Heysham Obs
No Twite, hardly any Knot, two disgruntled photographers and a way out of range Red-throated Diver were all today had to offer coast-wise
Heysham NR
Blackbird - 35 - influx
Redwing - 3
Siskin - 7
Elsewhere
2 Waxwings NE corner of Pine Lake 1040hrs, then flew towards Borwick, but nothing much of interest on the lake other than displaced Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and two Little Grebe
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Monday, 29 November 2010
Mega-alert
LDBWS meeting at Hornby tonight is cancelled due to weather. Sorry, but last night's snow was not forecasted until the last minute & more now possible (=understatement = now hammering down & drifting at High Tatham 2130hrs)
Heysham Obs
Pheasant on the BTO business challenge list - wasnt expecting this dramatic cold-weather movement - male by the office today
North wall
Robin on feeder
Rock Pipit below wall
Ad Med Gull offshore
27000-30000 Knot, depending which way round you counted them
NO Twite, despite walk round mound
Heysham Obs
Pheasant on the BTO business challenge list - wasnt expecting this dramatic cold-weather movement - male by the office today
North wall
Robin on feeder
Rock Pipit below wall
Ad Med Gull offshore
27000-30000 Knot, depending which way round you counted them
NO Twite, despite walk round mound
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Frozen wastes
Heysham Obs
North wall
Twite - 65
Song Thrush - 1
HN Reserve
Very little around the feeders
Pink-footed Goose - c180 SE
ElsewhereNo sign Waxwings along 46A section of bypass but 3 by the Overton roundabout late morning
North wall
Twite - 65
Song Thrush - 1
HN Reserve
Very little around the feeders
Pink-footed Goose - c180 SE
ElsewhereNo sign Waxwings along 46A section of bypass but 3 by the Overton roundabout late morning
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Byrd scaring
Heysham Obs
One of the problem with Merivas is that the radio can come on full blast when the engine is started, despite the volume having been previously turned down! Twite dont like 'Turn, turn, turn'!
North harbour wall
Purple Sandpiper - one on the skeer below the south wall lighthouse until disturbed by dredger
Twite - maximum of 66 seen, including about 11-15 unringed birds and two from Machrihanish Bird Observatory on the Mull of Kintyre. Whether these are the two already caught and identified this autumn is unknown. I suspect that most of these birds have been driven from nearby Ocean Edge saltmarsh by frozen conditions and therefore, as expected, the vast majority of the increase involved birds already ringed this autumn, joining the older 'red over white' birds more loyal to the north harbour wall
Linnet - 5 with above
Meadow Pipit - one
Rock Pipit - one heard in the direction of the wooden jetty
Nothing of interest on the sea & no Meds seen at low tide
Harbour to Ocean Edge and back (& Pete Cook)
Good exercise but useless for birds, with nothing to add to Malcolm's morning visit
Little Egret - one Red Nab
Twinnets - about 30, less than recently (see above), majority Twite
Reed Bunting - 2
Shelduck - 97
Wigeon - 149
Middleton NR
Frozen: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Coot, 1 Moorhen and 5 Snipe
Heysham bypass this end
Waxwing - flock of 6 initially in the Obs recording area right by the bypass roundabout (46A), then moving nearer the second roundabout (46F) [thanks Louise for noticing the birds just after I drove past them!]. At least two late afternoon 'on' Overton roundabout after no sign at the Heysham end of the bypass
One of the problem with Merivas is that the radio can come on full blast when the engine is started, despite the volume having been previously turned down! Twite dont like 'Turn, turn, turn'!
North harbour wall
Purple Sandpiper - one on the skeer below the south wall lighthouse until disturbed by dredger
Twite - maximum of 66 seen, including about 11-15 unringed birds and two from Machrihanish Bird Observatory on the Mull of Kintyre. Whether these are the two already caught and identified this autumn is unknown. I suspect that most of these birds have been driven from nearby Ocean Edge saltmarsh by frozen conditions and therefore, as expected, the vast majority of the increase involved birds already ringed this autumn, joining the older 'red over white' birds more loyal to the north harbour wall
Linnet - 5 with above
Meadow Pipit - one
Rock Pipit - one heard in the direction of the wooden jetty
Nothing of interest on the sea & no Meds seen at low tide
Harbour to Ocean Edge and back (& Pete Cook)
Good exercise but useless for birds, with nothing to add to Malcolm's morning visit
Little Egret - one Red Nab
Twinnets - about 30, less than recently (see above), majority Twite
Reed Bunting - 2
Shelduck - 97
Wigeon - 149
Middleton NR
Frozen: 2 Mute Swan, 3 Coot, 1 Moorhen and 5 Snipe
Heysham bypass this end
Waxwing - flock of 6 initially in the Obs recording area right by the bypass roundabout (46A), then moving nearer the second roundabout (46F) [thanks Louise for noticing the birds just after I drove past them!]. At least two late afternoon 'on' Overton roundabout after no sign at the Heysham end of the bypass
Friday, 26 November 2010
Anglerification
Heysham Obs
North wall full of very pleasant friendly regular anglers, plus the usual awkward character in a camper van blocking the single track road. No Twite or Meds seen
Nothing of obvious note whilst filling up the reserve feeders
North wall full of very pleasant friendly regular anglers, plus the usual awkward character in a camper van blocking the single track road. No Twite or Meds seen
Nothing of obvious note whilst filling up the reserve feeders
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Wot a lot of knot
Heysham Obs
Nothing individually startling today, but the carpet of Knot below the north harbour wall on the incoming tide was the best I have seen there. Peaked at about 33,000, then 5,000 flew towards the Sunny Slopes groyne. I went through as many as I could with the scope (or as many rapidly moving things as my eyes could cope with) and I couldnt find a single colour-ringed or flagged bird - really unlucky selection of birds, I suspect. Good u-tube material?
