Bits and bobs of late migration....& Purple Sand.

The two current NHW Meds - thanks Mark

Heysham Obs
A calm morning and a little bit of late vis and ringing of late migrants

Vis from by the office 0830-1030hrs
Redwing 20 E
Woodpigeon 28 SW + 12 N
Jackdaw 2 NE
Mistle Thrush 2 N
Siskin 1 SE
Starling 8 NW + 1 SE

North harbour wall etc.
The bad news was an assertion that "dog walkers could now walk along the seawall by the heliport as it is a right of way" - one did and all the waders were flushed towards Middleton. I will follow this up next Monday when the relevant person is available.


Purple Sandpiper - one flew from the north and landed briefly on the seawall before flying round towards the harbour (SD36V atlas record)
Guillemot - 2 offshore - both SD36V
Ad and 2nd W Med seen (see photos above)
Kingfisher (SD36V)

Ringing
A session at Middleton targeting Reed Bunting produced: 3 Reed Bunting, one Lesser Redpoll (presumably on passage), one Linnet, one Goldfinch plus a few other bits and bobs of a more resident nature.

The ringing details on the Light Bellied Brent were rather good:

Red right leg & letter B, Blue left leg & letter S
Ringed: De la Beche Bay, SW Bathurst Island, Arctic Canada as a juvenile male on 08 August 2007
Read in field: Off N Heysham/S Morecambe coast from at least 4/11-12/11/07 SD415626

There may be interim sightings which have not been processed yet.

Moths
TWO December Moth - lucky to get one of these in a year

December Moth - thanks Reuben

Elsewhere
Great White Egret still at Leighton Moss. Another titbit of migration in the form of a Tree Sparrow in the Stone Jetty bushes. Crossbill heard but not seen Thrushgill in briefish visit but 26 Redpoll were grilled and all were Lesser. No sign of the Great Grey Shrike at Dalton Crags in 10 minute scan.

Guillemot 'atlased'

Heysham Obs
A few less auks at Heysham than where I was for an hour and a half on the way to work on the other side of the country (=goodness knows how many Little Auks plus a very surprising 2 x Storm Petrel (there have been several of these seen in the last few days from E coast sites - which population are they from?))

Sea early morning North harbour wall (thanks Mark)
Raven - two blogging around the area (SD36V & 35Z)
Guillemot - one offshore (SD36V & 35Z)
Med Gull - just the one 2nd W - I think the other 2 regular & further irregular 2nd Ws went a few days ago (as the same birds did about this time last year as 1st Ws?)

North of Heysham Head
Colour-ringed 1st W Pale-bellied Brent by the Sunny slopes groyne near HT, then moved north as the tide dropped

Elsewhere
Great White Egret plus 12 Little Egret at the Leighton Moss roost. Guillemot off Crook Farm still. Three Scaup Glasson Basin. 18 Whooper Swan Wenning Foot, Lune valley. Very poor considering all the activity today (WeBS etc. etc.) and compared to last Sunday [e.g. no Crossbill or GG Shrike reports]

Meagre WeBS fare

Please could you text or e-mail any sightings tomorrow (or put on LDBWS site, if you prefer), even routine stuff like the Meds. Three key observers will be away. See contact details to the left. Thanks.

Heysham Obs
The only known birding in the area was the WeBS. Couldn't find anything to write the figures on until a huge expanse of pallid flesh was revealed on the back page of the Daily Mirror - Wayne Rooney mouthing the 'f'' word ('focus', of course). The unique feature of the day was the first ever, in my knowledge, half hour seawatching slot from Heysham north harbour wall when nothing at all flew or swam through the optics which were pointing towards Barrow. This momentous event took place between 1010 and 1040am

Seawatching 1000-1040hrs (see above)
Kittiwake - 3 out (2 Ad & 1st W) 1006hrs (36V, then 35Z)
Razorbill - 2 out together at 1010hrs (36V, then 35Z)

North wall
Ad & one 2nd W Med Gulls. A passerine was seen extremely briefly on the mound with the smart money on Robin. Also 2 x Pied Wagtail (36V)

Heliport
Biggest number of Knot yet this autumn = c22,000

Visible from Heysham head looking north
Colour-ringed 1st W Light-bellied Brent Goose by the Sunny Slopes
groyne

Ocean Edge saltmarsh/S. foreshore
Notable was a roost of 27 Ringed Plover and the Linnet flock still numbers c30

Moth
Surprising was a definitely different late Large Wainscot from the one caught two days ago

