The wind turns

 Quite a fresh easterly breeze, generally sunny.

The easterlies are set till Tuesday and Pete (M) advises that it could bring some good land birds in, with a reasonable possibility of Yellow-Browed Warbler.

Grey Wagtail ringing surprise re-trap (PM)

A Grey Wagtail was colour ringed whilst taped on NW to SE vis mig on 31/8 and continued to the SE after release. Today a high flying flock of four dropped into the net on vis mig from the NW including the above bird, almost certainly via crossing of Morecambe Bay from the south Lakes as is the norm (using Heysham PS as a cross Bay ‘guide’ hence a flightline concentration) This was 0800 well after ex-immediately local roost time.  All four headed off together to the SE. Almost like it wasn’t happy with its first effort at migration and went back to try again.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Visible migration report from Jean:

A surge of migrating birds flew over at sunrise then slowed into more of a trickle. Meadow Pipits kept coming over throughout the morning. The first migrating Song Thrush of the autumn was seen. 

Vis 0630-1130

Pink-footed Goose 38

Snipe 3

Carrion Crow 22

Swallow 25

House Martin 2

Song Thrush 2

Grey Wagtail 20

alba wagtail 12

Meadow Pipit 500

Chaffinch 1

Linnet 2

Redpoll sp 6

Reed Bunting 2

Ringing

Results from Jean

Meadow Pipit 43

Pied Wagtail 1

Chiffchaff 1

Great Tit 2

Alan's catch included:

Willow Warbler 1

5 Robin

9 grey wags (plus the retrap!), 

4 Blackcap, 

Chiffchaff

Mid morning (MD)

Just the western side checked

Cetti's warbler 1 singing

Chiffchaff 1 singing

Dragonflies- just two species seen

Common Darter - everywhere 

Migrant Hawker 8 (all males)

The males tolerate each other's company,
 at least away from breeding areas.

Butterflies - in order of abundance 

Red Admiral 

Speckled Wood

Small Tortoiseshell 

Small White 

Comma 3

Meadow Brown 1

This worn female is quite late.

South Shore - am (MD)

Shelduck 108

Wheatear 6

Rock Pipit 3

Linnet c30

The above grounded, below heading south

Meadow Pipit 35 in ones and twos (including some seen from the west side of MNR)

Swallow 2 

Weasel 1 flushed from the flotsam at Red Nab by the rising spring tide.

Raven - 1 over the barrows early pm (ref Janet)

This Black-Headed Gull was near the waterfall. It has an extra toe growing out from its left knee!

What do you call a gull with a toe growing from its knee?

...........Tony........(sorry!)