Vagrant Emperor hangs on till mid morning.

The east wind was fresher today. Plenty of sunshine, particularly in the morning, but hazy at times.

South Shore

I went to check if the Vagrant Emperor had remained overnight (MD). It had, and at 08:00 it was in precisely the same position as yesterday evening.

At least six observers managed to see it, the last record comes from Phil Simpson - It was still present at 1030 this morning but wing whirring as the sun gradually warmed the seawall.  A difficult angle for photography and the wing venation doesn't show well against the concrete.  

This is Phil's excellent shot. By this time it was in the same general location
as yesterday, but had clearly moved position as the pattern of stones behind
it are different. It had probably moved higher up the wall to catch more sun.

Pete provided this interesting post from Adrian Parr, migrant dragonflies analyst:

“There's been a small influx of Vagrant Emperors into western Britain within the last two weeks or so. The records suggest they're coming up the west coast of France (perhaps with some directly crossing the Bay of Biscay), then hitting the south-west coast of England and then either drifting northwards along the west coast, or else carrying on up the Irish Sea. I'm not aware of sightings in Ireland as yet this autumn, but that's probably because they have relatively few recorders”. Then one found dead in Antrim after this was written

Other than that, very little, I exercised my daughter's dog along the wall at lunchtime, there were three Red Admirals resting and catching the hazy sunshine.

Red Admiral

Rock Pipit 4 - lighthouse, Red Nab and 2 on saltmarsh 

Linnet 70+ saltmarsh 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult Red Nab

Wigeon 53 Red Nab

Shelduck 260 feeding on the mud then drinking in the freshwater runoff at Red Nab. This is one group flying over.

Lapwing 22 saltmarsh 

Peregrine Falcon 1 flew into the Power Stations

Peregrine Falcon

The wind from the east set to become very strong over the next few days. Wrong direction to blow seabirds in! Records may be thin on the ground for a while.

Vagrant Emperor livens up an otherwise quiet day (apart from the noisy geese!)

Another cool night with a largely sunny day. A light east breeze.

Janet's friend sent her a clip of three Peregrine Falcons chasing the Knot on the north shore yesterday - thanks Jimmy.

The original clip was a minute and a half, I had to trim it slightly as the post restricts file size

Ringing report from Alan

John and I covered the Heysham and Middleton sites between us this morning. We caught 74 birds between us with a good mix of species.

At Middleton;

there were singles of Wren, Robin, Cetti's Warbler and Blackcap. 

Also 

Chiffchaff 4

Goldcrest 4 + 1 retrap

Blue Tit 8 

Reed Bunting 2

At Heysham;

Wren 1 + 1 retrap

Dunnock 2 retraps

Robin 2

Goldcrest 4

Coal Tit 5

Blue Tit 10 + 3 retraps

Great Tit 3 + 1 retrap

Chaffinch 4

Greenfinch 6 + 1 retrap

Goldfinch 8

It looks like no ringing weather will be expected until after the weekend now.

South shore (MD)

In the afternoon the sun was out and warm, the breeze was from the east and the tide was leaving the sea wall. These are the conditions when the sea wall can become an insect migration route, but it is late in the year, I knew if there was going to be anything coming in off the sea it was likely to be good. And so it proved to be......

Vagrant Emperor 1 male. It wasn't there when I walked out, but returning at 16:00 it was flying along the sea wall

This was about the best in flight shot I managed

It then disappeared and I thought it had moved on, but I eventually found it resting further along the sea wall.

It was resting at an awkward angle, this is effectively side on

This one shows the blue saddle, it was quite vivid!

This is the location shot, the emperor is bottom right.
This is 100m before you get to No.1 outflow, note the number of the notice, 154

It was still there when Kevin, Alison, and David Talbot checked later. It was there at least till 17:30. By that time it was getting cool, so possibly it will spend the night there and not move in the morning till things warm up a bit.