Also significant were up to 400 Bar-tailed Godwit on the outer tideline south of the harbourmouth, along with 210 Grey Plover and 1,700 Dunlin
Little Egret - one flew north past the harbour
Pink-footed Goose - 40 SE
Twite - just 8 plus a Linnet on the seed in the early morning
No Waxwings on a suburban SD46A circuit - best berries are by Trumacar school, but it really doesnt look like we have had any flocks here during the last two days
Nothing individually startling today, but the carpet of Knot below the north harbour wall on the incoming tide was the best I have seen there. Peaked at about 33,000, then 5,000 flew towards the Sunny Slopes groyne. I went through as many as I could with the scope (or as many rapidly moving things as my eyes could cope with) and I couldnt find a single colour-ringed or flagged bird - really unlucky selection of birds, I suspect. Good u-tube material?
Also significant were up to 400 Bar-tailed Godwit on the outer tideline south of the harbourmouth, along with 210 Grey Plover and 1,700 Dunlin
Little Egret - one flew north past the harbour
Pink-footed Goose - 40 SE
Twite - just 8 plus a Linnet on the seed in the early morning
No Waxwings on a suburban SD46A circuit - best berries are by Trumacar school, but it really doesnt look like we have had any flocks here during the last two days
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Coast to coast
Goldcrest dog-track today - thanks Janet
Red Nab
Knot - 12,500
Oystercatcher - 1,350
Wigeon - 137
Curlew - 6
Turnstone - 15
Grey Plover - 2
Red-breasted Merganser - 1
Cormorant - 2
Black-headed Gull - 255
Great Black-backed Gull - 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3
Herring Gull - 22
Common Gull - 1
OE saltmarsh/shingle
Dunlin - 112
Ringed Plover - 17 - no sign of colour-ringed bird this winter so far
Lapwing - 44
Oystercatcher - 31
Redshank - 18
Snipe - c35
Jack Snipe - 2, poss 3
Twite - c45
Linnet - c5
Rock Pipit - 1
Black-headed Gull - 17
Lesser BB Gull 5
Herring Gull - 2
350 Knot landed for a short time before going to Red Nab
North harbour wall/wooden jetty (not a full count)
Purple Sandpiper - one, looked like adult, but distant
Turnstone - 33
Med Gull - 2 adults (one Czech-ringed) with no sign of 1CY
Twite - 23 - not on seed; too much activity in the Centrica compound (14.00 - 12 on seed, of which 3 unringed. ajd)
Nothing of interest seen on the distant parts of the sea
A short tour of the Kingsway & new estate in the NE sector of the recording area (46A) failed to reveal any Waxwings (see late posting for yesterday)
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Late quality migrant trickle
Heysham Obs
Some decent birds this morning on a dawn(ish) to late morning visit with mist nets in the office area
Office area 0745-1200
Snow Bunting - 1 south-south east at 1005 with 2 Meadow Pipit - suspect they were flushed from the mound area on the north wall (didnt walk it this morning!)
Tree Sparrow - one by the feeders early morning
Waxwing - heard distantly in flight to the north at about 0845hrs but trees in the way of any visual contact - no sign on the very few berries left in the power station area
Info later received of 5 nearby, feeding in a rowan tree for a short time, at 1145hrs (N end of Kingsway) - treat as presumably the same? (thanks Doreen)
Skylark - c10 SE (not all seen).
Rock Pipit - one flew north 0800hrs
Greenfinch - all nine of the birds caught were unringed!
Tit spp. - in contrast, all those trapped were already ringed, including three consecutively ringed Long-tailed Tit obviously staying together
Thrushes - not surprisingly, no evidence of any new arrivals after a clear moonlit night with only 25 or so Blackbird and 2 Song Thrush seen on the reserve
Robin - unringed bird caught
Dunnock - ditto
Some decent birds this morning on a dawn(ish) to late morning visit with mist nets in the office area
Office area 0745-1200
Snow Bunting - 1 south-south east at 1005 with 2 Meadow Pipit - suspect they were flushed from the mound area on the north wall (didnt walk it this morning!)
Tree Sparrow - one by the feeders early morning
Waxwing - heard distantly in flight to the north at about 0845hrs but trees in the way of any visual contact - no sign on the very few berries left in the power station area
Info later received of 5 nearby, feeding in a rowan tree for a short time, at 1145hrs (N end of Kingsway) - treat as presumably the same? (thanks Doreen)
Skylark - c10 SE (not all seen).
Rock Pipit - one flew north 0800hrs
Greenfinch - all nine of the birds caught were unringed!
Tit spp. - in contrast, all those trapped were already ringed, including three consecutively ringed Long-tailed Tit obviously staying together
Thrushes - not surprisingly, no evidence of any new arrivals after a clear moonlit night with only 25 or so Blackbird and 2 Song Thrush seen on the reserve
Robin - unringed bird caught
Dunnock - ditto
Monday, 22 November 2010
Bits and bobs
Heysham Obs
North harbour wall/Middleton/reserve
Twite - 23 trapped (10 unringed, 12 retraps, one control from Machrihanish which we have already caught this autumn)
Goldfinch - one ringed north wall, flock of 17 on Middleton NR
Blackbird - c30 reserve
Chiffchaff - Scandinavian-type bird Middleton - sharp 'swee' call
Siskin - one with Goldfinch at Middleton
Purple Sandpiper - one wooden jetty
Song Thrush - 3 reserve
Redwing - 6 reserve
Pink-footed Goose - c150 high to south about midday
Med Gull - ad on Middleton model boat pond nr high tide
Skylark - 1 south-east
North harbour wall/Middleton/reserve
Twite - 23 trapped (10 unringed, 12 retraps, one control from Machrihanish which we have already caught this autumn)
Goldfinch - one ringed north wall, flock of 17 on Middleton NR
Blackbird - c30 reserve
Chiffchaff - Scandinavian-type bird Middleton - sharp 'swee' call
Siskin - one with Goldfinch at Middleton
Purple Sandpiper - one wooden jetty
Song Thrush - 3 reserve
Redwing - 6 reserve
Pink-footed Goose - c150 high to south about midday
Med Gull - ad on Middleton model boat pond nr high tide
Skylark - 1 south-east
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Quick whip round
Heysham Obs
The intention was to cover the mound area/harbour mouth/twite in the very short time available, prior to heading for the birdfair via the NR office, but an angler-owned 4-wheel drive, whose engine mysteriously refused to start, was blocking the single track road. No comment. Plan B was a trawl round the reserve. This saw a reduced number of thrushes compared to the last check and yesterday's south-easterly unfortunately passed us by without any coverage (see Walney, Hilbre, Bardsey etc.). Maybe the freezing cold east/north-easterlies might produce a last fling this week, but the forecast for Heysham seems to be too much north and not enough east, certainly for our most "needed" species for the BTO challenge, Black Redstart.
