Still they pile through..........

Heysham Obs
Vis mig
Meadow Pipit dominated again today. Vis pretty continuous from 0700-1345hrs.

Meadow Pipit: 1,167 NE with peak movement of 411 0910-1010 and 111 from 1010-1020hrs. Another observer recorded 326 from 1015-1115 (i.e. 5 min overlap with the above)
Carrion Crow: 11 north (2+6+3)
Linnet: 33 NE
Redpoll spp: 8 NE
Swallow 1 N
Sand martin 15 NE
alba wagtail (just) 16 NE

Also 3 Raven SE together mid-afternoon

Grounded
10 Wheatear, but no Goldcrest located and the only (2) Chiffchaff appeared to be territorial males. No ringing, however.

Misc
Shag - 3 on wooden jetty during the morning/over tide
Little Gull - adult and one 1st W Heysham 2 outfall
Eider - 43 off the north wall on the dropping tide mid-pm
Shelduck - 55 off Red Nab

Butterflies
Very early examples of Holly Blue (Mossgate Road) and Small White (Middleton IE) were seen within the recording area today

Elsewhere
Major milestone: adult Med Gull on the house list (at last) at High Tatham = in field with Black-headed and Common Gulls as this is being typed (1815hrs). 3 Whooper Swan still on Lune floodplain by Farleton. Purple Sandpiper still at the Stone Jetty

More Meadow Pipits

Vis mig
Highlighted by 155 Meadwo Pipit in one hour 0900-1000

Misc
Ad & 1st W Little Gull and 3 Shag

Butterflies
Highlighted by Red Admiral, also Peacock (10), Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone (3)

Birding by the Office

Heysham Obs
Thanks for doing the early posting John. Having spent the day trying to survey in a north-easterly "gale" on the Humber, the weather is most definitely in 'migrant blocking' mode. The general exception was the on-going passage of Meadow Pipit on at least the west side. However, unfortunately didnt check the pager late afternoon until we were passing through Harrogate, although the bird was presumably sick/exhausted when found (RF Bluetail Easington - later found dead 7pm)

Vis mig
Rook 2 North towards Heysham Head 1107 hrs (1-2 records per year at Heysham, most regularly with migrant Jackdaw flocks in October)
Meadow pipit 287 0820 - 1120 hrs
alba wagtail 5
Goldfinch 3

Middleton IE ponds
Highlighted by two Jay which are surely now breeding in this area. Other sightings included 8 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 6 Mute Swan, 10 Coot and a single Common Snipe

Grounded/ringing
Pretty well zilch as exemplified by just the one Goldcrest being ringed (& the only other bird was a retrap Blue Tit)

Miscellany
Sparrowhawk & singing Chiffchaff on reserve

Elsewhere
Three Mediterranean Gulls at Leighton Moss comprising two adults together and a second summer. Small numbers of Meadow Pipit from elsewhere e,g, Aldcliffe, on the Lune valley flightline, was only recording 30 or so per hour & two flocks of up to 20 were seen whilst driving along Heysham by-pass suggests off-passage accumulations in nearby fields feeling it is time to move on. Green Sandpiper seen at Aldcliffe

The rain stops, the Meadow Pipits flood through

Heysham Obs
Heysham NR office is more of a convenience vis mig site than a result of hours of poring over likely flightlines - it is near a cup of coffee etc etc. Therefore the huge numbers of vis migrants which pass over Rossall and Walney, for example, usually eclipse Heysham totals. Therefore todays first post-rain hour of Meadow Pipit movements was the highest ever r.p.h. in spring from this site.

Vis mig
581 Meadow Pipit north between 0730-0830 followed by a further 355 over the next two hours. The initial movement followed a period of rain during which nothing was moving. Very little else moving with the highlights being a single Grey Wagtail and single (migrant) Kestrel [& 2 Greenfinch, one Chaffinch, just 4 alba Wagtail and 3 Reed Bunting].

Grounded
No ringing, so difficult to discern although the Wheatear count (just one) suggested little.

Miscellaneous
Very surprisingly, the full quota of adult and two first winter Little Gull reappeared on Heysham Two outfall. Shag are becoming elusive but at least two birds are still around - one on the wooden jetty and the other in the harbour. Adult Kittiwake outfalls & harbour. 112 Shelduck Red Nab and area

Elsewhere
Adult Med Gull Leighton Moss and 1st W Med Gull on Pine Lake this evening. Bittern most interesting with perhaps departing migrants during the three evenings of 26th-28th as seen from the lower and/or public hides. The two on the 26th were definitely seen to depart high in the sky, the 3 on 27th may have been 3/4 on 28th. The male was booming on 28th and ignored the gull-calling fly-overs. The male was also booming on evening of 29th and hopefully there are two local females still around as the winter sightings apparently suggested. At least one Little Ringed Plover (LRP on any future postings) Conder Pool
Heysham Moss - Chiffchaff in song.

not a lot

Heysham Obs
A single juvenile Shag was present in the harbour at lunchtime. Thanks to Lou Cross for preventing the 'blank'.

