Dull and wet rut

Heysham obs
Nothing much happening

Guillemot in harbour the last two days

Ad med gull harbour entrance this am

Three mottled umber in trap two nights ago, one mottled umber and one light brown apple moth last night

Not a lot

Heysham obs

Guillemot in harbour

Too wild and woolly with poor visibility

Heysham obs
Meagre fare as far as I am aware

Guillemot in harbour
Ad little gull in surf s of ocean edge
11 ringed plover oe

The start of more wind driven odds and ends

Heysham obs
Sea on and off for one hour mid am
Little gull - Gang of 4 adults lifted off sea then lost in poor visibility
Pintail - 2 south

Ocean edge/outfalls
Shag - juvenile close inshore
Ringed plover - 11
Snipe - 4
Linnet - c20

Moths pulling above their weight

Heysham Obs
The trap, usually useless at this time of year, held two Mottled Umber, three Winter Moth and a Light Brown Apple Moth.  Don't think tonight will be too good but some 'warm' nights coming up with this site sheltered from south-westerlies

The only notable bird was an adult Med Gull on Fishers roof at high tide

Thursday

Heysham Obs
A surprisingly unproductive visit to Middleton (no Cettis) followed a short ringing session by the office which included a huge male Chaffinch (92mm wing, 25.7g weight) and another two unringed female Bullfinch.  At least two other Bullfinch were seen and at least another further two on Middleton

A Mottled Umber graced the trap

Late migration

Heysham obs
Middleton nr central and western marshes
Cetti's warbler - either one calling intermittently in both marshes or it sneaked across the road without me seeing it!   No simultaneous calls
Kingfisher - one
Water rail - at least three in western marsh reed bed
Long tailed tit - flock of 17
Goldcrest - one with above
Skylark - 2 se
Meadow pipit - 1 plus 1 se
Pink footed goose - 56 se
Grey wagtail - one sewage works legs not seen

Harbour
Guillemot - 1

Moths
Two winter moth and one mottled umber

Whistle stop

Heysham Obs
Med Gull - ad Fishers roof HT
Rock Pipit - one north wall near naze area

Single December Moth and Mottled Umber in moth trap

THE cold frosty morning of the winter according to some forecasts!

Heysham Obs
Just drawing in the sightings for this year and doing a bit of preliminary "analysis"   What an odd year!   Some of it you couldn't make up like the only tern record after 2nd September was a moulting adult White-winged Black!!

Just to reaffirm what was posted the other day.  A conversation today indicated that vehicles parked in unexpected locations and unfamiliar people will be subject to more comprehensive security checks than has hitherto been the case.

Middleton NR am (Jean and Malcolm)
Chiffchaff - recording sounds interesting but views limited to 'greyish glimpse' - couldn't be found (by me) later - interacting with Cetti's Warbler for short period in same bushes along south end of Western Marsh
Cetti's Warbler - seen and recorded as per yesterday
Water Rail - absolute minimum of 6 (3+ in western marsh reedbed) during abortive warbler search by Pete at lunchtime
Song Thrush - two olive-coloured migrants - flew inland
Mute Swan - dead unringed imm central marsh
plus 6 tufted 4 mallard 70+ teal 9 moorhen 5 common snipe

Harbour
Red-breasted Merganser - male by waterfall
Cormorant - 7 by waterfall
Guillemot - one by waterfall

Office
Bullfinch - two unringed females caught

Ringing by office
Chaffinch (1), Bullfinch (2), Goldfinch (3), Greenfinch (5) plus a few retraps

Moth
Mottled Umber

New Cetti's located as the weather calms down

Heysham Obs
So there have been "46ish Goldfinches on the seed all month".  So why were 29 out of 39 un-ringed this morning, despite two 'comprehensive' catches earlier in the month!   The answer can be found in e.g. the vis mig data from Portland (and e.g. Gibraltar Point) - November is still a major passage month for this species, even if it is not so discernable vis mig-wise on the west coast

North wall
Med Gull - Czech-ringed adult
Twite - one heard and seen in flight
Goldfinch - 45ish
Linnet - at least 8
Pink-footed Goose - 46 SE
Meadow Pipit - 1+
Guillemot - still in harbour - thanks Janet - taken today, hence sunlight!!

Middleton
Cetti's Warbler - one calling all the time, including the little churr, (but no song) in the willows along the southern bank of the western marsh - near the sewage works.  Didn't appear to be ringed but views of esp left leg very brief
Reed Bunting - 2
Tufted Duck - 6

Heysham NR
Siskin - one heard

Ringing
Goldfinch - 29 new and 10 retraps, Linnet - 3 new

Moths (Justine)
Stigmella alnetella/glutinosae on Alder at Middleton NR today. These two species need breeding through to be certain of which one it is.

Phyllonorycter rajella from MNR today. Alder is about the only species with leaves on now.