Warblers on the move

A couple of decent small-scale ringing sessions this am at sheltered sites at Middleton/Heysham revealed Whitethroat, Sedge and Willow Warblers on the move along with a few unringed Chiffchaff and Blackcap.  Singing Grasshopper Warbler central marsh

The warbler ringing total is quite high for so early in the autumn with Whitethroat already in the 60's for the year

A few Swift on the move over Middleton

Could other observers please add your own stuff to the last three days.  Thanks

Wednesday

Outfalls/Red Nab
Med Gull : 2 x ad, 4 x 2CY
Whimbrel - 2

Middleton
Treecreeper ringed
juvenile Cetti's Warbler retrapped

Tuesday

Wet

Where have the seagulls gone?

After a real flurry of Meds at the turn of the month, the numbers of gulls today were pitiful, after a thorough search by Gav and Ian on Saturday produced only 7 Meds and the Lune estuary, the spring tide displacement location for several Heysham birds, drew a blank for Ian this weekend.  Could not find any today at low tide and just after high tide - not the best time.  Maybe word has got round that Lancashire is bad news for seagulls at the moment

A few odds and ends in the mist nets next to the office, totalling about twenty five, including most of the common non-wetland warbler species

One relatively decent moth in the trap - the range-expanding homoeosoma sinuella

Swift Exit

Just a quick look at Middleton Nature Reserve this morning.
12 swift feeding over model boat pond at 10:15, down to 2 by 11:00. Presumably rest heading south.
Two female gadwall with 2 & 3 well advanced young.
5 visiting mallard.
Temporary truce between mute leaving, pair with 1 (underdeveloped) cygnet on model boat pond and pair with 2 (well developed) cygnet on "no swimming" pond
(MD)

Marsh tit mega

First record this century with the last one ringed in 1998.   One heard calling then ended up in mist net Heysham nr this am (with long tailed tit flock)

Ringing took place at both Heysham and Middleton, with a total of 85 birds, with the highest catches being 19 Willow Warblers and 18 Whitethroats.

Only seven meds for the top gull team of gav and Ian - shame.   Four ad, two 3cy and a juv.   Also whimbrel and bar-tailed Godwit

Tidal misjudgement

Too late for the tide today with many of the gulls displaced put of the area in the moderate westerly.

Med gull
8 ad
2 3cy

Whimbrel
One heard

Some Sandwiches

In a change from Med Gull news:
Two adult Sandwich Tern crossing Heysham skeer channels to north about 4pm.(MD)

But now back to Med Gulls:
A whistle stop visit saw 12 Meds loafing on the dry sand at Ocean Edge this morning
A more leisurely visit to the outfalls this afternoon produced 5 adult Meds and 2 x 3CYs on Heysham 1 outfall and 1 adult on Heysham 2 outfall. 

8 Swifts flew over the reserve at 14:30

JR

Med Gull update

Ocean Edge
The Med Gulls were loafing on the sand again:
10 adults
2 x 3CY
4 x 2CY

Also in the roost :
Common Gull 1
Herring Gull 15
Lesser Black-backed Gull 31
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Nearby:
Whimbrel 1
Curlew 12
Bar-tailed Godwit in sum plum 1
Oystercatcher 9

Red Nab:
Eider - 1 female
Little Egret - 1
Curlew - 120
Redshank - 6
Oystercatcher- 47
BH Gull - 60
LBB Gull - 5

Middleton NR
2 juv Cetti's Warblers ringed
Tufted Duck 1 male

Medfest increases, including early juvenile

An amazing roost today with reduced numbers of Black-headed Gull and increased numbers of Med Gull giving only a 4:1 ratio in favour of BHG at high tide!

Med Gull
16 x adults (one with 'pale' darvic and black letters)
3 x 3CY
6 x 2CY
1 x juvenile

There was no sign however of yesterdays distinctive red darvic-ringed 2CY or indeed the white darvic bird of a few days ago - must be quite a turnover, even this early in the 'autumn'

See how many you can find on here - all the above ages represented:

Mute Swan - unringed adult male in saltmarsh channel
Whimbrel - one heard
Curlew - 87 Red Nab