Meds and finches

An amazing 57 med gulls were around red nab and the outfalls just after low tide (Margaret and mark breaks).  10 1cy and the rest evenly split between ads and 2cys.

Ad little gull seen later by pete woodruff

Just the one wheatear

The only ringing option in the westerly was by the office which was predictably dominated by green and goldfinch totalling about 36 of the 47 new birds.

The moth trap held agriphila latistria

Routine coverage

Limited mist netting for a short time as per wind at Middleton left the jury out as to whether the earlyish start was worthwhile:  singles of Grey Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Lesser Whitethroat, two Blackcap, two Robin, one Great spotted Woodpecker and a retrap Wren

15 Med Gulls were on Red Nab but the next "best" was just three Little Egret

Cetti's Warbler singing western marsh for second day
Single Goldcrest at both Middleton and Heysham NRs

Vis mig saw two House Martin and another Grey Wagtail

The Swallow ex-roost didn't sound up to much and described as "one bird twittering"!

Male Black Darter photographed in the Nature Park yesterday (thanks Janice)

Grey wagtail autumn passage starts in earnest

Middleton NR
Grey wagtail - 9 se (8 ringed)
Tree pipit - one ringed
Meadow pipit - 2 se
No perceptible hirundine movement and only c10 ex-roost
Predictably, after the clear night, warblers were at a premium with 1-4 of the commoner species ringed, including garden warbler but not lesser whitethroat

Outfalls/red nab later stages of dropping tide
Med gull - just 4

Warbler wave

Middleton NR

A wave of Warblers passed through until 10am consisting of a minimum of the following:

Whitethroat 14 - some really heavy ones obviously ready for a long journey 

Garden Warbler 3

Chiffchaff 7

Blackcap 6

Lesser Whitethroat 3

Willow Warbler 1

Sedge Warbler 1

Other species today:

Kingfisher (1)

Jay (2)

Grey Wagtail (1)

Reed Bunting (1)

Long-tailed Tit (11)

Goldfinch (flock of 14)

No attempt was made to count the Med Gulls today.

JR

Routine

Med gull - 17 red nab (3 1cy)
Sandwich tern - one off skeers at low tide
Swallow - just 20 in roost
Gadwall - 5

Low tide med fest

Med gull - 17 red nab and outfalls (just two juv actually on outfalls)
Little gull - moulting ad
Sandwich tern - ad
Wheatear - 3

Minimal

little gull -ad

Med gull -6

Odds and ends Tuesday sightings

Marsh tit retrapped by office
Green woodpecker around
Three juvenile coal tit ringed by office
Two sedge warblers ringed by office

Outfalls etc
Sandwich tern - 2
Med gull - 11

Middleton
Quiet

Quite a few grounded

Middleton nr
Green Woodpecker briefly
Kingfisher - juv ringed
Garden Warbler - three ringed
Goldcrest - very early female ringed
Double figures of new whitethroat and willow warbler ringed
Grey wagtail - 1 south
No hirundine movement

Red Nab
Ocean Edge motto is about amazing experiences.  Many seemed happy with this this morning - taking selfies next to a doomed Range Rover ready for its second tidal dunking.  Trouble was the associated mutts were not impressed and the seagulls were scattered

Med - just four, later 6 (3 juvs)
Little Gull - moulting ad
Whimbrel - one

Heliport
High tide roost in offshore wind:
Redshank - 370
Oystercatcher - 2100
Lapwing - 6
Med Gull - Czech ad

Bits and bobs of migration

Grounded
Wheatear - 4
Whitethroat - 4 ringed HNR plus a single by wooden jetty

Vis mig
Greenshank - one heard flying over HN reserve
Grey Wagtail - 2 SE
Hirundines in very short supply

Misc
Goose spp - a flock over Middleton NR towards the coast late on (inaudible)
Med Gull - just 6 seen on late stages of incoming tide
Whimbrel - one red nab
Jay - group of three of unknown status HNR - prob local

Middleton pm
Sand Martin - at least one in roost
Swallow - only 35-40 in roost (28 of them ringed!)
Water Rail squealing
Barn Owl patrolling