The forecasted rain belted through much earlier than anticipated and was followed by a slacker period where we, not for the first time this autumn, dodged heavy showers hitting SW Cumbria or just south of us. Then the wind took over, albeit not a helpful direction for any seabirds.....yet
A grey-backed Lapwing on Ocean Edge foreshore saw no Pallas's Peewit fitting the bill, unlike the charter-plane-launching probable Siberian Oystercatcher on Shetland. Undoubtedly a bit of leucism.
A 40 foot net was set near the office where it is completely sheltered and the feeder net was also run until the wind got up. Not a bad catch of 31 new birds
Miscellany
Gadwall - record count of 26 on Middleton
Coot - 1 Middleton
Mute Swan - 4 ads and 2 1CY
Tufted Duck - pair
Moorhen 7
Water rail - 2
Little Egret - 8 on shore
Wigeon - 5 Red Nab
Med Gull - 2 ads
No small calidrids within identifiable range
Grounded
Treecreeper - one ringed Hey NR office area
Chiffchaff - 3 ringed and only a couple of additional birds reported. None at all on Middleton
Goldcrest - a handful compared to yesterday around Hey NR and 10 ringed
Blackcap - at least one (1 ringed)
Song Thrush - 6 birds grounded then flew high to the east
Robin - one new bird ringed
Coal Tit - no obvious vis mig but two unringed birds caught
Vis mig
Linnet - 6 SE (flock)
Redpoll 1 S
Skylark - 26 SE (flock of 25)
Goldfinch - 115 S
Grey wagtail - 1 SE
Swallow - 1 SW
Meadow Pipit - 68 SE
Chaffinch - 15 S
alba Wagtail - 28 SE
Butterfly
Very late male Large White getting buffeted around
Fungi
A rare foray into this topic - these Fly Agaric were on Heysham NR:
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.