head out then flying inland - must have been lying low from a landfall during the night.  A few Song Thrush followed suit from other nearby bushes
4) A visit to the bottom net of three net revealed a few Long-tailed Tits and other birds but others 'waiting' in the nearest bush.  Checked the top first and a warbler leaf-gleaning at the top of a hawthorn inside the tank farm proved to be a Yellow-browed Warbler.  Cleared the top two nets but decided to leave the LTTs for a couple of minutes whilst I phoned out the Yellow-browed and also see if the additional birds would be caught
5) Emptied the net - there did not seem to be any additional birds in it, but in the middle was a Yellow-browed Warbler along with three Chiffchaff.  The rest of the LTT flock could be heard in the tank farm - was there another bird with them!
6) Two Tree Sparrow responded to an otherwise unproductive Redpoll tape and were duly ringed - the only ones seen
7) Three more Goldcrest - a good three hours after the early flock
8) 35 Redwing over - the first since pre-dawn

Yes, a strange morning - e.g. despite being on high alert covering vis and listening to bushy noises, the only Goldcrest and Chiffchaff noted were in the mist nets, with rapid 'melt-away' following release.  Indeed the YBW was the only bird to 'hang about' calling and showing well for at least 25 minutes but not on the return from the net check.

Vis mig Heysham NR
Rook - 7
Jackdaw - 3 (same flock as above)
Grey Wagtail  - 1
Redwing - 50 at dawn then 35 S mid/late morning
alba Wagtail - 17
Reed Bunting - 1
Chaffinch - just 14
Coal Tit - 4
Siskin - 12
Lesser Redpoll - 9
Goldfinch - 5
Meadow Pipit - 4

Grounded office area
Yellow-browed Warbler - at least one
Chiffchaff - 3
Goldcrest - c10
Song Thrush - 8
Ring Ouzel - 1
Blackbird - 5
Tree Sparrow - 2

Middleton NR
A probable Yellow-browed Warbler was heard calling from dense scrub near the Tim Butler pond and wildfowl included 14 Tufted Duck and 7 Teal.  Not got the ringing data yet, but catch dominated by Lesser Redpoll and Redwing.  Blackcap seem to have suddenly dried up as the airflow went north of east and the second blank day on the trot but a couple of Chiffchaff were ringed

Ringing totals Heysham and Middleton new birds only
Yellow-browed Warbler (1), Goldcrest (12), Chaffinch (1), Long-tailed Tit (5), Chiffchaff (6), Blue Tit (5), Tree Sparrow (2), Coal Tit (2), Redwing (15), Lesser Redpoll (15), Blackcap (1), Wren (2), Reed Bunting (3), Treecreeper (1), Goldfinch (1)

Cettis Warbler, Crossbill and Redwing arrival

Heysham Obs
A stiff north-easterly put paid to some of the mist netting by mid-morning but the vis mig was just about worth concentrating on in itself and there was time to check Heysham Head

Grounded
Summer migrant warblers conspicuous by their absence for the first time this autumn, but conversely the morning delivered the first autumn Cetti's Warbler
Chiffchaff - just singletons at Heysham and Middleton
Cetti's Warbler - one caught and ringed in the central marsh at Middleton
Goldcrest - c20 Heysham reserve
Stonechat - male Heysham Head
Song Thrush - just two departing bushes after daw at HNR and no later morning arrivals
Redwing - quite a few grounded at Middleton NR (130 counted)

Vis mig office area
Pink-footed Goose - 4
alba Wagtail - 28
Chaffinch - 74
Coal Tit - 16
Goldfinch - 21
Carrion Crow - 2
Redwing - 37+H+H
Meadow Pipit - 12
Redpoll - 7
Bullfinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 4
Greenfinch - 7
Linnet - 2
Mistle Thrush - 3
Skylark - 21
Crossbill - 2 S

Miscellany
Siskin - 5 Heysham Head (grounded)
Treecreeper - 2 Heysham Head (resident?)

Ringing totals Heysham and Middleton
Wren (3), Chaffinch (1), Goldcrest (7), Chiffchaff (2), Reed Bunting (3), Meadow Pipit (3), Cetti's Warbler (1), Redwing (10), Dunnock (1), Lesser Redpoll (6), Coal Tit (1), Great Tit (1)

Moths
Two Large Wainscot were nice, still 28 Pink-barred Sallow and Common Marbled Carpet was getting late for here.  Two Silver Y Heysham Head

Butterflies
Two Speckled Wood by the office, 5 Red Admiral and one Small Tortoiseshell

Coverage limited to vis and mist netting

Heysham Obs
The number of Chiffchaff dropped by the weak weather front suggested another YBW may have been missed this morning, but there was no one to do any fieldwork away from the two mist net operations.  Bits and bobs of interest but no numbers of anything.  Main feature was the first significant grounding of Song Thrush (for a west coast site!!) and a late Garden Warbler was the pick of the grounded stuff with a single southbound Golden Plover the best of the vis.

