Yellow-browed Warbler ringed today. Thanks to John Mason for the photo. About 17 records here, most in the late 1980's/early 1990's when there was less vegetation to search through
There is one more day of suitable weather for birds of eastern origin. If you have some time tomorrow worth searching coastal sycamores etc. (or any urban clumps near to all-night lighting) [further arrival of Yellow-browed Warbler today with several west coast/Irish Sea island sightings]
Heysham Obs
The Robins were ticking again! Thanks to Malcolm, Jon, Dave, Jean John, John again, Shaun, Pete and a few others I am not able to name......for coverage.
Grounded
Very good coverage produced: Yellow-browed Warbler (caught in the nets next to the office at 0900hrs), Garden Warbler (a fat-looking one commandeering a bramble bush at the south end of the tank farm - probably off-passage in an area not recently checked), 15-20 Goldcrest, a least 7 Chiffchaff, including a bird giving 'soft', Bullfinch-like calls.......but looked like a collybita! Thrushes were at a premium with just c10 Song Thrush, a few extra Robin, one Blackbird acting like a migrant (!) and 3 Redwing. Two Wheatear on the coast.
North harbour wall/harbour area
The usual 5 Med Gulls were performing and the Black Guillemot was again present in at least the morning. Single Guillemot still in the harbour. Perhaps the same mobile Kingfisher was seen on three occasions between the NH Wall and Heysham Head
Vis mig from the office
This was difficult due to conversation, a minor YBW twitch etc., but the sky was kept an eye on to a greater or lesser degree from about 0730-1100hrs but a lot of stuff was so high that the totals could be as much as 50% underestimated from 0830ish onwards
Meadow Pipit - 33 SE
Chaffinch - 24 SW
Lesser Redpoll - 2 SE
Song Thrush - 4 S (ish)
Goldfinch - 17 S
Siskin - heard x 2 plus 2 seen SE
alba Wagtail - 9 SE
Merlin - female ESE
Kestrel - 1 S, 1 SE
Starling - 12 (flock) high to the south. Ignored the rest.
Grey Wagtail - 3 S
Greenfinch - 11 SW
Bullfinch - flock of 3 high to the SE
Redwing - 10 SW
Brambling - 1S
Mistle Thrush - 4 SE
Skylark - 5 SE
In addition, there was some fidgety behaviour by Dunnock with the piping and trilling calls and similarly Coal Tit but it was difficult to quantify this other than 2 unringed Coal Tit were caught.
Insects
Late autumn moths in the trap comprised: 1 Silver Y, one Green-brindled Crescent, one Black Rustic, one Lunar Underwing, one Red-line Quaker and 4 Pink-barred Sallow. Two Red Admiral & a few Common Darter Middleton IE but surprisingly no Migrant Hawker reported from anywhere today
Elsewhere
Great White Egret EM complex along with 5 Spotted Redshank. Great Grey Shrike visible from the causeway on at least two widely-spaced occasions. Cetti's Warbler seen and heard calling near to where it was released the other day = L Moss causeway near the public hide BUT the legs were not seen to absolutely confirm it was the same (ringed) bird. Up to 6 Bearded Tit were seen on the grit trays but not there early morning. 1st W Common Tern still on Pine Lake. Single Crossbill, 200+ Siskin, 50+ Lesser Redpoll & 13 Brambling Thrushgill plantation area (no general access here).
