More cold easterlies

Weather today: ENE F4 but gusting F7, 3-11C, very murky to the north and west until 10am, clearer and sunny to E. 

Vis 08:00-11:00

Meadow Pipit - 156 (Largest flock 17. Only 3 meadow pipits after 10am)

alba wagtail - 5

Linnet - 1

Wheatear -12 (birds definitely arriving and then moving on so have counted all Wheatears as vis).

Middleton NR

Willow Warbler in same place as yesterday.

Song Thrush - 4 together feeding on the ground.

Red Nab

Just one Wigeon.

One Little Egret.

Then the usual suspects of Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Heliport

Knot - 7000

Quite a bit of migration

Unfortunately no ringers were available today, but coverage managed to produced a fair smattering of observations

Shag - 3CY by Near Naze on incoming tide
Meadow Pipit - absolute minimum of 270 NE, including over 220 in the monitored hour
Siskin - 2 NE
Goldfinch - 11NE
alba Wagtail - 22 NE
Sandwich tern - 1 N
Red-throated Diver - 7+2 N
Kittiwake - c20 N (one distant gang)
Willow Warbler - 1OY singing Middleton NR
Chiffchaff - definite influx, many not calling
Cetti's Warbler - three singing Middleton NR
Stock Dove - pair Middleton
Barn Owl - one hunting Middleton
Wheatear - 6
No sign of any Brents during the morning

Thanks Janet

 

Sanderling surprise

Sanderling - about 36 with the Knot on the heliport - really unexpected.  Presumably a chunk of the Knot had come across from Fluke Hall to Knott End and dragged them along
Knot - 2150
Pale-bellied Brent - 13 but no colour ringed birds but one appeared metal ringed
Shag - 3cy wooden jetty
Wheatear - 5
Green Woodpecker - hey ne
No obvious vis mig but Chiffchaff everywhere

Shag resurfaces

There were 15 then later 17 Pale bellied Brent Geese today including the ringed birds

Flock of 50 Kittiwake in

3cy Shag wooden jetty

Thanks Gareth and Lesley

Please note the sidebar comment re unknown birders likely to be approached by police

Canadian ringed Brents back

Todays migration seemed to be virtually all vis mig, highlighted by six Swallows feeding on the Middleton "no swimming" pond before moving on and a sample of 160 Meadow Pipit over the sea/along the coast 1015-1115 new time accompanied by 19 alba Wagtails and (over Ocean Edge), two northbound Twite

Not sure about Middleton, but Hey NR mist-netted grounded migrants limited to two Robin

Middleton NR
Stock Dove - one possibly two birds
Gadwall - 8
Teal - still two
Little Grebe - 1
Mute Swan - failure on main pond - egg found in grass, probably picked up by dog and dropped, like retrieving a ball - nest easily accessible

Coastal area
Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 19, including both Canadian birds and probably a new orange ringed bird but we are not sure
Red-throated Diver - 3+2 in but that was all as regards sea-passage in the hour
Meadow Pipit - c160 with others probably missed 1015-1115
Sand Martin - one north
Linnet - c10 north
alba Wagtail - 19 as above
Twite - two together quite low to north

Sandwich Tern

Our thoughts go to the families of those involved in the car accident alongside the reserve in late afternoon

Two Sandwich Tern far offshore in am fishing in the area forming the outer Kent channel but less expected were 3 plus 2 House Martin through Middleton NR

Just nine Pale bellied Brent today

Wheatear - about 5

Great white egret - one seen distantly from the south end of Ocean Edge flying across towards Colloway Marsh

No Kittiwake left

Ringing totals: a couple of minor Goldcrest arrivals but the main feature was a decent Robin total for us and also far more unringed Dunnock than expected.  In contrast finch passage was below par, especially Greenfinch and we ended up with the Dunnock/Robin/Blue and Great Tit total equalling the finch total - most unusual for March with the feeder in operation.  Top species: Goldcrest (42), Goldfinch (21), Robin (17), Chiffchaff (13), Blue Tit (8), Dunnock and Chaffinch (7), lesser Redpoll (6)

Red throated day

A flock of 20 Red throated Diver flew from Heysham direction directly overhead at the Stone Jetty at 0645 and a further 11 were recorded off Heysham itself

Common Scoter - 3 off Heysham Head

Pale bellied Brent Goose - 17 early am increasing to 22 - seemingly all unringed

Two Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest were ringed

One Siskin over
Meadow Pipit 10 north 0720-0920

The huge numbers of Meadow Pipit over the Stone Jetty were not replicated at Heysham, although many had gone through before observations started there

Kittiwake - at least one 2CY outfalls

Not a great deal new

A pale Lesser Black-backed Gull caused problems when photographed in sunlight and needed a bit of scrutiny on the big screen in the evening as well as second opinions.  Thanks for these as all in agreement.

Mid grey Lesser Black-backed gull, with regular Herring gull companion. Near No.2 outflow

Wheatear - 1
Pale bellied Brent Goose - 11 rather scattered on the north side this am as 2 plus 6 plus 3
Kittiwake - two 2cy outfalls
Chiffchaff - two ringed
Goldcrest - one ringed

Subtle movement

Evidence of some movement everywhere.

Middleton Nature Reserve am

House martin 1 north

Lesser Redpoll at least 4 ringed

Buzzard 1 high to north

Green woodpecker 1

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Heysham Nature Reserve pm

Cetti's warbler male singing on north side
Lesser Redpoll 1 SW
Siskin 1 N

Speckled wood 1

North shore am

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2

South shore pm

Rock pipit 2

Kittiwake - at least one 2cy patrolling south wall

Wheatear 1

Thanks Janet

More vis records to follow

Red throats on the move

Red-throated Diver - flock of eight in gaining height
Kittiwake - 2 x 2CY Heysham one outfall

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 10 today
Nothing much happening landbird-migrant-wise - just one new Goldcrest caught. 4 Chiffchaffs singing on the Reserve.

Vis 07:30-10:00
Meadow Pipit 6
Goldfinch 10
Greenfinch 6
Alba Wagtail 2

South Harbour Wall - Rock Pipit