Heysham NR office area
An oddly 'compartmentalised' morning around the office
1) Dawn Redwing drop - 50 ish
2) Flock of 6 Goldcrest in the net
3) A Ring Ouzel "materialises" out of the nearest rather large bush - calling, sticking its head out then flying inland - must have been lying low from a landfall during the night. A few Song Thrush followed suit from other nearby bushes
4) A visit to the bottom net of three net revealed a few Long-tailed Tits and other birds but others 'waiting' in the nearest bush. Checked the top first and a warbler leaf-gleaning at the top of a hawthorn inside the tank farm proved to be a Yellow-browed Warbler. Cleared the top two nets but decided to leave the LTTs for a couple of minutes whilst I phoned out the Yellow-browed and also see if the additional birds would be caught
5) Emptied the net - there did not seem to be any additional birds in it, but in the middle was a Yellow-browed Warbler along with three Chiffchaff. The rest of the LTT flock could be heard in the tank farm - was there another bird with them!
6) Two Tree Sparrow responded to an otherwise unproductive Redpoll tape and were duly ringed - the only ones seen
7) Three more Goldcrest - a good three hours after the early flock
8) 35 Redwing over - the first since pre-dawn
Yes, a strange morning - e.g. despite being on high alert covering vis and listening to bushy noises, the only Goldcrest and Chiffchaff noted were in the mist nets, with rapid 'melt-away' following release. Indeed the YBW was the only bird to 'hang about' calling and showing well for at least 25 minutes but not on the return from the net check.
Vis mig Heysham NR
Rook - 7
Jackdaw - 3 (same flock as above)
Grey Wagtail - 1
Redwing - 50 at dawn then 35 S mid/late morning
alba Wagtail - 17
Reed Bunting - 1
Chaffinch - just 14
Coal Tit - 4
Siskin - 12
Lesser Redpoll - 9
Goldfinch - 5
Meadow Pipit - 4
Grounded office area
Yellow-browed Warbler - at least one
Chiffchaff - 3
Goldcrest - c10
Song Thrush - 8
Ring Ouzel - 1
Blackbird - 5
Tree Sparrow - 2
Middleton NR
A probable Yellow-browed Warbler was heard calling from dense scrub near the Tim Butler pond and wildfowl included 14 Tufted Duck and 7 Teal. Not got the ringing data yet, but catch dominated by Lesser Redpoll and Redwing. Blackcap seem to have suddenly dried up as the airflow went north of east and the second blank day on the trot but a couple of Chiffchaff were ringed
Ringing totals Heysham and Middleton new birds only
Yellow-browed Warbler (1), Goldcrest (12), Chaffinch (1), Long-tailed Tit (5), Chiffchaff (6), Blue Tit (5), Tree Sparrow (2), Coal Tit (2), Redwing (15), Lesser Redpoll (15), Blackcap (1), Wren (2), Reed Bunting (3), Treecreeper (1), Goldfinch (1)
