The day the earth stood still

If only this was late September or October - murky NE with bits of sunshine.  There was absolutely nowt happening today with three new finches the only "arrivals" caught in the feeder nets run from 0830-1330!  Reed Bunting by HNR office notable. Tides a bit awkward but no obvious sign of the Brent Geese

Green Woodpecker - around office most of am and would be a site ringing tick if.....
Chiffchaff - by the fire pond near office still
Common Scoter - 8 off Heysham Head
Skylark - one flushed by tide off OE saltmarsh but only one (Common) Snipe
Shoveler - just one male Middleton
Coot - one Middleton still

Are they back?

Pale-bellied Brent - three south past OE close inshore at 1020 - tidally-related feeding movt or just passage?
Snipe 56 OE Salt
Jack Snipe - one OE salt
Chiffchaff - collybita female ringed Heysham NR office
Wigeon - 223 Red Nab including male with maybe 15-20% American genes

Scoters again Wednesday

6 Common Scoter off Heysham Head
Two RB mergs Red Nab

Very brief

At least four of the Common Scoter flock offshore

Waxwing

This was a real bonus and once again a product of scanning for seaduck from Knowlys Road - this time from the main section.  A first winter calling on top of a hawthorn bush bordering the horse field at the inland end before following after three Starlings which flew over houses on the south side of the road.  No further sign but a big area with berries!

 

Common Scoter - flock now 6 female/imms

Green Woodpecker - 1 Middleton

Redwing - I grounded Middleton

 

Middleton NR

Not sure what's happened, but Gadwall now favouring main pond. Can't think it's the result of recent landscaping, and Mute on "no swimming" are not bothering the remaining ducks.  No dragonflies.

Main pond

9 Mute (including 3 x 1cy)

24 Gadwall

4 Mallard

2 Moorhen

No Swimming pond

2  Mute

2 Gadwall

2 Shoveler

1 Tufted

6 Teal

1 Coot

6 Moorhen

Tim Butler

1 Teal (almost certainly more in reeds)

2 Moorhen

Still just about in shirt sleeves

The change from warm southerlies to a mini beast from the east is slow and subtle with today perhaps being the final curtain for the lingering Common Darters on Middleton.  The or a Chiffchaff was also calling by the fire pond near the office but the only other notable was a male Stonechat on OE saltmarsh, as rare as Yellow B, Warbler this autumn.  Of interest was an experienced birder thinking they heard two Chough flight calls in the sky but in an area with limited viewing and nothing was found on Heysham Head.  Thanks to Malcolm for pics

Common Scoter - gang of 5 still offshore 

Stonechat - male OE saltmarsh

Chiffchaff - by fire pond

Middleton NR
Mute 10 - could only see 2 of the recently arrived 1cy.
Coot 1

Gadwall 24 (16 on main pond)

Shoveler 2

Tufted Duck 1

Teal 2

Mallard 4

 

Common Darter - male trying to keep warm on Middleton

 

A couple of continentals arrive

A couple of female Blackcaps unexpectedly appeared in the nets, probably wintering birds arriving from the continent.

Vis 0730-0900

Pink-footed Goose 192 SE

Chaffinch 8 south

Brambling 1 S

Redwing 3 S

Fieldfare 1 S

Siskin 1 S

Just after dawn c4600 Pink-footed Geese flew north from the Cockerham Marsh roost to feed somewhere.

Middleton NR

Mute Swan 11

Gadwall 19

Shoveler 2

Tufted Duck 1 (Male almost out of eclipse)

Teal 2

Moths: Large Wainscot, Brick and 2 Winter Moths

Spot the Common Darter:

 No? Well try on this closer up photo.

Still no?
Here it is:

The last fling of autumn passage?

The sort of murky light south easterly we have been waiting for all autumn.  Unfortunately all three of the current Ringing team had last minute commitments.  Best was a scarcity we don’t really need this year - spring records- found whilst scanning for any swifts!

Chaffinch - c40 south

Brambling - flock of 6 south then landed 

Meadow pipit - 1se and four more grounded

Blackbird - c30 round hnr office 

Redwing - two hnr office

Black redstart - female/imm north side Heyshsm Head seaward end Salem Mews

Common Scoter - flock of five

Winter Moth - one hnr office 

Bits of late migration and another Common Darter

No proper vis coverage today but bits noted which suggested it might have been a good idea

Chaffinch - 24 S
Brambling - 1 S
Skylark - 12 S
Meadow Pipit - 3 S
No obvious thrush grounding in clear conditions but two unringed Goldcrest caught along with low single figures of unringed Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch

Middleton NR
Mute Swan - 11!
Shoveler - pair still
Woodcock - 1
Coot - 1

The seaduck check on the neap tide was poor with just 320 Eider and no Common Scoter

Common Darter nowhere near where the two 2 days ago were

Not much coverage today

A quick seaduck check on the choppy sea saw:

Common Scoter - flock of five female/imm about half way out to the main Eider line and a drake on its own beyond the Eider line
Eider - c420

Blackbird - gang of 10 migrants by hnr office car park

Mute swan - flock of six juvs along coast
Rock pipit - at least one

Middleton NR
Gadwall - 11 model boat pond + 6 no swimming pool
Shoveler - 2 no swimming pool (m+f)
Raven - 1 calling from transmission tower
Snipe - 1 western marsh