Heysham Obs
This morning started like that iconic piece of football philosophy 'You dont know what you are doing' and a cessation of drizzle and lull in the SSE wind led to two mist nets being set only for the wind to veer south and really get up well beyond the forecast. Nets down, what to do next? The easiest thing was to sit there and see what flew over. Indeed, I feel really sorry for the met office as we have obviously got the weather forecasted for SW Scotland, whilst two days ago received the weather=rain not supposed to stray north of the Midlands (see Gary Woodburns site for a colourful rendition of the self-same rain far to the north on the east coast). Tricky times.
Then it improved! After a bit of early vis, it soon became apparant that there was a bit of grounded stuff with multiple Goldcrest for the first time this year and an assortment of Chiffchaff calls which seemed to indicate 4-5 birds. At 0850, from the isolated bush at the start of the top path came a familiar call which you know isnt a Coal Tit when you really hear it! It didnt show other than a brief silhouette, but managed three diagnostic calls. Then better view of the white underparts and two wingbars and glimpse of the supercilium along the top path at about 0950hrs. Then it appeared to join a passing Long-tailed Tit flock and had to return to make another phone call.
Yellow-browed Warbler - one by office, then along top path
Chiffchaff - 4-5, two giving collybita calls, one giving a strident monosyllabic 'swee' and (probably) two giving a slightly dysyllabic 'sweeoo'.
Goldcrest - at least 8 - welcome back!
Treecreeper - 1 ( corner bushes)
Vis mig 0700-0850ish, then a bit intermittent!
Quite a bit of 'cross bay' vis which presumably didnt like the wind strength along the route south of the power station
alba Wagtail - 83 SE
Meadow Pipit - 67 SE
Chaffinch - 64 SW
Greenfinch - at least 34 SW
Carrion Crow - 2+5 S
Goldfinch - 10 S
Heron - one south
Cormorant - 2 high to SE
1020-1040hrs
Greenfinch - 47 SW
alba Wagtail - 6 SE
Song Thrush - 1 S (the only evidence of migrant thrushes this am)
Linnet - 4 SE
Chaffinch - 15 SW
Meadow Pipit - 7 SE
Reed Bunting - 1 S