Vis by the office
Long-tailed Tit - 18 S
Coal Tit - 14 S in small flocks
Chaffinch - just 6 - where are they?
alba Wagtail - 15 SE
Golden Plover - 1 S
Mistle Thrush - 3 SW
Song Thrush - 22 grounded around the office all taking off and heading inland after the cloud lifted
Blackbird - 14 as above
Meadow Pipit - just 9 SE
Lesser Redpoll - 4 SE
Jay - 2 S
Redwing - flock of 5 W
Grey Wagtail - 1 SE late am - possibly blogger
Goldfinch - at least 3 migrants
NO Skylark!

Ringing at Middleton and Heysham
Reed Bunting (6), Chiffchaff (9), Garden Warbler (1), Wren (1), Bullfinch (1), Chaffinch (1), Song Thrush (1), Blackcap (3), Goldcrest (3), Robin (2), Meadow Pipit (4), Lesser Redpoll (3 plus control D519978), Coal Tit (3)

Two more Yellow-browed Warbler and late morning Skylarks

Heysham Obs
This was in the office mist nets at the same time another bird was calling near the alder woodland.  Both appeared just as the easterly wind was kicking in after a surprisingly calm first two hours of daylight

There was just enough happening during the morning to keep the interest level with small flurries of vis mig with a variety of species

Vis mig dawn onwards
House Martin - 1
Swallow - 16 (two lots)
Skylark - 84
Linnet - 3
Grey Wagtail - 1
Jackdaw - flock of 5
Woodpigeon - flock of 5
Mistle Thrush - 2 - one exiting bushes soon after dawn - unusual here
Starling - one exiting bushes soon after dawn - very unusual here then flock of 20 arriving from the east (plus usual ex-wooden jetty roost birds)
Song Thrush - only two exiting bushes heading inland after dawn (no Redwing)
Chaffinch - very few  just 17 S
alba Wagtail - 15 S
Goldfinch - 18 S
Meadow Pipit - 24 SE
Carrion Crow - 3 S
Dunnock - one ex-bushes then high to south
Pink-footed Goose - two flocks heard to the west
Jay - 1+2 S
Coal Tit - 1+2+7 S and at least two bloggers around the site
unidentified passerine - unfortunately calling rather distantly to the east but most likely southbound Yellowhammer - obviously not being counted
Little Egret - 1 S

Grounded Heysham NR
Yellow-browed Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - one in addition to the ringing total
Goldcrest - the ONLY two heard/seen were the ringed ones
no migrant Robin this morning
Blackcap - none in addition to the ringing (3 reserve, two Middleton)
Wheatear - two Red Nab area

Miscellany
Wigeon - 27
Little Egret - 3 Red Nab
Large flock of mixed Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch Ocean Edge

Ringing (new birds)
Blackcap (5), Blackbird (1), Blue Tit (3), Chiffchaff (4), Dunnock (1), Wren (2), Great Tit (2), Treecreeper (1), Yellow-browed Warbler (1), Goldcrest (3), Lesser Redpoll (2), Meadow Pipit (3), Bullfinch (1), Reed Bunting (1), Long-tailed Tit (1)

Stratospheric Hooded Crow

Heysham Obs
For the second time in the last three years, a high-flying as far as could be seen pure Hooded Crow flew over - this time due south.   It was the turn of other places for Yellow-browed Warbler this am with Sunderland and Heysham both 'blanking' although there was no search at Heysham NR beyond the office mist netting area.  An interesting contrast between Middleton and Heysham with 11 newly arrived Blackcap at Middleton and not one seen or heard at Heysham

Vis mig Heysham NR (Mainly corvids and geese)
Pink-footed Goose - 97 NE, 65+43 S
Carrion Crow - 3+4+12 south
Jackdaw - 19+3 S
Hooded Crow - one south and higher than the other corvids 0844
Grey Wagtail - 1 SE
Chaffinch - only c10 south
alba Wagtail - just 10 SE
Goldfinch - c10 S
Meadow Pipit - only 9 SE
Collared Dove - 2 S
Grey Heron - 1+1 SE
Bullfinch - 1 S
Little Egret - 1 S
Redpoll - just one south! [but 13 ringed Middleton]

Grounded
Nothing to add to ringing totals - no thrushes this morning

Ringing Heysham & Middleton combined
Dunnock (2), Lesser Redpoll (13), Blackcap (11), Chiffchaff (7), Meadow Pipit (6), Blue Tit (3), Grey Wagtail (1), Coal Tit (1), Goldcrest (3), Wren (1), Robin (4)

Moths
A decent catch with Rusty Dot Pearl,  Caloptilia stigmatella, Feathered Ranunculus, Large Wainscot and Brick the highlights