Reserve 0915-0945hrs
Blackbird - c30
Song Thrush - 5
Siskin - flock of 11 alder copse
Meadow Pipit - flock of 5 at the northern end of the tank farm
Skylark - 2 separately SE on 'vis mig'
The intention was to cover the mound area/harbour mouth/twite in the very short time available, prior to heading for the birdfair via the NR office, but an angler-owned 4-wheel drive, whose engine mysteriously refused to start, was blocking the single track road. No comment. Plan B was a trawl round the reserve. This saw a reduced number of thrushes compared to the last check and yesterday's south-easterly unfortunately passed us by without any coverage (see Walney, Hilbre, Bardsey etc.). Maybe the freezing cold east/north-easterlies might produce a last fling this week, but the forecast for Heysham seems to be too much north and not enough east, certainly for our most "needed" species for the BTO challenge, Black Redstart.
Reserve 0915-0945hrs
Blackbird - c30
Song Thrush - 5
Siskin - flock of 11 alder copse
Meadow Pipit - flock of 5 at the northern end of the tank farm
Skylark - 2 separately SE on 'vis mig'
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Friday, 19 November 2010
Fine Morning but where were the Twite?
Heysham
North Harbour Wall
Twite: 2 trapped soon after dawn, 5 others only seen.
Purple Sandpiper: 1 on wooden jetty
North Harbour Wall
Twite: 2 trapped soon after dawn, 5 others only seen.
Purple Sandpiper: 1 on wooden jetty
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
The day that time will probably forget
Heysham Obs
Foul, wet south-easterly - the sort which sometimes produces bedraggled Black Redstarts...or Desert Wheatears for the optimistic dreamers. Some preliminary analysis of this year's CES results available at
http://blx1.bto.org/general/ces_results.pdf
This includes contributions from our sites at Heysham NR and Middleton NR. A notable correlation with our findings has been the serious reduction of adult Greenfinch (trich. disease), counterbalanced by excellent productivity. Therefore a majority of the above-average 250+ ringed at Heysham this year were 1CY's during August-October.
North harbour wall
Twite - an Askam-ringed bird for the first time this autumn, but I didnt definitely see the split ring properly, but looked like yellow over green/white, no sign of the two Machrihanish birds, at least 5 out of the 27 ringed birds were red/white, 10-11 unringed
Linnet - 5-6
Goldfinch - 1
Med Gull - adult
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Med Gull - 2CY on the mudflats
Meadow Pipit - 1
Elsewhere
This site does not usually comment on issues, but can birders who can't afford/be bothered to own a pager, yet go and see rare/scarce birds, please make sure they are in full possession of the access arrangements before entering sites. Thanks.
Foul, wet south-easterly - the sort which sometimes produces bedraggled Black Redstarts...or Desert Wheatears for the optimistic dreamers. Some preliminary analysis of this year's CES results available at
http://blx1.bto.org/general/ces_results.pdf
This includes contributions from our sites at Heysham NR and Middleton NR. A notable correlation with our findings has been the serious reduction of adult Greenfinch (trich. disease), counterbalanced by excellent productivity. Therefore a majority of the above-average 250+ ringed at Heysham this year were 1CY's during August-October.
North harbour wall
Twite - an Askam-ringed bird for the first time this autumn, but I didnt definitely see the split ring properly, but looked like yellow over green/white, no sign of the two Machrihanish birds, at least 5 out of the 27 ringed birds were red/white, 10-11 unringed
Linnet - 5-6
Goldfinch - 1
Med Gull - adult
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Med Gull - 2CY on the mudflats
Meadow Pipit - 1
Elsewhere
This site does not usually comment on issues, but can birders who can't afford/be bothered to own a pager, yet go and see rare/scarce birds, please make sure they are in full possession of the access arrangements before entering sites. Thanks.
Good numbers of grounded thrushes but no vis
Heysham Obs
A short ringing session by the office should in retrospect have included some other nets to obtain a reasonable thrush catch. Indeed, 5 long-winged continental Blackbirds were caught in the feeder nets with the same number escaping as is their want. A walk round the reserve wetlands to check for Cetti's Warbler produced a good number of grounded thrushes, but little else of interest
Heysham NR
Blackbird - c40 (those caught suggested 2:3 ratio of new birds/off-passage)
Redwing - c40
Song Thrush - 5
Skylark - 1 SE, the only absolutely definite vis mig!
Chaffinch - 5 early on S/SW
Goldfinch - flock of 25 high to SW may have been on vis mig
Wren - at least 7 in the wetland areas
Late news for yesterday
Chiffchaff - silent 'brown' bird Middleton NR
Water Rail - 2+ Middleton NR
A short ringing session by the office should in retrospect have included some other nets to obtain a reasonable thrush catch. Indeed, 5 long-winged continental Blackbirds were caught in the feeder nets with the same number escaping as is their want. A walk round the reserve wetlands to check for Cetti's Warbler produced a good number of grounded thrushes, but little else of interest
Heysham NR
Blackbird - c40 (those caught suggested 2:3 ratio of new birds/off-passage)
Redwing - c40
Song Thrush - 5
Skylark - 1 SE, the only absolutely definite vis mig!
Chaffinch - 5 early on S/SW
Goldfinch - flock of 25 high to SW may have been on vis mig
Wren - at least 7 in the wetland areas
Late news for yesterday
Chiffchaff - silent 'brown' bird Middleton NR
Water Rail - 2+ Middleton NR
Monday, 15 November 2010
A Frosty Morning brings a second Twite from Scotland
Heysham
North Harbour Wall
Twite: 40 birds around the feeding area this morning. Of these, 35 were trapped (5 Retraps from previous winter periods, 2 'controls', 22 new birds ringed). The 'controlled' birds were two individuals trapped and ringed at Machrihanish Bird Obs during this autumn - 1 previously caught 24/25 Oct plus 1 additional.
