Pink-footed goose - major movement took place over the UK this morning. At Heysham two flight lines watched today.
c1000 + seen flying south on eastern side by Middleton Nature Reserve ringers.
c800 seen from skeer on western side, all flying south. Small skeins to start with, but increasing during morning (07:00 - 09:00)
Meadow Pipit - 75 (no doubt many more much higher up out of view in the blue sky conditions)
Skylark - 7
Reed Bunting - 3
Common Buzzard - 1
Chaffinch - 2
Grey Wagtail - 19 (11 caught and ringed)
Tree Sparrow - 6 (4 caught and ringed)
Swallow - 2
Great White Egret - 1 (see below)
Linnet - 1
Goldfinch - 5
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Heysham/Middleton Nature Reserve
Not a bad morning for ringing but it rapidly died off after 1000, as it usually does on clear mornings, but not so recently. Ringing totals included an unusual 5 Tree Sparrow, 11 Grey Wagtail, 14 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, 7 (migrant) Robin, 6 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting and single Sedge Warbler and Treecreeper, the latter the third of the week. There seems to be a bottomless pit of new Blackcaps with getting on for 200 so far.
Great White Egret
One seen leaving the reserve to the south 12:45
Still lots of dragonfly activity, but today restricted to: Emperor, Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Common Darter
Mute 4 adult plus 6 (5+1) 1cy
Gadwall 13
Tufted 1
Mallard 6
Little grebe 3
Coot 1
Moorhen 10
Cormorant- now regularly seen on the main pond, today one was seen catching one of the, plentiful, goldfish-rudd/roach hybrids.
