High speed migrants

Heysham Obs
This was an odd morning. There is obviously a long history of clear mornings producing migrants very first thing but they soon melt away and you are left with nothing. Not, however, usually as quick as this morning which for 20 minutes or so looked as though it was going to be quite productive! The guillotine fell at 0900hrs and very little stirred thereafter other than the 25 or so off-passage Blackbird and a handful of Redwing and Song Thrush.

Vis mig from the office
Quite a bit was missed very first thing.

Total 349 birds, 19 species in 2hrs 15 mins (0745-1000):
Woodpigeon 12,
Skylark 7,
Meadow Pipit 1,
Grey Wagtail 1,
alba Wagtail 9,
Blackbird 35,
Fieldfare 18,
Redwing 33,
Mistle Thrush 6,
Carrion Crow 5,
Starling 25,
Chaffinch 58,
Brambling 16,
Greenfinch 71,
Goldfinch 20,
Siskin 22,
Redpoll 4,
Bullfinch 5,
Reed Bunting 1.

Most birds S but Carrion Crow, Starling, Mistle Thrush flew E.

Grounded
14 Goldcrest accompanied a very early morning Long-tailed Tit flock and a further 4-5 were seen. Approximately 50 'new' Blackbird which either disappeared south past the office or rose up and flew inland/SE - this left c25 off-passage birds noted during the afternoon. All Redwing have been added to the vis total other than c10 on the 'tank farm' and low single figures on the reserve in the afternoon

Ringing
Pretty dire.
New birds: 1 Redwing, 2 Blackbirds
Retraps: 1 Goldcrest, 1 Bullfinch

Harbour area/north wall
Low single figures of off-passage Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Pied Wagtail but no sign of any Twite. Black Guillemot showing very well in the early morning, including landing on the wooden jetty but was not to be found in the afternoon. Ad and 2 x 2nd W Med Gulls on the railings in the morning, "two Med Gulls" reported in the afternoon

Red Nab/Ocean Edge foreshore
Ad Med Gull on Red Nab, also 57 Wigeon and 375 Shelduck in the area. At least 40 Linnet on the edge of Ocean Edge saltmarsh but no Twite could be discerned with them

Insects
One Red Admiral in rapid transit and a Peacock, which should be hibernating, seen around the office. No sign of the Small Copper after a cold night. Just two Common Darter & no Migrant Hawker in a lunchtime walk in sunny conditions

Elsewhere
Excellent posting on a female Bittern eating a rat the front of Leighton Moss lower hide on the LDBWS site. Great White Egret seen this morning on the Allen/EM Pools