Wednesday 17 September 2008

Crossbills head a varied vis mig

Heysham Obs
Intermittent vis from 0715-1100
Meadow Pipit - 672 mainly NE-SSW early on then, when it cleared over the Bay, most were on the usual NW-SE heading. Another 300 or so probably missed, assuming regular passage throughout
Siskin - 114 SE
Tree Pipit - 1 SE
Mistle Thrush - 47 high to the east with a further 9 SSW later
Song Thrush - 2 high inland
Chaffinch - 16 S
Goldfinch - just 8 S
Skylark - 3 SE
Starling - 26 S
Woodpigeon - 11 high to the south
Linnet - 6 S
Reed Bunting - 3 S
Sand Martin - 1 S
Swallow - 40 S
alba Wagtail - just 6 SE
Grey Wagtail - only 5 SE (none ringed)
CROSSBILL - 2 SE quite low at 0942hrs
HOUSE SPARROW - flock of 5 high to the SW at 1000hrs
House Martin - 7 SE
Collared Dove - 4 S
Coal Tit - 2 were ringed; almost certainly passing through

Off-passage/grounded
Willow Warbler (1), Chiffchaff (c5), Robin - 'several', RAVEN - flock of three then later a singleton which landed on a pylon (qualifying for the BTO/Business challege). A Treecreeper was trapped below the Obs Tower which had been ringed in that area on 22/8. No Wheatear on a very late coastal search.

Ringing
Meadow Pipit (36), Robin (3 & one escapee!), Willow Warbler (1), Goldcrest (1), Chiffchaff (2), Coal Tit (2), Blue Tit (1), Great Tit (1), plus retrap Treecreeper & Blue Tit.

Inshore
Little Gull - 2nd W Stage 2 outfall

Middleton IE
Newly-hatched Little Grebe - late breeding is the norm at this site

Insects
For the first time I can remember, plagued by mosquitoes whilst sat by the NR office entrance - miles from any water. A couple of Silver Y in the moth trap but, as elsewhere in North Lancs, the autumnal noctuids are very slow to appear wih no Lunar Underwing or Feathered Ranunculus yet. Meadow Brown and Small White by NR office

Elsewhere
Dark-morph juvenile HONEY BUZZARD south over Lancaster University at 0740hrs. 3 x Curlew Sandpiper Allen/EM Pools. Juv Black-necked Grebe still Conder Pool