Tuesday 15 April 2014

Much more like it..........

Heysham Obs
A morning which was mostly concentrated by the Heysham NR office with a short seawatch just after low tide.  Alan produced a Common Redpoll out of the nets before dawn and a couple of Avocet heading north up the bay were (eventually!) identified - must spend more time at Leighton Moss.  A few other odds and ends of migrants - not bad for a clear moon-ridden morning

Office area
Common Redpoll - male caught and ringed at 0600hrs - see pics and note the 'barbie doll pink' on this species on the sides of the head and breast c/p the deeper red on most lesser males
Lesser Redpoll - at least 37 with 18 ringed - amazingly none already bearing rings..........until as soon as I posted this the next round produced L978xxx!
Redstart - female by office briefly
Blackcap - 4-5 moved through
Willow Warbler - very difficult as they whizzed through just after dawn with bits of temporary song from various sites - 20-30?
Lesser Whitethroat - newly arrived singing male by office, almost certainly the bird seen dropping out of the sky just previous to song registration (yesterdays bird did not stay)
Meadow Pipit - 18 NE, prob more - very high
Common Whitethroat - male appeared at lunchtime
Siskin - 5 NE
Collared Dove - flock of 3 NE
Tree Pipit - one NE

Sea
Swallow - 15 NE
Avocet - 2 north
Eider - 221
Red-throated Diver - one on