Loads of Chiffchaffs, and big Jackdaw movement

A lovely autumn day. A cool night followed by a warm sunny day with a light and variable breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Another busy ringing session at Heysham NR with 84 birds caught - 74 new and 10 retraps

New birds:

Greenfinch 21

Blue Tit 9

Chiffchaff 8 - John caught 16 at Middleton NR so in total 24 were caught today. It's certainly a day record this year but not sure about previous years. On those numbers we should have had a Yellow-browed Warbler but it wasn't to be today, maybe at the weekend??

Goldfinch 7

Goldcrest 6

Chaffinch 6

Robin 4

Great Tit 3

Dunnock 3

Wren 2

Coal Tit 2

Long-tailed Tit 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Retraps

Dunnock 3 - two recent ones and one which was caught over last winter and last seen on 8 April then reappeared on 7 September for this winter.

Long-tailed Tit 2 - one of which hadn't been caught since February

Goldcrest 1 (recent)

Robin 1 (recent)

Great Tit 1 (recent)

Blue Tit 1 (recent)

Goldfinch 1 - last caught in March

Visible migration

Jackdaw - flock of 175 south and flock of 24 south - both flocks in addition to those seen at Ocean Edge

Pink-footed Goose - 280 north, 90 south

Pied Wagtail - 2

Linnet - 1

Chaffinch - 14

Skylark - 1 late morning

Other

Raven and Peregrine were slugging it out over one of the pylons. The Raven (possibly 2) only appeared in the last few days and is encroaching on the eastern edge of the Peregrine's territory so the latter was very vocal. The pylon in question is also in a Carrion Crow territory so they were cawing loudly as well!

A Cetti's Warbler sang briefly in the tank farm.

South Shore (MD)

I had a walk out on the shore beyond the saltmarsh on the morning rising tide.

Whooper Swan - a single bird flew south almost as soon as I reached the shore. I started a tally sheet, and the final tally was........one!

Whooper Swan

The only other swan seen was this Mute feeding on the saltmarsh towards high water

Pink-Footed Goose 150 south in two skeins

Shelduck 16 on the sea

Wigeon 25 around Red Nab

Waders:

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 20

Bar-Tailed Godwit 110

Lapwing 51 on the saltmarsh 

Grey Plover 15

Redshank 40

Knot 1,000

Turnstone 4 

Dunlin 500

Ringed Plover 23

These are most of the Godwits plus a few Grey Plover

Redshank rarely get a show, these are some chasing in the tide and obviously finding plenty to eat. Meanwhile the Black-Headed Gulls and Knot (end of clip) look less than impressed!

Jackdaw 108 in one flock south. These are just some of them. So, total today 307.

Linnet 10 on saltmarsh 

Greenfinch 6 on saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 1 on saltmarsh - this is a bit of a different viewing angle.

Wheatear 2 (foreshore and Red Nab)

Wheatear

Red Admiral 2 south

Heysham skear low water 17:40 (MD)

A very pleasant evening stroll, but nothing new to see.

Eider 4

Great Crested Grebe 5

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Little Egret 21

Grey Heron 1

Oystercatcher c1,000

Curlew 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 6 - in SE muddy corner

Redshank 30

Turnstone 15 (inner skear not checked.

Knot c2,000 - no rings seen