Heysham Obs
Re-'Comments'. Partly as a response to feedback, this is a factual, informative site, not one devoted to comments and opinions. Therefore, whilst thanking people who make contact via the 'comments' option - I tend to treat them as alternative private e-mails and dont 'open them' to the worldwideweb! Please therefore could you e-mail me privately, Colin, about the link to your site. I was in a rush this afternoon playing 'catch-up' with several postings from the last few days and forgot that the 'comments' were not generally available. I'll put your site on the Links list if you wish. Thanks.
Unprecedented influx in calm weather
There were 11 juvenile Shag (with the possibility of some more being out of sight behind the favoured 'tower') on Heysham wooden jetty on this evening's high tide. ALL previous influxes have been later in the autumn than this during howling gales and the only other influx even remotely reaching double-figures was two years ago during a very stormy late autumn (e.g. Leach's 'wreck'). There were also 67 Cormorant - a site record. Any anglers/fishermen offer an explanation as the last conversation I had with any of the north harbour wall crowd was about the "complete lack of fish"?.
Early morning coverage
A bit windy for mist netting and the one sheltered net produced an astounding single Chiffchaff and Greenfinch. The vis was reasonable for the first hour, then died a death after about 0845hrs. Nothing special, but the first hint of autumnal Greenfinch movement plus what were probably the first lot of Pinks for here (see below!). Almost all the vis was from across the Bay and, given the NE wind, it is pretty certain that a lot more stuff was passing through south of the Power Stations. Quite a few records added for the last few days and more detail of yesterdays dragonflies to come.
Vis from the office 0645-0900
Meadow Pipit - 107 SE
alba Wagtail - 49 SE
Reed Bunting - 1 SE
Grey Goose - 40, presumably Pinkfeet, SE across the Bay and south of the Power Station as seen from Caton Moor!!!
Chaffinch - 5S
Goldfinch - 9SE
Siskin - 2SE
Coal Tit - 1S
Skylark - 1SE
Grey Wagtail - 3 SE
Greenfinch - 9 SW
Song Thrush - 4 grounded birds flew separately high inland
Grounded
Chiffchaff - at least 6 around the office - the ringed bird was a fatless unringed new arrival
Goldcrest - 4+ around the office first thing
Inshore coverage late afternoon
Shag - see above
Med Gull - adult Red Nab, 3 adult and one 1st W north harbour/behind dredger [5 different birds]
Little Egret - one turfed out of Ocean Edge saltmarsh by a disobedient dog called Kenneth, whence it flew to Red Nab
No Little Gulls
Elsewhere
1CY female Cetti's Warbler trapped and ringed at Leighton Moss (off the Lower Hide to causeway path). Two juv Curlew Sandpiper Sunderland mudflats. Ad Med off Glasson. Honey Buzzard heading south by Jubilee Tower 1615hrs (record shots)
