Heysham Obs
Heysham Harbour, with the exception of the IOM passenger ferry, is all about freight boats and associated lorries coming and going. The associated racket, like a tuneless Motorhead track, propelled towards us by a wind which was still a fresh north-westerly, put the lid on any awareness of all but the most obvious migration this morning. No doubt loads of Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch were missed, judging by the immediate response from height when a Meadow Pipit tape was played from 0945hrs
Office area dawn to 1000hrs
Pink-footed Goose - 130+79 S
Sparrowhawk - 2+1 S
Cormorant - flock of 6 high to the south (definitely not tidal displacement)
Grey Heron - 1CY high to the west
Carrion Crow - 5 south, then east
Chaffinch - 30+ S
Meadow Pipit - 50+ SE, c90 by 1200hrs
Grey Wagtail - 4 SE
alba Wagtail - 20+ SE
Goldfinch - 4 SE
Swallow - 5 SE
Goldcrest - at least 15 grounded first thing
Chiffchaff - one grounded
Coal Tit - 1+1 south
Ocean Edge and area
Arctic tern - adult outfalls
Little Gull - adult Red Nab
Med Gull - at least 4 1CY, 1 2CY and 1 ad
Wheatear - 3
The less said about the ringing effort the better with the emphasis being on wasted & sleep-deprived effort. The only Grey Wagtail opportunity involved at least one bird on a pole, negating firing, and what was supposed to be the 'last shower on the radar' mysteriously re-materialised, notably at 0920 when all seemed to be clear. A Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit (rare this year!), Robin and a few finches & Meadow Pipit were ringed.
Moths
Two Pink-barred Sallow and a Treble Bar