Elsewhere
Belated posting of female Marsh Harrier at Leighton Moss

Good variety of migrants

Heysham Obs
Grounded
The most unlikely migrants were two separate Coal Tit (both trapped and ringed). The first migrant Blackcap for the year was followed by another male attending the bird table. Surely the latter was not a newly arrived insect-orientated migrant from the south? Goldcrest were numerous first thing but soon dispersed, unlike yesterday when smaller numbers were passing through steadily all morning. Perhaps 40-50 for the core area. At least 6 Chiffchaff rapidly passed through. Just 5 Wheatear located. Remaining migrants included at least two Song Thrush and a Reed Bunting

Vis Mig
Meadow Pipit were passing through at a similar rate to yestreday early in the morning but again, very high. 220 north 0800-0900/0915-1015. Later 21 in 15 minutes as the passage rapidly tailed off with no obvious movement in the afternoon. Other vis during the 2 hour block comprised: 20 alba wagtail, 5 Chaffinch (rare on the vis in spring), 2 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 4 'registrations' of Linnet, but none seen!, similar problem with Siskin with 8 seen and one probable 'flock', one Redpoll spp (see yesterdays comment), 4 Skylark.

27 Carrion Crow were temporarily grounded on Ocean Edge foreshore with at least 10 of these observed vis mig arrivals from the south. They did not stay long but the direction of departure not seen.

Ringing
The following were ringed: 18 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Coal Tit, single Blackcap, Robin, Wren, Song Thrush (prob migrant), Magpie (!), Greenfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird (local).

Miscellaneous
Two Ravens again. Two Black-tailed Godwit briefly on Ocean Edge foreshore. 1st W Little Gull on the sea off Ocean Edge. 112 Shelduck Red Nab.

Today's moth- the appropriately named March moth

Elsewhere
3 Little Ringed Plover Aldcliffe.

Heavenly squeaks

Heysham Obs
Much calmer conditions this morning and potential observers under the cosh with work or looking after mist nets. Therefore a vis morning which required the utmost attention, due to the height of the birds, received just 'sample' coverage. Mist netting saw most of the Goldcrests being females, signalling that we are definitely in the "second half" as regards passage of this species.

Vis mig
Meadow Pipit
Three sample counts reducing in duration as the end of day work deadline loomed! 133 between 0800-0900, 25 in 15 minutes early afternoon and 15 in 10 minutes at 1600-1610hrs. This gives a pretty consistent all-day passage, albeit very high and indiscernable in a noisy environment.

Other species 0800-0900 comprised: 1 Chaffinch, 8 Pied Wagtail, one Redpoll spp (very early for Lesser to be on the move), 4 Linnet, 3 Greenfinch

Grounded/ringing
15 Goldcrest, 3 Wren, 1 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Chiffchaff were ringed. These were probably all at least short-distant migrants. A single Wheatear was at Red Nab.

Misc.
1st W Little Gull still around Heysham 2 outfall but no Shag seen around the waterfall or on the wooden jetty

Elsewhere
..........suggests we missed a passage Osprey within viewing range of Heysham - one seen flying over Warton Crag following at least one over south Lancashire. Returning male Marsh Harrier to Leighton Moss - identified as the bird of at least the last three years. Drake Scaup off the Stone jetty

Bits and bobs

Heysham Obs
A few problems this morning so coverage was not as intended.

Visible migration
Suggestion of about 50/hour Meadow Pipit north during the morning. 9 Siskin were recorded heading north during the period just before and after midday

Middleton IE
Same as yesterday plus the dubious highlight of the first grounded (feral) Greylag (4) for the recording area this year. It is a measure of how slow things are that a visit to the Portland Bird Observatory website saw a similar 'daily highlight' - two Canada Geese!

Elsewhere
Adult Med Gull in the Lune valley near Loyne Bridge

A bit too clear

Heysham Obs
Grounded migrants
Very few birds which could be determined as migrants during the course of the first breeding bird census of the year for the British Energy properties. Only 6 Goldcrest could be found and just one (of these) was ringed. No sign of any Wheatear on the coastal areas

Visible migration
Slightly better with c58 Meadow Pipit and 12 Pied Wagtail north during the period 0830-1000hrs.

Middleton IE
Female Pochard still, also 7 Tufted Duck, 4 Goldeneye, 6 Teal and 3 Snipe.

Miscellaneous bird sightings
Just one 1st W Little Gull noted on the outfalls. No time to check the harbour area. Highlight of the first mapping session of territorial birds on British Energy properties was a staggering 36 singing male Wren...........and this did not include the ideal habitat in the 'tank farm'.

Insects
Male Brimstone on Middleton IE & sightings of 2 Small Tortoiseshell and one Peacock

Elsewhere (locally)
'Dead' according to the pager and LDBWS website!

Trickle of early migrants

Heysham Obs
Visible migration
Meadow pipit 62 generally North 0900 - 1015hrs, part count prior to 0900 suggesting similar numbers.
Pied wagtail 6
Goldfinch 2
Carrion crow 3 'in' past wooden jetty
Greylag Goose: 7 'in'
Red-throated Diver: one 'in' at 1235hrs

Inshore records
Shelduck 36 off Ocean Edge + 10 off RN
Little Gull adult & 2 1st W outfalls
Shag 2 juv in harbour + 1 wooden jetty
Great crested grebe on sea
Red-breasted merganser 2m + 1f

Ringing
29 new birds including 12 Goldcrest, 5 Blue Tit, 3 Robin and surprisingly 2 Dunnock

Insects
First (male) Brimstone of the year. 7 Common Quaker and 5 Hebrew Charcater in moth trap