Stop press: Hummingbird Hawk-moth on the Heysham NR office Buddliea at at least 1330hrs
Heysham Obs
First of all am a bit ashamed of yesterdays flim-flam about 'not seeming to be many migrants around'. A couple of minutes of listening as you are opening the office door is hardly 'coverage' - ok conditions were tricky, but the NE winds, and possibilities, should have been acted on - even if just for a Spot Fly. Note the Walney haul, nothing major, but reasonable stuff.
Today was a different ball-game. Clear first thing with a slight offshore mist and coverage was pretty good with CES at both Middleton and Heysham Obs. Trouble was that night migrants first thing were at a bit of a premium with Middleton especially having that 'clear out after a clear night' feeling. Vis Mig, however, was quite interesting
Middleton IE vis mig 0700-1000
Swallow - minimum of 80 south, 20-30 blogging
Sand Martin - 2 south
House Martin - at least 11 south
Swift - one south
Flava Wagtail - one south at 0705hrs
Tree Pipit - singles south at 0915 (low) and 0955 (very high)
Hobby - what looked like a juv chased Swallows for about 30 seconds before flying towards the golf course at c0917hrs
Meadow Pipit - 3 south
alba Wagtail - 5 seemed to be heading SE (quite early for this spp)
Middleton misc
Grasshopper Warbler - one still singing in the western marsh
Water Rail - one plus
Teal - first 2 of the autumn - didnt stay
Grounded migrants at a premium with a few trickling in from the seaward end after 0900, including a Lesser Whitehtroat & 2 Whitethroat & c5 Willow Warbler. Only one Sedge Warbler trapped (with a fat score of 4).
Middleton WeBS
8 Little Grebe, 3 Mute Swan, 13 Coot, 4 Moorhen
Heysham NR area
More migrants earlier on than Middleton with 5 Whitethroat and 5 Willow Warbler ringed along with 2 Blackcap, single Chiffchaff and the second Treecreeper of the year/autumn. Just one Robin - no real kickstart to the (significant) migration of this species yet (imminent on past form)
Moths
The light was switched off yesterday & not reset. Ooops, but perhaps not a bad night to give it a miss
Butterfly
Wall Brown Middleton (& Brown Hawker in a mist net)
