Heysham Obs
Another session at Middleton this morning and it was very good, if a little puzzling. It was as clear as a bell first thing yet, for example, there were five un-ringed Blackcap in a mist net well before dawn. We have caught nearly 50 Blackcap at Middleton this week without a single re-trap. Indeed, despite ringing for the last four mornings, the number of re-traps has been really low with, for example, just a Wren (and local nestbox Great Tit bearing a B ring) out of 60 odd birds this morning!
Sorry about the lack of proper migration postings the last two days - home computer playing up.
Middleton dawn to mid morning
Vis mig (couldn't concentrate on this the whole time)
Meadow Pipit - c270 SE
Grey Wagtail - 13 SE (8 ringed, a high ratio on a sunny morning)
Tree Pipit - 1 SE
Grey Heron - one high to east
Jackdaw - flock of 4 S
alba Wagtail - 14 SE
Chaffinch - 3 S
Jay - 2+1 west
Swallow- only 2+1+14 SE!!! No perceived ex-roost birds, implying there wasn't one!
Reed Bunting - just one, passage seems to have 'dried up'
Common Buzzard - one soaring around might just have been a local wanderer
Grounded migrants Middleton
Blackcap - 8 ringed
Chiffchaff - 5 ringed, plus at least 4 others
Lesser Whitethroat - single ringed
Robin - fewer than yesterday with just 3 ringed
Goldcrest - good number for here (HNR usually much better) with 8 ringed and at least 5 additional birds
Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, any acros - negative
Butterfly
Clouded Yellow Middleton bottle dump area
