Heysham Obs
Considering this is/was THE opportunity to catch a significant number of Grey Wagtails, we did really badly this morning with too much activity below the flightline sending birds over the top of the net (starting with an ill-timed car door slam from myself). Unless they fly in down the 'corridor' on the usual NW to SE flightline at a fairly low level, you rarely catch them. We usually manage to catch at least 50% of those recorded, this morning saw 4/17! Blame the Ravens?
Vis Mig on and off 0615-1100hrs
Raven - a tight flock of 12 headed SW at 0645hrs and then about an hour later, a tight flock of 10 (plus a single corvid spp some distance away which may have been a Raven) also headed SW - what was presumably this latter flock (certainly 10 "large black birds") was seen far to the west by the Caton Moor vis migger, therefore they were not the same flock circling round out of audible range and losing two of their number. One previous record of a big flock but this is the first time any have been seen on the usual corvid NE to SW coastal flightline
Jay - flock of four headed south
Meadow Pipit - 359 S/SE
Chaffinch - 67 S/SW
Linnet - 1
Grey Wagtail - 17, all singletons apart from two lots of two
alba Wagtail - 18
Reed Bunting - 4
Swallow - 40
Goldfinch - just 5, conspicuous by its absence this morning
Siskin - 10
Skylark - one 'hearing'
Mistle Thrush - flock of 5 SW (first movement of the autumn)
House Martin - 1
Dunnock - 4 high to south
Grounded
not a lot
Chiffchaff - 2
Goldcrest - 1
Blackcap - 1
Song Thrush - at least 4, possibly 6 soon after dawn
Outfalls/Red Nab (thanks Pete and Mike) totals
Arctic Tern - 6 adult, 3 juv
Common Tern - 2
Little Gull - ad & 2CY
Med Gull - 2 ads & 1CY
Kingfisher - male Stage on outfall
Pink-footed Goose - 21 S at 1238hrs
Dunlin - 24
usual mixed flock of Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot awaiting my six-hour vigil plotting their movements!
Half Moon Bay (evening)
Wheatear - 4
Rock Pipit - 1
Moths
Included Rusty Dot Pearl and Silver Y