The only other insects along the wall were

Red Admiral 1

Silver Y 1

Silver Y on the sea wall

Shelduck 84 out from Red Nab

Saltmarsh at high water

Wigeon 37

Rock Pipit 2

Reed Bunting 2

Linnet 70+

Reed Bunting and a Dunnock

Just out of the recording area - seen from Potts Corner by Mark Jones (although seen from outside the recording area many of these undoubtably flew into it)

Pink-footed goose - I was on Potts corner and at 8.10 and a huge amount of pinks landed out on the beach coming from the south. At 8.15 they took off in two groups, one group headed north then inland over Heysham, the other just headed inland. Then five minutes later the remaining huge group took off and headed inland, and then a further massive skein appeared from the south headed inland, collectively I would say they numbered in their thousands.

An interesting variety

Sunny all day after a light overnight frost. A light west breeze developed from late morning.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

A real variety of birds caught at Middleton NR this morning, 32 new birds and just 3 retraps

New birds

Goldcrest 6

Chiffchaff 6 - several long-winged birds likely to be Scandinavian in origin

Coal Tit 4

Long-tailed Tit 3

Lesser Redpoll 2

Robin 2

Song Thrush 2 - British birds not olive coloured Scandinavian birds

Blue Tit 2

Great Tit 2

Reed Bunting 1

Cetti's Warbler 1 - yet another Cetti's! That's the 7th this autumn at Middleton

Wren 1

Retraps

A 4 year old Wren

A 5 year old Long-tailed Tit

and a recent Long-tailed Tit

All the retraps had been caught at Middleton before so are likely to be resident there.

A bit of visible migration was visible:

Fieldfare 8

Redwing 9

Whooper Swan flocks of 3 and 7

Carrion Crow 11

Jackdaw 13

Grey Wagtail 1 (may be wintering in the wastewater treatment works)

Observers: Jean, Pete, Simon and Claire

I just managed a later morning check (MD). In addition to yesterday's wildfowl there were :

Gadwall 25 on the "no swimming" pond.

Male Gadwall

This pair provided a nice display.

This clip begins with two immature Moorhen a Coot and a male Gadwall.

The Moorhen were also feeding up the banking.

There were corvids in the air and calling at all times. Carrion Crow at least 9, Jackdaw at least 10 and 4 Magpies. But they seemed just to be the resident birds arguing over territory and perhaps deterring any passing corvids from settling. 

There was still some definite Jackdaw movement south. One high group of 5 and this flock of 19, so 37 south today.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Sparrowhawk 1 being harried by a Carrion Crow. You can just hear a Cetti's singing in the background.

One of two male Common Darters

Ducking between the showers (literally)

After overnight rain it was a sunny morning, but with a very cold WNW wind. Heavy showers began again just before lunch.

Just my stuff so far, and I didn't have a lot of time today (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 09:00

Saltmarsh:

Linnet 93

Some of the Linnet descending onto the saltmarsh

Goldfinch 6

Reed Bunting 2

Robin 2 - this one wondering why its picture isn't on the "birds to see" notice

Red Nab

Mediterranean gull 2 

Adult Mediterranean gull flying in to Red Nab

2nd calendar year and an adult Mediterranean gull

Wigeon 36

A bit unusual to see a lone Wigeon stood on the mud

More typical were these making their way along the channel next to No.2 outflow, heading to Red Nab on the rising tide.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I managed a quick circuit between the afternoon showers.

Mute pair plus 7 large cygnets 

Coot 10

Moorhen 4

Mallard 12

No other wildfowl seen.

No warblers seen or heard either

This Grey Wagtail was clearly finding plenty to eat in the rainwater puddles.

Migrant Hawker 1

Plenty of crests in the morning.

The overnight rain stopped around 09:30, with just a couple of later showers. The sun came out mid afternoon. A fresh, and freshening WNW wind.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

A check after the  morning rain by Pete:

Goldcrest 7 at least

Treecreeper 1

South shore (MD)

Just two very quick checks, one in the morning at high water and one mid afternoon.

Mediterranean gull 2 adult feeding on No.2 outflow in the afternoon 

Wigeon 33 - these are some coming in to feed at the saltmarsh at high water.

Wigeon at Red Nab

Rock Pipits 3

On saltmarsh 

Linnet 5

Goldfinch 4

Greenfinch 2

Male Greenfinch

Skylark 1 (on saltmarsh not passing over)

Reed Bunting 1

Reed Bunting 

There were a few insects in the Nature Park this afternoon.

