Sunday 8 April 2018

An odd day plus a predictable afternoon Osprey

Every so often a migration day throws up the unexpected epitomised by six |House Martin (its only 8th April in a 'late' year) and up to 100 Swallow sitting around in bushes at Middleton!
all six house martin are on here - thanks Malcolm

Masses of Meadow Pipit and other odds and ends of vis mig flying north past the Stone Jetty yet no vis records whatsoever over Heysham NR

Lets go back to the other day when a mass of Meadow Pipits were grounded on Heysham head and the horse paddocks but very few were moving south over the reserve of sites to the south.  I wonder if this explains 500+Meadow Pipit over the Stone Jetty this am?

Going back to the hirundines, this was unprecedented in spring and Malcolm suggested that these were a product of overnight roosting, some in the reed mace as they had "fluff" stuck to their feathers equating to the friable reed mace seed.  They were reluctant to head north in the murky weather but gradually moved on in dribs and drabs with others arriving from the south similarly

The dropping tide received very little coverage at Heysham but as usual we trawl in any seabird passage and publish it here

Kittiwake - 5 out flock 41 in off SJ
Red-throated Diver - 7 SJ, just one Heysham
Guillemot - 2
Common Scoter - one in SJ
Brent Goose - 9 pale-bellied off horse paddocks early am presumably joined by the three dark-bellied seen flying south at SJ mid-am

Cetti's Warbler - one singing by no-swimming pond surely not same as central marsh bird?
Blackcap - 3 ringed plui at least 4 in field
Willow Warbler - one ringed, at least 10 in field
Chiffchaff - 3 ringed
Goldcrest - 2 ringed

OSPREY - south over Middleton 1530hrs (thanks Mario)