Friday 26 September 2008

Coal Tit passage

.....well at least they sound a bit like Yellow-browed Warbler. The problem this morning was the available birders/ringers couldnt do everything and what suffered was coastal searching of the nooks and crannies during the optimum early morning. The most noticeable new feature of the day was a movement by Coal Tit, as also recorded by myself on Caton Moor 'vis' duty.

Grounded
Chiffchaff - quite a few with estimate of 15-20 on British Energy land (5 ringed there plus one at Middleton IE)
Goldcrest - still fewer than might be expected with c10 around (just 3 ringed in what would normally be very good conditions for this species)
Robin - no new birds ringed and no obvious evidence of new individuals
Willow Warbler - one ringed
Snipe - 4 at Middleton with 2 of these ringed!

Vis mig from Middleton IE
Grey Wagtail - at least 7 (3 colour-ringed)
Meadow Pipit - c120 - nowhere near the numbers at Caton Moor (600+ in first 2 hours) as the cross-bay vis was inhibited by poor visibility
alba Wagtail - c20
Linnet - 5
Chaffinch - no perceptible movement
Goldfinch - as above e.g. very few at Middleton
Reed Bunting - c6 SE (3 ringed at Middleton)
Swallow - 2 SE - the first for a few days
Coal Tit - at least 20 SE including a high-flying flock of 6 (4 ringed)

Elsewhere
Juv Shag and ad Med Gull Morecambe Stone Jetty. Ad Med Broadway & Spotted Redshank Teal Bay but no evidence of anyone working coastal bushes or copses as yet. Unfortunately the medium-range weather forecast suggests this is last chance saloon for Y.B. Warb or similar.