Speckled Wood

Red Admiral 

Common Darter 1 male and these 2 aged females

The female at the bottom has a fly, perhaps not one to watch if you were thinking of having a current pasty!

Goldcrest 1

On the way back in the afternoon I stopped off at Heysham Nature Reserve. Unfortunately all the small stuff had either moved on or I just didn't see any. But I did see these fine toadstools.

I think they are mature Panther Cap - Amanita pantherina (do not eat!)
but happy to be corrected if someone knows otherwise (MD)

Loads of Chiffchaffs, and big Jackdaw movement

A lovely autumn day. A cool night followed by a warm sunny day with a light and variable breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Another busy ringing session at Heysham NR with 84 birds caught - 74 new and 10 retraps

New birds:

Greenfinch 21

Blue Tit 9

Chiffchaff 8 - John caught 16 at Middleton NR so in total 24 were caught today. It's certainly a day record this year but not sure about previous years. On those numbers we should have had a Yellow-browed Warbler but it wasn't to be today, maybe at the weekend??

Goldfinch 7

Goldcrest 6

Chaffinch 6

Robin 4

Great Tit 3

Dunnock 3

Wren 2

Coal Tit 2

Long-tailed Tit 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Retraps

Dunnock 3 - two recent ones and one which was caught over last winter and last seen on 8 April then reappeared on 7 September for this winter.

Long-tailed Tit 2 - one of which hadn't been caught since February

Goldcrest 1 (recent)

Robin 1 (recent)

Great Tit 1 (recent)

Blue Tit 1 (recent)

Goldfinch 1 - last caught in March

Visible migration

Jackdaw - flock of 175 south and flock of 24 south - both flocks in addition to those seen at Ocean Edge

Pink-footed Goose - 280 north, 90 south

Pied Wagtail - 2

Linnet - 1

Chaffinch - 14

Skylark - 1 late morning

Other

Raven and Peregrine were slugging it out over one of the pylons. The Raven (possibly 2) only appeared in the last few days and is encroaching on the eastern edge of the Peregrine's territory so the latter was very vocal. The pylon in question is also in a Carrion Crow territory so they were cawing loudly as well!

A Cetti's Warbler sang briefly in the tank farm.

South Shore (MD)

I had a walk out on the shore beyond the saltmarsh on the morning rising tide.

Whooper Swan - a single bird flew south almost as soon as I reached the shore. I started a tally sheet, and the final tally was........one!

Whooper Swan

The only other swan seen was this Mute feeding on the saltmarsh towards high water

Pink-Footed Goose 150 south in two skeins

Shelduck 16 on the sea

Wigeon 25 around Red Nab

Waders:

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 20

Bar-Tailed Godwit 110

Lapwing 51 on the saltmarsh 

Grey Plover 15

Redshank 40

Knot 1,000

Turnstone 4 

Dunlin 500

Ringed Plover 23

These are most of the Godwits plus a few Grey Plover

Redshank rarely get a show, these are some chasing in the tide and obviously finding plenty to eat. Meanwhile the Black-Headed Gulls and Knot (end of clip) look less than impressed!

Jackdaw 108 in one flock south. These are just some of them. So, total today 307.

Linnet 10 on saltmarsh 

Greenfinch 6 on saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 1 on saltmarsh - this is a bit of a different viewing angle.

Wheatear 2 (foreshore and Red Nab)

Wheatear

Red Admiral 2 south

Heysham skear low water 17:40 (MD)

A very pleasant evening stroll, but nothing new to see.

Eider 4

Great Crested Grebe 5

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Little Egret 21

Grey Heron 1

Oystercatcher c1,000

Curlew 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 6 - in SE muddy corner

Redshank 30

Turnstone 15 (inner skear not checked.

Knot c2,000 - no rings seen

Whoopers start moving through

A steady west wind. Overnight rain stopped by 09:30, then mainly dry but overcast.