Goldfinch : 2 retrapped, 1 of these ringed at Middleton on 23/08/2010 & the other at Heysham on 22/08/2010
Red throated diver: 1 floating out with the tide reported to me by a visiting birder.
ajd
North Harbour Wall
Twite: 40 birds around the feeding area this morning. Of these, 35 were trapped (5 Retraps from previous winter periods, 2 'controls', 22 new birds ringed). The 'controlled' birds were two individuals trapped and ringed at Machrihanish Bird Obs during this autumn - 1 previously caught 24/25 Oct plus 1 additional.
Goldfinch : 2 retrapped, 1 of these ringed at Middleton on 23/08/2010 & the other at Heysham on 22/08/2010
Red throated diver: 1 floating out with the tide reported to me by a visiting birder.
ajd
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Its still happening early morning
Heysham Obs
There is some pretty decent migrant weather coming up with a Biscayan depression pulling in some nice easterlies ...........deleted.....now Saturday onwards - anyone able to cover Saturday morning (note the Barred Warbler at Fleetwood today (Monday) plus a significant Twite arrival which Alan will post on later)
Ringing recoveries
An overshooting Twite ringed at Heysham on 21/10/2010 as a 1 CY Male was caught 'back to the north-west' at Askam-in-Furness, Duddon estuary on 12th November. This assumes of course that it is of western Scottish origin and not one of the very few Pennine birds which has carried on roughly in the same direction whence it came
Some fairly unremarkable returns from the summer with our first and long overdue Lesser Whitethroat control being particularly disappointing - it was from Rossall!!!!
Office area from dawn
Woodcock - one on the grass by the office and another in the mist net ride at dawn
Redwing - at least 10 at dawn & 8 later at Middleton (thanks Malcolm)
Blackbird - minimum 20 at dawn
Song Thrush - at least 3 at dawn
Waxwing - one(?) flew down Moneyclose Lane towards Ocean Edge, calling, at c0900hrs
Chaffinch - 15 SW dawn to o915hrs
Greenfinch - 6 as above
Brambling - one as above
North wall/harbour (thanks Tom)
Twite - 20
Meadow Pipit - 2
Med Gull - single adult
Guillemot - one by the waterfall in harbour (& GCGrebe)
Miscellany
Tawny Owl heard from Westmoor Grove (therefore audible from reserve) at 0630hrs (thanks Doreen)
Carrion Crow - gathering of 19 on Middleton NR
There is some pretty decent migrant weather coming up with a Biscayan depression pulling in some nice easterlies ...........deleted.....now Saturday onwards - anyone able to cover Saturday morning (note the Barred Warbler at Fleetwood today (Monday) plus a significant Twite arrival which Alan will post on later)
Ringing recoveries
An overshooting Twite ringed at Heysham on 21/10/2010 as a 1 CY Male was caught 'back to the north-west' at Askam-in-Furness, Duddon estuary on 12th November. This assumes of course that it is of western Scottish origin and not one of the very few Pennine birds which has carried on roughly in the same direction whence it came
Some fairly unremarkable returns from the summer with our first and long overdue Lesser Whitethroat control being particularly disappointing - it was from Rossall!!!!
Office area from dawn
Woodcock - one on the grass by the office and another in the mist net ride at dawn
Redwing - at least 10 at dawn & 8 later at Middleton (thanks Malcolm)
Blackbird - minimum 20 at dawn
Song Thrush - at least 3 at dawn
Waxwing - one(?) flew down Moneyclose Lane towards Ocean Edge, calling, at c0900hrs
Chaffinch - 15 SW dawn to o915hrs
Greenfinch - 6 as above
Brambling - one as above
North wall/harbour (thanks Tom)
Twite - 20
Meadow Pipit - 2
Med Gull - single adult
Guillemot - one by the waterfall in harbour (& GCGrebe)
Miscellany
Tawny Owl heard from Westmoor Grove (therefore audible from reserve) at 0630hrs (thanks Doreen)
Carrion Crow - gathering of 19 on Middleton NR
Saturday, 13 November 2010
The calm AFTER the storm
Went to look for storm-blown waifs and strays in the harbour and along the shore but everything seemed to have been blown away! The only birds of note along the North Harbour Wall and in the harbour were:
Rock Pipit - 1
Twite - 8
Linnet - 2
Great-crested Grebe - 1 catching fish below the "waterfall" in the harbour
Bar-tailed Godwit - 9 near Near Naze
Rock Pipit - 1
Twite - 8
Linnet - 2
Great-crested Grebe - 1 catching fish below the "waterfall" in the harbour
Bar-tailed Godwit - 9 near Near Naze
Friday, 12 November 2010
Early morning storm rewards
Heysham Obs
The interesting stuff was all in the early morning, with later seawatching 'just' a slow procession of Kittiwakes and Little Gulls
North wall 0800-1115hrs
Kittiwake - 130 in, 33 out, 5 across/out (i.e. not going in!)
Pomarine Skua - probable adult light morph 'in' chasing herring Gull, but distant at 0820, 2 juveniles together 'in' at 0915
Skua spp - very dark juvenile but very distant 'in' at 0930, not a Bonxie
Long-tailed Duck - female/imm 'out' at 0845hrs
Shelduck - 14 out
Pintail - flock of 5 out
Little Gull - 18 adult, one 2CY out, all mid-morning onwards
Goldeneye - one out, then in
Fulmar - one across/out
Twite - c10 (2 unringed)
Elsewhere
Leach's Petrel off Battery car park at c0900hrs, but not seen to fly out past Heysham. Bonxie off JBP very early morning
The interesting stuff was all in the early morning, with later seawatching 'just' a slow procession of Kittiwakes and Little Gulls
North wall 0800-1115hrs
Kittiwake - 130 in, 33 out, 5 across/out (i.e. not going in!)
