Friday 17 October 2008

Long-tailed Tits on the move

Heysham Obs
Unhelpful cloud positions - a line squall to the north-east for much of 0800-0930hrs - didnt help the NE to SW 'vis', although the cross-bay route was fairly open and the alba Wagtail/Meadow Pipit ratio suggested the passage of the latter is finally grinding to a halt. Overnight grounded stuff appeared to be rock-bottom, but three hyperactive (eventually) south-bound Long-tailed Tit flocks passed through and some Redwings made landfall mid-morning

Vis mig from by the office 0815-1130, with some lengthy gaps late in the session
Long-tailed Tit - 11+15+36 eventually south
Blue Tit - 9 south with the last LTT flock
alba Wagtail - 56 SE
Meadow Pipit - 3 SE
Woodpigeon - 18 SSE (3 flocks)
Carrion Crow - 1+1 high to the south
Sparrowhawk - 1+1 high to the south
Chaffinch - 52 SW
Grey Wagtail - one heard
Bullfinch - 2 high to SE & heard later (possibly 8 subsequently silent high-flyers?)
Greenfinch - 42 SW
Goldfinch - 51 S/SE
Reed Bunting - 7 SE plus 3 probables which did not call
Redwing - 1+4+35 in from the ESE, then landed near dipping pond
Song Thrush - 2 inland (presumably grounded overnight)
Skylark - 2 SE
Starling - 33 S
Linnet - 18 SE
Siskin - 3 SE
Jackdaw - 21 S (one flock)

Grounded
Goldcrest - just one heard by the office
Chiffchaff - one by office
Blackbird - just 3 seen of unknown status
Some "grounded" stuff mentioned under 'vis'.

Miscellany
Kingfisher - one Red Nab
Shag - 3 juv on wooden jetty
Med Gull - 3 ad harbour area mid-pm, but all separate e.g. one roosting on the old Fisher's roof, one following IOM ferry out and the other along the NH wall
pretty certain no Purple Sand amongst the 93 Turnstone on wooden jetty

Elsewhere
No obvious sign of the Firecrest on Willow Lane. Common Sandpiper Conder area this last three days at least. Two juv Shag & Ad Med Gull central Morecambe