South Shore (MD)

Little gull 1 first calendar year on No.2 outflow at 10:30 high waater. Seen a couple of times but only briefly. Not seen later morning or in the afternoon 

Wigeon 21 on Red Nab

Some of the Wigeon

Whooper Swan 18 - a distant flock of 18 heading SE towards the Lune estuary at 11:15.

Some of the Whooper Swans

Pink-Footed goose 10 SE 11:30

Mediterranean gull 6 at least. There were at least 3 on Red Nab in the morning. 4 on the beach next to the wooden jetty in the afternoon plus 2 followed the ferry out of the harbour. These are the two following the ferry out, first an adult then a second calendar year.

Adult Mediterranean gull

Second calendar year Mediterranean gull

Adult Herring Gull

Shelduck 150 feeding on the mud this afternoon, there are still loads of small snails on the mud. Small groups periodically visited the freshwater runoff at Red Nab for a drink, before returning to feed. This is the drinking area.

Lapwing 39 flew from the south before landing on the shore out from Red Nab.

Linnet 44 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Josh Hedley 10:30-11:00

A mixed flock held at least:

Coal Tit- 2

Goldcrest- 6

Long-tailed Tit- 4

Chiffchaff- 1

Blue Tit- 5

Great Tit- 3

One of yesterday evening's Knot on the skear had an orange flag. It's a juvenile, as are the other Knot around it. It was only ringed 47 days ago 19/08/23 at Ynyslas Point, Dyfi Estuary, Ceredigion, Wales. It was the only bird of the c800 that I saw that was ringed, but as this clip, demonstrates they are easily covered by other birds and the terrain. They all seemed to be finding plenty of small molluscs to eat, quite easily.

Osprey passing over

A very light south breeze to begin with, but it freshened throughout the afternoon and moved to SW. mainly dry till showers began in the late afternoon and evening.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing and visible migration report from Jean.

Vis today at HNR:
Osprey - 1 south at 0820
Redwing - 133 SW
Chaffinch - 14 south
Pink-footed Goose - 554 north, 95 south
Carrion Crow - 11 south
Jackdaw - 11 south
Blackbird -2
Long-tailedTit - a flock of 27 moved through

About 30 new Blue Tits were caught and ringed - evidence of an irruptive movement
Few night migrants (warblers) caught - 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff
More finches - 10 Greenfinch, 7 Golfinch and 5 Chaffinch.

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Male Common Darter

The Coot have been bickering since springtime 

Heysham skear - low water 16:30 (MD)

I didn't have much time today, I just managed a quick evening check. Not as much stuff around as my last visit.

Eider just 1 male

Great Crested Grebe 1

Red-breasted Merganser 6 together

Little Egret - surprisingly only 4

Oystercatcher c500

Curlew 10

Knot c800

Redshank 30

Turnstone 20

Ringed Plover 6

The "Little pink flowers" have a name!

A very light SW breeze. Low cloud all day. Some heavy mists, particularly over the sea.

Just my stuff from the south shore so far (MD). I had a look at 09:00 and another "look" at 17:00 (look is in inverted commas as for much of the evening I couldn't see anything through the mist)

Pink-footed goose 290 flew north low under the clouds. 09:00.

Shelduck 48 just beyond Red Nab

Wigeon 15 on Red Nab

Little gull 1 first calendar year on No.2 outflow. This is it flying this morning 

In contrast this is it in the evening, and by this time the mist was clearing 

Fortunately, when I was walking back this evening the mist had cleared considerably and I managed this clip of it preening.

Meadow Pipit 14 this morning. Three grounded in the scrub near the lighthouse and the others flying around in all directions. This is one of the grounded birds.

Great Crested Grebe 1 feeding by the water intake in the harbour this morning, no sign of it this evening.

Great Crested Grebe
The gentle rolling waves made interesting patterns of the reflections of the railings 

This Wren wasn't happy with Greenfinch feeding in its saltmarsh territory 

Goldfinch emerging from the evening mist, as was the tall anemometer 

Janet suggested a Stork's-bill for yesterday's flowers.
I've had a look and am satisfied that they are indeed Sea Stork's-bill - Erodium maritimum
So, just  "Little pink flowers" no longer. (MD)