Heysham Obs
Again a sign that the autumn may be two weeks or so ahead of itself with a small arrival of Robin, Chiffchaff and Blackcap along with a single Garden Warbler and Whitethroat. Willow Warblers were conspicuous by their absence with just a single retrap encountered
Visiting by large groups
Whilst we can always facilitate small numbers of visitors as part of the usual public relations, it can be very tricky when a large group suddenly descends on you. This was exacerbated this morning by LWT staff being occupied or elsewhere and the three (later four) volunteers fully occupied in a bird ringing programme. The latter included a need to continuously watch over the nets set by the office as a precaution due to the recent presence of a cat. This was over and above the usual paramount consideration for the welfare of the birds.
Therefore any facilitation with the large group of Fylde Naturalists was inevitably sporadic and rather unsatisfactory, especially when the toilet facilities are very limited, as befits a non-public building and the visit included an 'out of the blue' request to look at the moth trap! We apologise to Fylde Naturalists for any shortfall in attention to public relations detail, but emphasise this would have been sorted out much more satisfactorily if we had some form of prior notice of the visit.
Heysham NR
Tree Sparrow - at least one heard in the tank farm, but rather distant
House Sparrow - at least 6 around early on
Treecreeper - one ringed - most records are either in July or later in the autumn accompanying tit flocks
Garden Warbler - one ringed
Blackcap - 5 ringed
Chiffchaff - 3 ringed, others heard calling
Robin - just two ringed, but at least 5 ticking birds by the office as the nets were rather belated set
Whitethroat - just the one ringed/seen
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
All observations were a bit late in the tide cycle with just single adult Little Gull, single adult/3CY Med Gull and 2-3 Sandwich Tern seen
Insects
A Southern Hawker was seen by the Fylde Naturalists Group around the dog-walk pond - about the fifth record for here. Agriphila geniculea topped a routine moth catch.
