Tuesday 12 April 2022

First Common Tern plus plenty of passing passerines

NNE light breeze moved to SE by the afternoon. A fair start then steady rain till mid afternoon.

Heysham Nature Reserve 
Jean managed a ringing session:
Just a few retraps plus a Jay.

In contrast to yesterday's long distance Robin, we received news of a Dunnock ringed here in 2018. Found dead at Heysham!

Report from Pete:
Seawatching from Heysham north wall to 0920 - most of birds past just offshore with no overhead vis:  Common tern new for year 
1 Gannet
1 Common Scoter
1 Razorbill
1 Arctic Skua
6 Sandwich Tern
506 Meadow pipit
83 Swallow
26 linnet
23 Sand Martin 
(but no pied wag!) 
Undoubtedly missed stuff going under and possibly over the scope, esp hirundines which were mainly closer in.  Most of meadow pipit at or just inside yellow buoy range heading NNE

South shore 09:45 - 10:30(MD)
The wind had shifted slightly and the passage flight line changed. In a few minutes at the saltmarsh c12 Meadow Pipit and 5 Swallow went over. No other overhead movement seen along the wall or out from the roundhead.
Wheatear 6 (2 moved through on the way out and 4 more on the return - it was raining by then)
Rock Pipit 3
Linnet 5 flew from south to north side of the harbour

Kevin took this shot of a male Blackcap in his garden today

Angela Gillion took this shot of the first Mallard chicks on the main pond Middleton Nature Reserve 

Mallard with at least 6 ducklings swimming 

about much to the annoyance of the swan!