Pomarine Skua - probable adult light morph 'in' chasing herring Gull, but distant at 0820, 2 juveniles together 'in' at 0915
Skua spp - very dark juvenile but very distant 'in' at 0930, not a Bonxie
Long-tailed Duck - female/imm 'out' at 0845hrs
Shelduck - 14 out
Pintail - flock of 5 out
Little Gull - 18 adult, one 2CY out, all mid-morning onwards
Goldeneye - one out, then in
Fulmar - one across/out
Twite - c10 (2 unringed)
Elsewhere
Leach's Petrel off Battery car park at c0900hrs, but not seen to fly out past Heysham. Bonxie off JBP very early morning
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Bonxie heralds stormy conditions
Heysham Obs
What a contrast to yesterday! The sea was covered 1115-1150hrs, then about an hour late afternoon. In the meantime a fairly hairy walk around the reserve/harbour/outfalls/dog track circuit with the wind changing direction half way round and increasing to F8-9....as did the waves & spray!
Bonxie - one blogging offshore at 1130hrs, then floated into bay
Pintail - 4+c20 out
Shelduck - three out
Kittiwake - 2 in lunchtime, 20+1+47 in later, 2 x 1CY outfalls, 1 x ad by waterfall in harbour
Little Gull - ad outfalls
Twite - ONE windblown bird at the feeder!
Med Gull - adult Red Nab pre-tide, 1CY harbour area
What a contrast to yesterday! The sea was covered 1115-1150hrs, then about an hour late afternoon. In the meantime a fairly hairy walk around the reserve/harbour/outfalls/dog track circuit with the wind changing direction half way round and increasing to F8-9....as did the waves & spray!
Bonxie - one blogging offshore at 1130hrs, then floated into bay
Pintail - 4+c20 out
Shelduck - three out
Kittiwake - 2 in lunchtime, 20+1+47 in later, 2 x 1CY outfalls, 1 x ad by waterfall in harbour
Little Gull - ad outfalls
Twite - ONE windblown bird at the feeder!
Med Gull - adult Red Nab pre-tide, 1CY harbour area
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
In situ
Heysham Obs
Three hours this morning didnt produce a great deal of movement as reflected in the small amount of new birds from brief ringing activities plus lack of vis.
North wall/mound
Nothing other than Twite & one Linnet (per John Mason)
Twite - c32 but only 4 out of 22 caught were unringed birds
Ocean Edge saltmarsh/beach
Twite - 47
Linnet - 17+
Little Egret - one
Heysham N reserve 0730-0945
Chiffchaff - collybita-type caught & ringed with zero fat score
Blackbird - perhaps 50-60 on reserve plus another 20-30 along the dog track
Redwing - c10, mainly tank farm
Chaffinch - 32 SW
Siskin - 13+16 S
Goldfinch - 5 S
Middleton NR
Wren - at least 11 (no Cetti's Warblers in pretty thorough search in good conditions)
Grey Wagtail - 1
Water Rail - 2+
Teal - 3
Moths
Red-line Quaker & Angle Shades
Three hours this morning didnt produce a great deal of movement as reflected in the small amount of new birds from brief ringing activities plus lack of vis.
North wall/mound
Nothing other than Twite & one Linnet (per John Mason)
Twite - c32 but only 4 out of 22 caught were unringed birds
Ocean Edge saltmarsh/beach
Twite - 47
Linnet - 17+
Little Egret - one
Heysham N reserve 0730-0945
Chiffchaff - collybita-type caught & ringed with zero fat score
Blackbird - perhaps 50-60 on reserve plus another 20-30 along the dog track
Redwing - c10, mainly tank farm
Chaffinch - 32 SW
Siskin - 13+16 S
Goldfinch - 5 S
Middleton NR
Wren - at least 11 (no Cetti's Warblers in pretty thorough search in good conditions)
Grey Wagtail - 1
Water Rail - 2+
Teal - 3
Moths
Red-line Quaker & Angle Shades
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Decent coverage
Heysham Obs
North wall area most of the day (thanks Sean)
Med Gull - 3 adults & 1CY
Twite - 41
Rock Pipit - 2
Siskin - 11+9 S
Chaffinch - 1 S
Sparrowhawk - one heading north over the sands!
Stock Dove - 3 in from the north, then inland east
R.B. Merganser - 7 offshore
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Rock Pipit 4, plus another 'in-off'
Twite - 43
Linnet - 27 with above; all on beach by the saltmarsh
Little Egret - 1
Wigeon - 42
Med Gull - adult
Reserve area (NE corner only checked in late afternoon)/dog track/railway line
Chiffchaff - 2 along railway line - one a Scandinavian-like bird, the other typical collybita, but no calls heard, collybita in NE corner of reserve late pm (above bird?)
Blackbird - 35-40 reserve, 20 dog track area, 20+ railway line
Redwing - 20 railway line, 5 reserve
SongThrush - 2 reserve
Water Rail - 1-2 reserve
Woodcock - one NE corner on reserve
Siskin - one by office
North wall area most of the day (thanks Sean)
Med Gull - 3 adults & 1CY
Twite - 41
Rock Pipit - 2
Siskin - 11+9 S
Chaffinch - 1 S
Sparrowhawk - one heading north over the sands!
Stock Dove - 3 in from the north, then inland east
R.B. Merganser - 7 offshore
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Rock Pipit 4, plus another 'in-off'
Twite - 43
Linnet - 27 with above; all on beach by the saltmarsh
Little Egret - 1
Wigeon - 42
Med Gull - adult
Reserve area (NE corner only checked in late afternoon)/dog track/railway line
Chiffchaff - 2 along railway line - one a Scandinavian-like bird, the other typical collybita, but no calls heard, collybita in NE corner of reserve late pm (above bird?)
Blackbird - 35-40 reserve, 20 dog track area, 20+ railway line
Redwing - 20 railway line, 5 reserve
SongThrush - 2 reserve
Water Rail - 1-2 reserve
Woodcock - one NE corner on reserve
Siskin - one by office
Monday, 8 November 2010
Should always properly check 'interesting' weather!
