Heysham Obs
Heysham NR office is more of a convenience vis mig site than a result of hours of poring over likely flightlines - it is near a cup of coffee etc etc. Therefore the huge numbers of vis migrants which pass over Rossall and Walney, for example, usually eclipse Heysham totals. Therefore todays first post-rain hour of Meadow Pipit movements was the highest ever r.p.h. in spring from this site.
Vis mig
581 Meadow Pipit north between 0730-0830 followed by a further 355 over the next two hours. The initial movement followed a period of rain during which nothing was moving. Very little else moving with the highlights being a single Grey Wagtail and single (migrant) Kestrel [& 2 Greenfinch, one Chaffinch, just 4 alba Wagtail and 3 Reed Bunting].
Grounded
No ringing, so difficult to discern although the Wheatear count (just one) suggested little.
Miscellaneous
Very surprisingly, the full quota of adult and two first winter Little Gull reappeared on Heysham Two outfall. Shag are becoming elusive but at least two birds are still around - one on the wooden jetty and the other in the harbour. Adult Kittiwake outfalls & harbour. 112 Shelduck Red Nab and area
Elsewhere
Adult Med Gull Leighton Moss and 1st W Med Gull on Pine Lake this evening. Bittern most interesting with perhaps departing migrants during the three evenings of 26th-28th as seen from the lower and/or public hides. The two on the 26th were definitely seen to depart high in the sky, the 3 on 27th may have been 3/4 on 28th. The male was booming on 28th and ignored the gull-calling fly-overs. The male was also booming on evening of 29th and hopefully there are two local females still around as the winter sightings apparently suggested. At least one Little Ringed Plover (LRP on any future postings) Conder Pool
Heysham Moss - Chiffchaff in song.
