Pinks through in numbers and decent ringing session

Mainly dry with just a couple of light showers. The sun didn't really break through till lunchtime. Light variable breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing and vis report from Jean

It was another Pink-footed Goose arrival day with many birds flying at height. A minimum of 1245 flew over Heysham Nature Reserve and others were seen over Middleton NR. No doubt others flew over the sea as they could be heard in that direction but not seen.

Other than Pinks the only other vis from 0700-1300 consisted of:

Chaffinch 7

Meadow Pipit 2

Jackdaw 4

Bullfinch 1

Jay 8

Raven - 2 appeared and were harrassed by the local Crows.

Ringing was pretty busy with 64 birds caught over 4.5 hours

Grey Wagtail 1 

Goldcrest 4

Robin 4 plus 1 retrap from October last year

Chiffchaff 3

Blackcap 1

Greenfinch 9

Goldfinch 9 plus a retrap from September last year

Coal Tit 3 plus a recent retrap

Great Tit 6  plus a retrap

Long-tailed Tit 1

Dunnock 3 plus a retrap

Long-tailed Tit 1

Blue Tit 5 new and 4 retraps (from July and August this year)

Wren 5

Report from Pete:

Black Terns 2 juvenile on the outfalls, only one left by late afternoon per Janice Sutton

Latish Lesser Whitethroat seen Heysham Nature Reserve 

Reed warbler trapped Middleton Nature Reserve - full report to follow 

Mediterranean Gull at least 9 around today including metal only ringed adult 

I just had one short walk on the shore between Red Nab and the saltmarsh mid afternoon (MD).

Even from there I could make out a Black Tern patrolling the seaward side of No.2 outflow. A slightly different angle this with the wooden jetty behind and the South Lakes behind that.

At this time there were very few gulls feeding on the outflows but there were over 1,000 resting on the mud. Mainly Black-Headed gulls. I only managed to find three Mediterranean gulls, all adult. Including one of the regular German ringed birds.

ANLT just about to take off. They were very flighty but it just seemed to be a consequence 
of so many stretching over a long distance. It just needs one to take flight and others react.

Juvenile Wood Pigeon on the saltmarsh 

Linnet 67 on the saltmarsh.

This is what the Linnet are currently feeding on, the Michaelmas-daisies have gone to seed.

The daisies cover much of the saltmarsh edges

The Pink-Footed Geese continued flying over high to the south all day, both  Mark Jones and Janet reported sightings plus several skeins have passed over my house. Three skeins while I was out totalled 176.

Pink-Footed geese high to the south

Also from Janet - Middleton Nature Reserve 

Chiffchaff 1 singing

The regular Grey Heron had been stood amongst the feeding swans.
The bread that attracts the swans, also attracts the fish.

The alternative strategy, is to wait patiently in a quiet spot