Heysham Obs
A "fair-weather" walk round the reserve late afternoon produced an unprecedented number of flushed Woodcock! Also quite a few thrushes and a nice Blackcap.....and an interesting sharp 'tac' call from the reedbed bushes (not Cettis or a Wren) which wouldnt reveal itself
North harbour wall
Med Gull - adult & 1CY
Linnet - 7 (2 with rings)
Goldfinch - 1 (unringed)
Twite - 29 (at least 13 ringed, at least 7 unringed)
Heysham N Reserve
Woodcock - 8 flushes during an afternoon walk, which only marginally detoured from the main track, involving an absolute minimum of 6 birds - highest day count for here
Blackcap - male
Redwing - 1
Blackbird - c35
SongThrush - c8
A "fair-weather" walk round the reserve late afternoon produced an unprecedented number of flushed Woodcock! Also quite a few thrushes and a nice Blackcap.....and an interesting sharp 'tac' call from the reedbed bushes (not Cettis or a Wren) which wouldnt reveal itself
North harbour wall
Med Gull - adult & 1CY
Linnet - 7 (2 with rings)
Goldfinch - 1 (unringed)
Twite - 29 (at least 13 ringed, at least 7 unringed)
Heysham N Reserve
Woodcock - 8 flushes during an afternoon walk, which only marginally detoured from the main track, involving an absolute minimum of 6 birds - highest day count for here
Blackcap - male
Redwing - 1
Blackbird - c35
SongThrush - c8
Sunday, 7 November 2010
Twittering
0.05% of the Knot around the heliport this morning. Thanks Janet
North wall dawn-1000hrs
Twite - 56-60 (41 caught; 20 new (all 1CYs) & 10 from previous winter periods & 11 from this autumn)
Linnet - 2 (one ringed)
Skylark - one grounded
Meadow Pipit - 2 grounded
Med Gull - 1CY & 2 adults around anglers
Middleton IE
No obvious movement overhead
Woodcock - one - first of autumn
Snipe (2), 2 Mute Swan, 7 Coot, 12 Moorhen, 10 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye, 3 Teal, 4 Little Grebe
Insects
A female Migrant Hawker Middleton IE may, I think, be the latest record from here
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Heavenly migration dribble
Heysham Obs
Vis mig by the office 0730-0900
Chaffinch - c67 SW, mostly very high
Brambling - at least 2 SW
Greenfinch - at least 17 SW
Goldfinch - 6 S
Carrion Crow - 16 S in dribs & drabs - max 6 together
Pink-footed Goose - 46 SE
Whooper Swan - 7 SE really high!
Jackdaw - one flock of 30 S
Skylark - 5 SE
Grounded
Arrived too late the monitor thrushes:
Song Thrush - 3 inland, one south
Redwing - - 2 inland
Blackbird - VERY few <10
Goldcrest - c5 around office area but the only one seen was ringed
North wall
Twite - 44 (20+ unringed)
Linnet - 2
Meadow Pipit - 6 at 0715hrs, including 3 which flew in-off
Shag - 1CY wooden jetty
Med Gull - 1CY patrolling
Ocean Edge
Little Gull - adult sat on sea
A few scans offshore, whilst completing the WeBS, for the likes of divers produced a complete blank
Vis mig by the office 0730-0900
Chaffinch - c67 SW, mostly very high
Brambling - at least 2 SW
Greenfinch - at least 17 SW
Goldfinch - 6 S
Carrion Crow - 16 S in dribs & drabs - max 6 together
Pink-footed Goose - 46 SE
Whooper Swan - 7 SE really high!
Jackdaw - one flock of 30 S
Skylark - 5 SE
Grounded
Arrived too late the monitor thrushes:
Song Thrush - 3 inland, one south
Redwing - - 2 inland
Blackbird - VERY few <10
Goldcrest - c5 around office area but the only one seen was ringed
North wall
Twite - 44 (20+ unringed)
Linnet - 2
Meadow Pipit - 6 at 0715hrs, including 3 which flew in-off
Shag - 1CY wooden jetty
Med Gull - 1CY patrolling
Ocean Edge
Little Gull - adult sat on sea
A few scans offshore, whilst completing the WeBS, for the likes of divers produced a complete blank
Friday, 5 November 2010
Lapland Bunting - a lesson in proper coverage
Heysham Obs
Two thirds of the way through the WeBS count, I realised that there was a heady combination of no anglers and a lot of Twite at the feeder........and the rain was holding off in the outer bay. So a quick change of plan. This involved setting a 'whoosh' net and one of us walking round the back of the mound and sandworks........BUT it didnt involve checking the southern edge of the weedy bank next to the Twite feeder!!
A single catch was possible before the rain and these were being ringed when the remainder of the flock appeared, was slightly spooked by a released bird and 'pulled' another bird off the abovementioned south slope which flew north on its own towards the heliport giving diagnostic dry rattles. It must have got up from no far away than 30 metres, but there is no way of viewing this bank from the usual parking area. I think we had better check this bank in future! The bird had unfortunately not pitched in on the heliport grass.
North wall/mound area
Lapland Bunting - one grounded (all morning?) on the southern slope of the south bank at the sand compound but was only noticed when spooked by Twite and flying north, calling, at about 1115hrs (John Mason, Pete Marsh)
Twite - c35 (16 caught, 12 of these unringed)
Jack Snipe - one heliport
Meadow Pipit - one heliport
Goldfinch - just the one mound area
Med Gull - single adult and 1CY (surely this will winter now?)
Kittiwake - adult behind the IOM ferry
Guillemot - one half-moon bay at HT (thanks Pete)
Shag - presumed 1CY on the wooden jetty but only the head visible behind a structure!
South side
Little Gull - adult outfalls
Heysham N Reserve
Phyllosc spp - on very briefly in the office buddleia
Two thirds of the way through the WeBS count, I realised that there was a heady combination of no anglers and a lot of Twite at the feeder........and the rain was holding off in the outer bay. So a quick change of plan. This involved setting a 'whoosh' net and one of us walking round the back of the mound and sandworks........BUT it didnt involve checking the southern edge of the weedy bank next to the Twite feeder!!
A single catch was possible before the rain and these were being ringed when the remainder of the flock appeared, was slightly spooked by a released bird and 'pulled' another bird off the abovementioned south slope which flew north on its own towards the heliport giving diagnostic dry rattles. It must have got up from no far away than 30 metres, but there is no way of viewing this bank from the usual parking area. I think we had better check this bank in future! The bird had unfortunately not pitched in on the heliport grass.
