Open-morning fare

Heysham Obs
A wet early morning at home with low cloud looked promising, but the skies cleared at Halton and, even further west, the Heysham fare was very much the clear sky variety. Not a bad morning however with dogs making a significant contribution in a "positive" and definitely negative way.  Pretty impressive for ringing with good numbers of Wrens, a few new Robins, quite a few finches and a surprising three Tree Sparrow..............but you didn't have the "feeling" of anything Scandinavian/Siberian being around with e.g. all the new Robins being Christmas-card red and the Wrens most definitely from this side of the north sea.  Similarly, very few thrushes.  Top bird during good coverage was a Snow Bunting.

Thanks very much to Skokholm for sending the Grey Wagtail pictures from yesterday

Vis mig on and off until 0930
Chaffinch - at least 61
Greenfinch - unknown but captures suggested quite a bit of movement (30 ringed)
Meadow Pipit - 16
Redwing - 25
alba Wagtail - 17
Jackdaw - 9
Rook - 5 with above
Carrion Crow - 4+36
Reed Bunting - 4
Rock Pipit - 2

Grounded
Wren - quite a few including 4 migrants on the mound
Chiffchaff - 1
Thrushes - virtually none
Tree Sparrow - three ringed at the feeder (flock)

Coastal stuff
Snow Bunting - one Ocean Edge saltmarsh shingle, then flushed by dog and flew towards the OE to Potts corner
Rock Pipit - one north wall
Arctic Tern - juv Red Nab then out to sea
'Commic' Tern - juv with above - probably Common - flew out to sea
Wigeon - 81
Med Gull - just one adult seen!