Better than the weather suggested!

Heysham Obs
A stiff, cold, north-westerly blasting into the previously regularly sheltered vis mig watchpoint. One hour was long enough but this was not without routine interest. Similarly the odds were very much agaonst a new moth species for the year............or indeed the first Speckled Wood for a few days!

Vis by the office 0815-0915
Chaffinch - 42 SW
Greenfinch - 37 (descending on to the peanuts at last!) SWish
Meadow Pipit - 1 SE
Woodpigeon 37 (including flock of 31) S
Mistle Thrush - 17 SE
Redwing - 23 SW
Goldfinch - 5 SE
Golden Plover - one high to the south - scarce here!
Carrion Crow - 3 S
Song Thrush - 3 SE

Grounded
An 'open' morning saw very few thrushes with perhaps 10 Blackbird and 5 Song Thrush, most of which headed inland over the golf course. There were 6-7 Goldcrest by the office at 0815 but no further sightings in that area.

Miscellaneous
Adult Med Gull Red Nab, adult and 2nd W Med Gulls north harbour wall. We seem to have lost the other two regular 2nd W birds...........exactly the same thing happened last October when they (?) were 1st winters. A real pity these were not colour ringed prior to departure, so that data on subsequent wintering as well as possible breeding site could perhaps accrue - maybe next year now we presumably know the occurence pattern.

Insects
A Large Wainscot was new for the year in the moth trap and a Speckled Wood was struggling acroos the car park mid afternoon

Elsewhere
Great White Egret Leighton Moss. 3 Spotted Redshank reported at Teal Bay following 5 on the EM Pool yesterday - this species is certainly getting more common in this area