Another YBW!

A cool dry day. Very light breeze from the north. 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

I arrived at Heysham full of hope for Redwings and Chaffinches. There were a few of the latter but none of the former. It was pretty quiet, the thick cloud seemed to deaden any vis and the chilly weather put off birds arriving at the feeder till mid morning. But by 1300hrs I'd caught 42 birds - 31 new ones and 11 retraps, so not a bad haul. All the retraps were recent birds.

Great Spotted Woodpecker  0 new, 1 retrap (young male that I'd caught in August)

Coal Tit 1 new

Blue Tit 1 new, 2 retraps

Great Tit 2 new, 1 retrap (all males)

Chiffchaff 1 new (early morning, none later)

Goldcrest 2 new (a male and female caught together  - do they travel together, as a pair I wonder?)

Wren 0 new, 1 retrap

Blackbird 1 new (a female)

Robin 1 new, 1 retrap

Dunnock 1 new, 2 retraps

Chaffinch 6 new

Goldfinch 13 new, 11 retraps

Other birds of note:

2 Mistle Thrushes dropped in.

This report and excellent pictures by Craig Bell:

Yellow-Browed warbler - at the gate/galvanised fence on left hand side of road before the entrance to Ocean Edge

Located mid afternoon, it was still present at 16:00. This was after a thorough search of Heysham Nature Reserve had found nothing of note.

Yellow-Browed Warbler 

South shore 

I Just had a walk along foreshore and sea wall at 08:30 high water (Malcolm)

I started the walk past the galvanised fence and didn't see or hear any warbler at that time.

When I got to the saltmarsh, there wasn't a single small passerine. I suspected that they had been moved on by a raptor. So I had my camera and my wits ready - neither proved to be good enough! 

As I approached the slipway a Merlin flew from that direction low and fast over the saltmarsh, then disappeared . All I managed were a few blurry shots!

As I walked along the foreshore Linnets were returning to the saltmarsh, 2, 20, 1 and 12. When I checked again on the way back there was a flock of 80+ finches. Mainly Linnet, but some Goldfinch amongst them. No sign of the Merlin this time.

Rock Pipit 3 (foreshore, Red Nab and lighthouse)

Meadow Pipit 3 SE

Shelduck 43 - 34 feeding, 8 south and 1 north

Shelduck flying south past along the shipping lane

Wigeon 35

Some of the birds on Red Nab. Wigeon, Redshank, Curlew,
Black-Headed and Lesser Black-Backed gull

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 6

Little Egret resting on No.2 outfall rail, with Black-Headed and Herring gulls
This bird later flew off NW

Great White Egret 1 - flew NW from the direction of the Lune estuary

This Common Gull was the only gull feeding on No.1 outfall

Immature Herring Gull with a plastic bottle - oh dear!