Blocking cloud spoils the early morning effort

Heysham Obs
A bit frustrating this morning with a great wadge of cloud out to the west blocking any cross-bay vis, certainly across the Middleton site.  Then as soon as the batteries went on the 'machine', the skies cleared across the bay and three of the main ringing target species - Grey Wagtail - flew through!


Middleton NR dawn onwards
Reed Warbler - two migrants ringed
Grasshopper Warbler - a short burst of song from a passage bird
Grey Wagtail - 5 or so (one off-passage bird?) - only one ringed today
Tree Pipit - 4 (one ringed)
Meadow Pipit - c70, mainly mid-late morning
Swallow - 50-100 again mainly late morning
House Martin - at least 30 as above
Whinchat - one early morning
Blackcap - 4 new birds ringed
Whitethroat - just one ringed
Robin - 4 ringed
Garden Warbler - a retrap from a couple of days ago had not put on any appreciable weight/fat
Sedge Warbler - as above species
Raven - 2
Starling - lots of small parties of young birds touring the place but rarely landing
Just 35 new birds ringed this morning

Middleton evening
Greylag - flock of 25 flew over - unprecedented in autumn I think!
Hobby - adult targeted the Swallow roost and seemed to catch one
Swallow - c150 roosted


Insects
Middleton central/western marsh area: Common Hawker, 5+ Migrant Hawker, 2+ Brown Hawker, c20 Common Darter, Clouded Yellow