Tuesday 27 September 2011

Raptors highlight early morning vis mig

Heysham Obs
More to come after the intertidal work has been done (hopefully!).  Maybe not- bad start with 3 small dogs in jackets flushing everything and very 'glary' later on

Vis mig by office 0715-0915
This was fairly conscientious plus or minus a cup or coffee & checking moths with no background noise this morning
Meadow Pipit - 143 SE
Chaffinch - 137 S/SW
alba Wagtail - 23 SE
Goldfinch - 38 S
Linnet - 9 S
Mistle Thrush - 1 SW
Marsh Harrier - juv SW then turned SSE at 0725
Reed Bunting - 2 S, plus another c1015
Kestrel - juv south at 0745
Grey Wagtail - just 2 SE
Collared Dove - 2 (together) S
Swallow - just one south
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 2 together very high to SW
Skylark - flock of 6 SE 1045
Blue Tit - see below

Middleton
Kingfisher - one by the bridge dyke

Grounded
Not a great deal
Goldcrest - one below Obs T
Blackcap - one off-passage female ringed (23.3g F4)
Chiffchaff - 3 passed through by the office quickly (one ringed)
Robin - a few ticking & chasing plus a lightweight one (16.6g) ringed
Dunnock - a few in evidence and unringed one caught (very good year for this species so far!)
Blue Tit - minor hint of movement with one fast-moving southbound flock of 8 and a couple of unringed birds caught
Wheatear - 2 Ocean Edge

Moths
Two Rusty Dot Pearl highlighted a reasonable catch which also included 2 Feathered Ranunculus.  6 Silver Y on two afternoon reserve circuits

Butterflies
Good variety for this time of year after a wet/windy month.  Watch out for a late influx of Clouded Yellow the next few days??  A very worn female Common Blue & male Small White by the office and a late-into-hibernation Peacock sunning itself on the office; male Brimstone, female Green-veined White and male Meadow Brown along the north (PA way) slope; Comma NE corner; Red Admiral below the Obs T, Small Tortoiseshell dipping pond & 2 on the yellow car park buddleia and Small Copper opposite dog walk entrance.  18 Speckled Wood throughout, mainly in the glades

Dragonfly
Perhaps surprisingly, only two Common Darter seen and a male Migrant Hawker along the north (PA way) bank