North wall/mound area
Lapland Bunting - one grounded (all morning?) on the southern slope of the south bank at the sand compound but was only noticed when spooked by Twite and flying north, calling, at about 1115hrs (John Mason, Pete Marsh)
Twite - c35 (16 caught, 12 of these unringed)
Jack Snipe - one heliport
Meadow Pipit - one heliport
Goldfinch - just the one mound area
Med Gull - single adult and 1CY (surely this will winter now?)
Kittiwake - adult behind the IOM ferry
Guillemot - one half-moon bay at HT (thanks Pete)
Shag - presumed 1CY on the wooden jetty but only the head visible behind a structure!
South side
Little Gull - adult outfalls
Heysham N Reserve
Phyllosc spp - on very briefly in the office buddleia
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Nothing new in the nooks and crannies
Heysham Obs
The coastal area was walked/scanned at high tide and drew a blank other than long-stayers:
Shag - 1CY wooden jetty (hard to see!)
Little Gull - ad stage 2 outfall - the only bird on it
Twite - 23 mound, including 3 x red/white, one blue/yellow and two blue/white from previous winter periods, but only 2 which had been ringed this autumn, rest unringed
Linnet - 4 unringed birds mound
Med Gull - adult on fisher's roof
No obvious sign of any Waxwings in windy conditions
Moths
A migrant in the form of Silver Y! Also Blastobasis lacticolella, Light-brown Apple Moth and 2 Red-line Quaker
Elsewhere
Waxwing Sedgewick 0800 at least this morning (in LDBWS area)
The coastal area was walked/scanned at high tide and drew a blank other than long-stayers:
Shag - 1CY wooden jetty (hard to see!)
Little Gull - ad stage 2 outfall - the only bird on it
Twite - 23 mound, including 3 x red/white, one blue/yellow and two blue/white from previous winter periods, but only 2 which had been ringed this autumn, rest unringed
Linnet - 4 unringed birds mound
Med Gull - adult on fisher's roof
No obvious sign of any Waxwings in windy conditions
Moths
A migrant in the form of Silver Y! Also Blastobasis lacticolella, Light-brown Apple Moth and 2 Red-line Quaker
Elsewhere
Waxwing Sedgewick 0800 at least this morning (in LDBWS area)
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Same Waxwings reappear?
Heysham Obs
It was all about S.A.D. on the radio this morning, but you have to try and be optimistic. Birders have a bit of a double-whammy with this, especially if early November consists of high pressure out in the mid-atlantic and a useless northern depression route - no late Siberian autumn on the horizon (but absolutely no complaints about October here!). It was really hard to combat the 'its all over end of season' blues this morning - the pass needed updating at Ocean Edge as it was the end of their main season, a power walk round the mound resulted in the first birdless soaking of the day, a seawatch produced some waves and the moth trap contained a xxxx WINTER moth - the earliest record here! Oh, and the north harbour wall/wooden jetty was apparently named and shamed as being on the twitcher programme (see posting on LDBWS - what was the 'target'?). Positives:
Little Gull - adult stage outfall
Twite - 15 north harbour wall
Med Gull - adult roosting on Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Even more positive was a visitation from a nice Scottish couple who informed that there were 'about a dozen' Waxwings in a tree in the primary school grounds near the bypass roundabout at about 1415hrs. Unfortunately, it was chuck-out time as I arrived and no sign amongst the lollipops and amazingly young-looking mothers
Moths
Winter Moth (1), Epirrata (1), Red-line Quaker (1)
It was all about S.A.D. on the radio this morning, but you have to try and be optimistic. Birders have a bit of a double-whammy with this, especially if early November consists of high pressure out in the mid-atlantic and a useless northern depression route - no late Siberian autumn on the horizon (but absolutely no complaints about October here!). It was really hard to combat the 'its all over end of season' blues this morning - the pass needed updating at Ocean Edge as it was the end of their main season, a power walk round the mound resulted in the first birdless soaking of the day, a seawatch produced some waves and the moth trap contained a xxxx WINTER moth - the earliest record here! Oh, and the north harbour wall/wooden jetty was apparently named and shamed as being on the twitcher programme (see posting on LDBWS - what was the 'target'?). Positives:
Little Gull - adult stage outfall
Twite - 15 north harbour wall
Med Gull - adult roosting on Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Even more positive was a visitation from a nice Scottish couple who informed that there were 'about a dozen' Waxwings in a tree in the primary school grounds near the bypass roundabout at about 1415hrs. Unfortunately, it was chuck-out time as I arrived and no sign amongst the lollipops and amazingly young-looking mothers
Moths
Winter Moth (1), Epirrata (1), Red-line Quaker (1)
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Well-oxygenated coastal coverage
Heysham Obs
......and well wet
From a dry heated car
Little Gull - adult stage 2 outfall
Shag - 1CY harbour entrance (NB seen in 3 x 10km squares this morning!!!!)
Twite - 10 north harbour wall (one ringed 2008, one ringed last spring, 2 ringed this autumn & remainder all appeared to be unringed
Lured outside by siren-like Grey Phal possibilities (very wet and windy coverage of south harbour and outfalls seawall)
Little Gull - adult stage 2 outfall
Shag - 1CY in the harbour
Rock Pipit - one inner end of wooden jetty
Office area
Chaffinch - 2 battled their way south quite high up
Chiffchaff - collybita-like calls from the willows just to north of office
30 minute seawatch mid-morning produced zilch, not even dross like southbound flocks of Pintail and Shelduck, which are a feature of bad late autumn seawatches
Moths
Blastobasis lacticolella is seemingly a good November record plus 3 x Red-line Quaker
......and well wet
From a dry heated car
Little Gull - adult stage 2 outfall
Shag - 1CY harbour entrance (NB seen in 3 x 10km squares this morning!!!!)
