Sunday 14 September 2014

More Grey Wagtail, a good variety of late common warblers, but dearth of Meadow Pipit

Heysham Obs
100 up for Grey Wagtail colour ringing this autumn (111 to date) - courtesy of an unbelievable run of suitable ringing weather - 15 more ringed this morning, covering two sites.  Do please check any Grey Wagtail you see.  Incidentally, we have ringed about 800 birds this month so far with only a handful being Swallows as the roost broke up very early this year.  A major feature has been the lack of re-captures as birds quickly moved through.  Perhaps most surprising, given the off-passage blackberry offerings, has been the complete lack of Blackcap re-captures out of record numbers ringed


Heysham & Middleton dawn to mid morning
Night migrants
Chiffchaff - 8 ringed
Willow Warbler - one ringed
Sedge Warbler - one ringed, the first seen for a few days
Reed Warbler - three ringed 'out of habitat'
Whitethroat - one ringed - the first for a bit
Goldcrest - just one ringed
Blackcap - 5 ringed
Robin - 6 ringed
Lesser Whitethroat - one seen Middleton


Vis mig
Meadow Pipit - very poor, despite fairly clear conditions, with just 76 SE
Grey Wagtail - c22 SE (15 ringed)
Swallow - just 11 seen heading SE
Alba Wagtail - 27 SE
Flava Wagtail - one, sounding like flavissima, SE
Reed Bunting - 10 SE
Linnet - 2 SE
Rook - adult SE (unusual)
Collared Dove - two together heading south (presumed to be on the move!)

Red Nab incoming tide
A huge dread revealed nothing untoward flying over
Med Gull - 5 adults (couldn't see any 1CY)
Little Gull - ad
Sandwich Tern - 6 at least
Little Egret - 2