A cool start till the warmth of the sun kicked in. Then a pleasantly warm, mainly sunny, day with Light westerly breezes.
Frustrating morning at Middleton NR today. Early doors saw the usual Robin objecting to us parked up in its territory and ticking and bits of song from surrounding bush tops. A great white Egret flew high west at 0755. Then as checking Ringing data was aware of a bird flying close overhead then landing top of a bush about 8 m away. Robin again- no something not quite right about the call - looked up and chestnut cheeks and a further two quiet ‘tick’ calls but couldn’t see the rest of the plumage due to the recently rising low sun. Then it was off giving one audible tick in flight before towering west and behind a tall willow. When I realised what it was, tried to call Jean Roberts but she had gone 50m up the track to the very socially distanced other ringer (we have west side of the track and east side ringers during Covid) to tell him about the GWE. So left with an inadequate single observer Little Bunting which I won’t be submitting. If only the GWE hadn’t gone over Jean would have been nearby and seen/heard it. Everything seemed to be in a rush today - the single Yellow browed Warbler (fortunately multi observed/heard) must have been reading Billy Whizz of the Beano as it raced west to east through the site as did an irruptive LTT flock. Very near misses are so frustrating - the west coast doesn’t swim with rarities so you have to make the most of your limited opportunities. Grrr
Visible migration report from Jean:
Over Middleton NR today 0730-1130
Redwing 7
Fieldfare 15 - not absolutely sure about these as they were seen distantly to the east
Song Thrush 2
Whooper Swan 4 ( same as Dan’s)
Pink-footed Goose 231 in 6 flocks (Probably some overlap with some of Dan's)
A nice shot by Jean, of some of the Pinks
passing the waning crescent moon
Great White Egret 1 (not vis as such, probably from Ashton Hall roost and heading to the shore)
Lesser Redpoll 11
Siskin 2
Chaffinch 4
Greenfinch 4
Goldfinch 4
Linnet 2
Pied Wagtail 5
Reed Bunting 5
Carrion Crow 41
Jackdaw 33
Collared Dove 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Later in the afternoon there were 13 Redwing grounded on the east side and at 15:15 at least 100 thrushes including Fieldfare and Redwing flew south over the golf course. The impression was that they had been flushed/spooked from nearby.
Plenty of insects in the sunshine (including HNR and south shore):
Dragonflies- Common Darters 10+ Migrant Hawker 4
Butterflies - Red Admiral 1. Comma 1. Small White 4. Speckled Wood 10+
Heysham Head - report and pictures by Dan H
07:45-10:15
Pink-footed Goose 301 SSE (96+121+84)
Chaffinch 15 NNE
Meadow Pipit 4 SE + 5 NE
Tree Sparrow 5 SE
Mistle Thrush 4 NNE
Whooper Swan 4 ads SSE
 |
| Almost certainly the same four Whooper also seen by Jean |
Skylark 4 NNE
Redwing 2 NNE
Goldfinch 2 NE
Brambling 1 NE
redpoll sp 1 NE
Siskin 1 NE
Reed Bunting 1 E
Deck notables
Chaffinch 7 then E
Siskin 6 in wood then N
Rock Pipit 6
Goldcrest 5
Song Thrush 5
Coal Tit 3
Reed Bunting 1
Blackcap 1 f
Less notable
Greenfinch 12
Linnet 10
Knot milling around
