Sunday 19 October 2008

More Redwing but no SW gale!!

Heysham Obs
Vis mig
Malcolm had 840 Redwing over Middleton IE 0945-1115 which may or may not have included some of the same birds as the Obs vigil

From outside the HNR office door, a vis mig count carried out by John Wood (inside when wet):

0715-0730 - barely light. Redwing calls from bushes & a few Robin + Blackbird calling.

0730-0745 Cormorant 4+1 SE just above pylon height.
Fieldfare 2 NW
Redwing 5 SE from out of bushes.

(0740-0830 rain - thick drizzly stuff on a moderate SW breeze).

0745-0800
Redwing 2 W
Chaffinch 1 S

0800-0815
Redwing 7 SW

0815-0830
Redwing 4 SW
Chaffinch 1 S
Sparrowhawk on Reserve.

0830-0845
Redwing 2 S + 7 SW
Fiedfare 64 NW then E + 1S
Woodpigeon 2 SE
Goldfinch 1 SE
Greenfinch 4 S/SW
Chaffinch 19 SW

0845-0900 Chaffinch 5 SW
Greenfinch 2 SW
Redwing 1 heard
alba Wagtail 1 S

0900-0915
Redwing 22 SW + 13 SE
Greenfinch 4 SW
Song Thrush 1 SE
alba Wag 2 SE

0915-0930
Redwing 44 SW
Song Thrush 1 SE
Greenfinch 7 S

0930-0945
Redwing 51 SW
Fieldfare 22 S
Greenfinch 9 SW
Bullfinch 5 SW then E
Goldfinch 6 S/SW
Reed Bunting 1 SW
Chaffinch 6 SW

0945-1000
Start of thrush movement. Southerly movement was over Moneyclose Lane area, SW/SE was over Obs. Tailing off after 1030.
Redwing 141 S + 65 SW
Fieldfare 60 SE + 150 S
Starling 1 SE - with Redwing.
Chaffinch 7 SW
Greenfinch 4 SW

1000-1015
Redwing 142 S + 190 SW
Greenfinch 4 SW
Chaffinch 2 SW
Sparrowhawk 1 SE about pylon height.

1015-1030
Redwing 299 SW
Fieldfare 25 SW
Starling 32 N + 9 S
Song Thrush 2 SE
Coal Tit 2 S
LTT & Goldcrest first of morning.

1030-1045
Redwing 18 S
Greenfinch 6 SW
Chaffinch 1 S

1045-1100
Redwing 14 S + 48 SW
Starling 21 SW
alba Wag 1 heard
Greenfinch 4 SW
Meadow Pipit 1 Northish - off passage?

Selective totals up to 1100
Redwing 974 plus another 360 during intermittent coverage 1200- 1400hrs
Fieldfare 324
Greenfinch 44
Chaffinch 43

Outfalls/OE foreshore
Arctic Tern- one Ad still H2O
Little Egret - 1+ in OE saltmarsh creeks (prob. 2)

North harbour wall
Med Gull - 3 Ad & 1st W
Shag - one early morning but surprising lack at high tide
Twite - 4+ with Linnet

Middleton IE
Pochard (1), Tufted Duck (10), Teal (c20), Coot (10), Moorhen (4), Mute Swan (2), Little Grebe (1)

Elsewhere
Highlight of any vis mig reports so far was a Brambling SW over High Tatham and the lowlight the complete lack of early morning (pre-1000hrs) movement over the higher vis mig vantage points. Ad Med P96 is back on the Lune near the cricket ground and a 2nd W Med was near the Golden Ball. Juv Curlew Sandpiper on Sunderland mudflats