Twite - 10 north harbour wall (one ringed 2008, one ringed last spring, 2 ringed this autumn & remainder all appeared to be unringed
Lured outside by siren-like Grey Phal possibilities (very wet and windy coverage of south harbour and outfalls seawall)
Little Gull - adult stage 2 outfall
Shag - 1CY in the harbour
Rock Pipit - one inner end of wooden jetty
Office area
Chaffinch - 2 battled their way south quite high up
Chiffchaff - collybita-like calls from the willows just to north of office
30 minute seawatch mid-morning produced zilch, not even dross like southbound flocks of Pintail and Shelduck, which are a feature of bad late autumn seawatches
Moths
Blastobasis lacticolella is seemingly a good November record plus 3 x Red-line Quaker
Monday, 1 November 2010
Waxwings and Pallas's leaf mines
Heysham Obs
Took the whole morning off to cover the last decent migration morning for some time. Indeed, arrived at what I thought was 0700hrs and it was 0600hrs, so it even covered the late nocturnal thrush movement! The morning was a strange evolution of slightly different weather conditions producing slightly diferent birds e.g there was a "Skylark half-hour" mid-morning as there were clear conditions over the bay. This window closed after about 30 minutes with the onset of a SE wind and cloud spilling in - this produced another dose of Redwings and then a flock of 12 Waxwing at 1115hrs. The latter appeared from the south and coincided with an extremely noisy family, which erupted from a people carrier, reaching the south end of the dog track.........where there are some rowans. They landed in the trees along Moneyclose Lane and dropped, presumably on to roadside berries there. Not able to follow-up due to ringing and they were not seen again as afr as I am aware. A dog-walker reported four birds with crests eating red barries near the health centre yesterday on the nearby new estate - this was checked out this afternoon & plenty of berries but no Waxwing. The other very temporary excitement involved a phyllosc-shaped leaf with white and yellow stripes residing in a mist net!!! Nice selection for the 'winter' atlas!!:
Office area pre-dawn to lunchtime
Chiffchaff - two - both collybita-types, one ringed
Blackcap - 1CY male ringed
Waxwing - 12 at 1115hrs - see above
Brambling - at least 5 grounded at various times
Redwing - c60 grounded first thing, then quickly inland, another arrival of c30 1115hrs -1130hrs
Blackbird - c100 early hours, then gradually melted away inland
Song Thrush - 20 or so first thing, all three ringed were very olive-coloured continental birds
Goldcrest - no evidence of any definite new arrivals round the office
Robin - one lightweight unringed bird the only migrant evidence
Vis mig
Long-tailed Tit - just the one irruptive flock this morning - 27 high to south
Waxwing - see above
Redwing - in addition to above, 14 flew hight to SW, the only birds not grounded/heading inland
Mistle Thrush - conspicuous by its complete absence as it has been on many days this autumn
Fieldfare - as above - just 2 seen at 1115hrs
Chaffinch - 73 SW +/- being temporarily grounded
Brambling - 17 SW +/- temporarily grounded
Meadow Pipit - 9 SE
Reed Bunting - 2 SE, 1 grounded briefly
Bullfinch - 2 high to S
Siskin - at least 33 S
Goldfinch - 9 S
alba Wagatil - 6 SE
Grey Wagtail - 2 around
Twite - one S
Linnet - 2 SE
Skylark - 29 SE, all 1030-1100hrs!!
Carrion Crow - 7 S
North wall
Twite - 12 on the seed mid-pm, including at least 8 unringed, 2 from previous years and one from this autumn
Linnet - one as above
Ringing
Mostly thrushes (7 Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush) plus 1 Robin, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Long-tailed Tit (both singletons), 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch
Moths
Single Epirrata spp, Large Wainscot and Red-line Quaker
Took the whole morning off to cover the last decent migration morning for some time. Indeed, arrived at what I thought was 0700hrs and it was 0600hrs, so it even covered the late nocturnal thrush movement! The morning was a strange evolution of slightly different weather conditions producing slightly diferent birds e.g there was a "Skylark half-hour" mid-morning as there were clear conditions over the bay. This window closed after about 30 minutes with the onset of a SE wind and cloud spilling in - this produced another dose of Redwings and then a flock of 12 Waxwing at 1115hrs. The latter appeared from the south and coincided with an extremely noisy family, which erupted from a people carrier, reaching the south end of the dog track.........where there are some rowans. They landed in the trees along Moneyclose Lane and dropped, presumably on to roadside berries there. Not able to follow-up due to ringing and they were not seen again as afr as I am aware. A dog-walker reported four birds with crests eating red barries near the health centre yesterday on the nearby new estate - this was checked out this afternoon & plenty of berries but no Waxwing. The other very temporary excitement involved a phyllosc-shaped leaf with white and yellow stripes residing in a mist net!!! Nice selection for the 'winter' atlas!!:
Office area pre-dawn to lunchtime
Chiffchaff - two - both collybita-types, one ringed
Blackcap - 1CY male ringed
Waxwing - 12 at 1115hrs - see above
Brambling - at least 5 grounded at various times
Redwing - c60 grounded first thing, then quickly inland, another arrival of c30 1115hrs -1130hrs
Blackbird - c100 early hours, then gradually melted away inland
Song Thrush - 20 or so first thing, all three ringed were very olive-coloured continental birds
Goldcrest - no evidence of any definite new arrivals round the office
Robin - one lightweight unringed bird the only migrant evidence
Vis mig
Long-tailed Tit - just the one irruptive flock this morning - 27 high to south
Waxwing - see above
Redwing - in addition to above, 14 flew hight to SW, the only birds not grounded/heading inland
Mistle Thrush - conspicuous by its complete absence as it has been on many days this autumn
Fieldfare - as above - just 2 seen at 1115hrs
Chaffinch - 73 SW +/- being temporarily grounded
Brambling - 17 SW +/- temporarily grounded
Meadow Pipit - 9 SE
Reed Bunting - 2 SE, 1 grounded briefly
Bullfinch - 2 high to S
Siskin - at least 33 S
Goldfinch - 9 S
alba Wagatil - 6 SE
Grey Wagtail - 2 around
Twite - one S
Linnet - 2 SE
Skylark - 29 SE, all 1030-1100hrs!!
Carrion Crow - 7 S
North wall
Twite - 12 on the seed mid-pm, including at least 8 unringed, 2 from previous years and one from this autumn
Linnet - one as above
Ringing
Mostly thrushes (7 Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush) plus 1 Robin, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Long-tailed Tit (both singletons), 3 Blue Tit, 2 Chaffinch
Moths
Single Epirrata spp, Large Wainscot and Red-line Quaker
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