Siberian Chiffchaff

It was almost breathless early on with very low cloud cover. Later the east breeze cleared the cloud and the sun shone for most of the afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing captures included

Siberian Chiffchaff 1 - All the features were correct including particularly black legs.

It's not easy holding a bird in one hand and camera in the other!

Chiffchaff (Collybita) - A bit pale and washed out but bare parts not particularly dark and normal calls given after release

Collybita Chiffchaff 

Cetti's Warbler - I new bird ringed - they are still moving about (2 singing in the afternoon)

Redpoll 1

There were 4 Tufted duck on the "no swimming" pond

The female with the white around bill and roundish head,
is either at the extreme range for a Tufted or is a hybrid.

It was a day for birds at the extreme of their range. These pictures of a small Dunlin with a short bill below the heliport wall. Taken by Pete.

It is unusual for what appears to be a schinzii to be still 

around early winter unless it is a very small nominate alpina

The mud actually makes the bill look longer
and thicker than it actually was.

Also from the Heliport, Jean managed to read this orange flagged Knot.

SR77065	1E		Ringed	22/09/2017	2017	6	6						Altcar
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	16/04/2018	2018	4	16		Southport
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	22/09/2018	2018	9	22		Formby
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	20/03/2019	2019	3	20		Southport
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	29/11/2019	2019	11	29		Southport
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	27/01/2020	2020	1	27		Southport
SR77065	1E		Sighted	22/09/2017	2017		6	24/07/2020	2020	7	24		Ainsdale Beach

Other records from Jean:

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Tree Sparrow 5 in bushes then headed ENE, in a line towards the new feeder.

Skylark 1 east

Heysham Nature Reserve

Woodcock - one below the non-existent obs tower.

Goldcrest 1 

Plus geese included in report below

There were several reports of Pink-Footed goose movement:

47 north

332 north between 09:00 - 09:05

110 south between 11:15 - 12:10

128 south between 12:20 - 13:30

Some of the Pinkfoot from Janet 

No reports yet from anyone checking the Sandwich Tern or Shag status. Hopefully the weekend will provide sightings of both.

Insects:

Migrant Hawker 1 near dog walk pond - ref Janet

Common Darter 1 Middleton Nature Reserve 

male Common Darter