Sunday 20 September 2009

Steady vis and a few grounded migrants

Heysham Obs
One of those tricky clear days when the high-flying vis needed utmost concentration and couldnt be kept tabs on e.g. during mist net checks

Very intermittently recorded vis over Heysham NR office to 1130hrs
All moving between SE & SW:
Meadow Pipit - 168
Chaffinch - 39
Goldfinch - 4
Grey Wagtail - 11
Greenfinch - 1
alba Wagtail - 32
Lesser Redpoll - 1
Swallow - 48
House Martin - 2
Pink-footed Goose - 30 SW

Chaffinches were notable early with peak Meadow Pipit after 0930!

Grounded
Garden Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 5
still no Goldcrest

Ringing (just the nets by office)
6 Grey Wagtail and single Garden Warbler & Chiffchaff

Middleton IE
Little Grebe - 2 extra adults & one new chick on yesterdays count
one Black Darter
14 Migrant Hawker
9+ Common Darter

Butterflies around the office
Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral (2), Painted Lady (2), Small White, Small Copper, Speckled Wood (c15). Also at least one Migrant Hawker

National moth 'night' part tw0 in the toilet trap
Not as good as last night but some extra species: Pink-barred Sallow (3), Treble Bar (4), Common Marbled Carpet (5), Angle Shades (8 - a record catch for here!), Garden Carpet, Light Brown Apple Moth, Silver Y

Elsewhere
Great White Egret in the Leighton Moss island mere egret roost overnight and around the Allen/EM Pools later, but mobile and latest pager messages not fully received. Nightjar flew off at 1930hrs last night. Reportedly a Greenish Warbler near the Leighton Moss island mere viewing point this am (high-pitched, slightly disyllabic rather brown Chiffchaff top of the causeway yesterday afternoon).