Rather intermittent vis mig coverage this morning as tried to mix and match with covering likely spots for grounded stuff. Good numbers were recorded, however. Main components were alba Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch with the less regular species including Tree Sparrow and Rock Pipit and gangs of 2+8+10 Coal Tit in irruptive fashion - shades of last autumn's migratory 'highlight'
Grounded included male Stonechat, two Wheatear, a few Chiffchaff and Blackcap and a flock of 4 Song Thrush
The other main feature of the morning was insect migration, including the first Clouded Yellow of the year
More later when all the figures are gathered in
Vis mig 0700-1315 - mobile around office, north wall, tank farm including going to the shop, therefore perhaps 60 minutes in total missed
Grey Wagtail - 45SE
Chaffinch - 180 S
Meadow Pipit - 953 SE
alba Wagtail - 201 SE
Coal Tit - 2+8+10 south then one ringed later
Dunnock - 2+1+2+2 south
Goldfinch - at least 22 migrants S
Sparrowhawk - 2 singletons south
Kestrel - one south
Jay - 2 singletons south looked like migrants on behaviour
Tree Sparrow - 2 together south
Rock Pipit - one south
Skylark - 10 SE
Raven - 2 SW - the first seen for a bit - a species which has been intermittent this year and we should have recorded more conscientiously
Swallow - 22 SE
House Martin - 2 SE
Siskin - 2SE
Grounded
Stonechat - male tank farm
Wheatear - 2 north wall (one large)
Goldcrest - only one seen - north wall and 2 on reserve
Chiffchaff - at least 5 (2 ringed)
Blackcap - at least 4 (one ringed)
Song Thrush - 4 on tank farm - headed south together
Robin - one dropped out of the sky and landed by the office at 1034hrs but not much evidence of many other migrants (2 ringed)
Green Woodpecker - one heard distantly early morning - see Malcolm's posting
Middleton & Ocean Edge (thanks Malcolm)
Middleton IE 10.30 - 12.00
3 mute + 7 cygnets
5 coot
5 moorhen
11 tufted
6 gadwall (2 male with 2 female + 1 female + 1 probable juvenile)
2 teal
1 little grebe
1 snipe
1 green woodpecker
1 jay
1 chiffchaff
4 swallow (South)
c120 meadow pipit in smallish groups SE (most in first hour)
Lots of common darter (2 pairs mating) + 2 common blue & 2 migrant hawkers.
Small white & small tortoise shells only butterflies seen
Ocean Edge
1 grounded adult male white wagtail (12.30)
1 grey wagtail
5 wheatear
c30 linnet
Insects
Included a Clouded Yellow heading south by the office at lunchtime and low double-figures of Red Admiral, Small White and Silver Y south by the office from late morning plus a single Peacock and c5 Small Tortoiseshell. Plenty of Small and Large white plus Small Tortoiseshell along the Ocean Edge section of coast late morning. Also Painted Lady seen on North Harbour Wall, lots of Red Admiral and Small Whites plus lots of bees, hoverflies and other flies all coming in-off.
