In conditions which the rainfall radar suggested was just about ok, the rather minimalistic 3 hour CES at Middleton was attempted this morning, prompted by conditions which looked pretty good for a Sedge Warbler arrival. It was a good job it was only a three hour session and the nets could be whipped down fairly quickly before the heavens opened. The problem was not rain, but a niggling F2/3 ESE wind which is not a good direction for here but at least the nets were spared direct sunlight.
Apart from the life-changing experience of putting a B ring on a Dunnock, there were a good number of Sedge Warblers around as the nets were being set, before the wind got up, and 12 were caught. Wing length suggested all were males. The only ringed bird was one of ours from last year - this species seems second only to Lesser Redpoll for producing birds ringed elsewhere - an average of about 1/10 of spring birds
Middleton 0545-0900
Meadow Pipit - one in song flight (absent for a year or two on territory)
Skylark - 2 singing males
Gadwall - two males and female flying around
Common Sandpiper - singleton heard
Sedge Warbler - 30+
Grasshopper Warbler - 3-4 singing males. all intermittent
Reed Warbler - 4-5 singing males
Willow warbler - again no evidence of any migrants
Whinchat - female passed through
Hirundines - not one seen!
Greylag - three
Ocean Edge
Wheatear - 11
Sea
No birds of interest in a 30 minute watch mid-morning - tomorrow looks better for tern passage
Moths
Dark-barred Twin-spot, Flame and Common Carpet............& Parsnip Moth
HNR this afternoon and the regular Robin outside the office
