The weather was too nice to explore the inner workings of the welfare cabin so we spent the morning (06:10 - 11:10) monitoring overhead "vis" at Middleton Nature Reserve and ringing a few birds.
Wind direction - NE
Vis:
Meadow Pipit 104 S or SE
Swallow 60 ex-roost which flew SW then S plus 36 S
Grey Wagtail 13 at least (7 ringed) SE
alba wagtail 1 SE
Reed Bunting 1 SE
Goldfinch 1 SE
Carrion Crow 4 SE
Sparrow hawk flock of three south
Ringing:
New birds (in order of appearance) - Grey Wagtail (7), Meadow Pipit (8), Willow Warbler (1), Goldcrest (2), Chiffchaff (3), Goldfinch (2), Blackcap (3), Long-tailed Tit (2), Dunnock (1), Great Tit (1), Blue Tit (1), Lesser Whitethroat (2), Blackbird (1)
Retraps: Robin 2, Long-tailed tit 4.
One of us sneaked off to Red Nab and saw 3 x 1CY Mediterranean Gulls and an adult Med Gull with a ring (but too distant to read the ring).
Heliport
Wheatear - 5
Besides birds, moths are on the move. Here is a photo of Ronaldo's favourite moth, the Silver Y which was nectaring on the soon to be removed buddleia outside the old hut:
