Heysham Obs
Considering general migration was at a very low level this morning, if lack of thrushes was anything to go by, quite a decent haul, but couldn't get any views of a possible Siberian Chiffchaff on Heysham Head with 3-4 mobile Blue Tit other than call x 3, brief pale underparts and a long tail. Binned as could not be relocated. Ironically the calling collybita-type with LTTs gave excellent views!.
Middleton Nature reserve (thanks Malcolm)
Mute Swan - 2 pairs + 2 cygnets
Moorhen - 7
Coot - 2
Mallard - 3 (no Gadwall recently)
Teal - 52 (very flighty)
Cetti's Warbler - singing male NE corner of central marsh
Ocean Edge/Red NabShort eared owl - one rose from the high tide line on saltmarsh and headed north over caravans
Kestrel - 1
Common snipe - 3
Little Egret - 3
Rock Pipit - 1
Med Gull - 2CY
Heysham Nature reserve vis mig 0715-0915ish
Chaffinch - 79 SW
Brambling - 1-2 (two birds, one definite Brambling calling) SW
Linnet - flock of 6 SE
Meadow Pipit - 1+1+1 S
Starling - 284 in 6 flocks S/SW
Lapwing - flock of 9 high to SE
Woodpigeon - 9 SE
Greenfinch - 1 SW!
Swallow - juvenile blogging, then S (very late for here)
alba Wagtail - 1 SE
Bullfinch - 2 S
Grounded migrants HNR
Very little
Blackbird - 8
Goldcrest - 5
North Harbour Wall
Linnet - 17 around the feeding area and Sea Buckthorn bushes
Goldfinch - 2 with Linnets
Robin - 1 feeding area
Heysham Head
see above
Chiffchaff - 1
Treecreeper - 2
Redpoll - 2 S
Starling - 11 SW
Insects
Middleton NR
Red Admiral - 1
Common Darter - 6 including ovipositing pair
Heysham Head
Silver Y
Heysham NR - all in NE corner
Comma - three on ivy bloom
Red Admiral - 3 on ivy bloom
Speckled Wood - one very geriatric one
Migrant Hawker - 1
Common Darter - 1
(Comma - 1 below obs tower site
Small Tortoiseshell - 2 apparently setting off across bay north-westwards from NHW)
Moth trap
Singles of Large Wainscot and Angle Shades
1 red admiral
6 common darter, including pair depositing eggs in a soon to
be dried up puddle
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.