Elsewhere
Great White Egret Leighton Moss area. 5 Barnacle Geese NW past JB Point. 1st W Kittiwake JB Point. Nothing of interest Pine Lake (2 Goosander)

north-westerly dross

Heysham Obs
Nothing doing during a brief search by two observers - I should perhaps have done a bit of vis this morning as it was calmer than forecast

Med Gull - Czech-ringed ad following the Pilot Boat into port
Twite - single unringed bird on the mound
Water Rail - at least three Middleton IE

Elsewhere
No sign of the Black-necked Grebe. NNEW on Pale-bellied Brent. Nothing of interest on Pine Lake. Great White Egret Leighton Moss. Adult Great Grey Shrike still on Dalton Crags, viewable from the pull-in 400m along the right turn after the picnic area (leading to Keer bridge & Arkholme) late morning, looking NE with 50 x wide-angle. It was low-down just to the east of the N-S dry stone wall and only noticed when disturbed by a Mistle Thrush. Along Morecambe Prom, pair of Scaup off Scalestones Point and adult Spotted Redshank roosting on the Strathmore groyne along with Belgian-ringed adult Med Gull. 10-15 Brambling grounded on beech mast near Tower Lodge, Trough of Bowland.

Desultory sea-watching before the wind goes North-west

Heysham Obs

Sea 0745-0915
Razorbill 1 out close inshore, 1 out more distantly
Common Scoter male landed on sea
Shelduck 10 out
Shag juvenile by the harbour "waterfall" early on, 1 flew into the Bay close inshore at c0845hrs, juv again present by the "waterfall" early afternoon but not later.

Middleton WeBS
15 Snipe, 7 Mallard, 5 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye, 7 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 4 Mute Swan.

Outfalls
1st winter Kittiwake (SD45E)

Ocean Edge saltmarsh
20-30 Linnet

Moths
Major surprise in the form of a late Large Wainscot (the 2nd of the year), also 1 Feathered Thorn.

Elsewhere
Great White Egret, Leighton Moss, but no further information on yesterday's belatedly reported Firecrest. One or two Leach's Petrels off Jenny Brown's Point at at least 1030hrs, unfortunately more belated news. NNEW Black-necked Grebe, Pale-bellied Brent.

Brent Goose unpuzzled

Heysham Obs
OK it wasnt seen from the recording area today but for continuities sake.......the Brent was read at the new Grosvenor Groyne and the right leg was RED with letter B and the left leg BLUE with letter S. These rings are rather large and deemed sufficient without a metal ring (presumably assuming almost all recoveries would benefit from maximum 'read in field' facilitation and not from birds being found dead without a (metal ring) address to send to). Ringed as part of the Canada-Iceland-Ireland flyway study - we'll know the details soon.

North harbour wall
Ad & 2 x 2nd W Med Gulls. No obvious sign of Black Redstart (or resident Robin!) in windy weather.

Harbour intake area
1st W Kittiwake (SD35Z record)

Moths
A very worn and ancient Red-line Quaker and single Light-brown Apple Moth in the trap.

Elsewhere
Breaking news at 1900hrs - Firecrest in Leighton Moss "main car park" - no time of day or indeed is this the car park over the road or between the centre and Lilians? Black-necked Grebe on borrow pit end of Lancaster Quay but elusive. Great White Egret and (for this time of year) an unprecedented 5 Spotted Redshank on the EM Pool. Adult Spotted Redshank Stone Jetty groyne.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose puzzle

Long-distance shots so a bit blurred but no metal ring discernable.

Heysham Obs
The Brent Goose entered the 'seen from' category again today (below "Sunny Slopes") and was found to be colour-ringed as the legs were seen at last. Unfortunately all the close-up views were through 'functional' binoculars and a Peregrine flushing everything to the receding tideline prevented any great detail once the scopes arrived.

The rings appear to be red or dark pink on the right and bright palish blue on the left with no obvious sign of a metal ring (but above tarsus??). Bearing in mind it is a bird of the year, it has presumably either been ringed at or near Svalbard/Canadian breeding grounds or the Icelandic passage sites.............or its an escapee with no metal ring. Hopefully it will cooperate tomorrow.

Heysham north harbour wall
A lull as the wind changed direction mid afternoon saw some activity in the Centrica compound when first the Robin and then the adult male Black Redstart emerged from their spider etc-filled rubber tyre 'piles' and covered pallets.......but not for long. The Robin showed for 30 seconds and the Black Redstart for 25 seconds during a half-hour vigil!

Ad & 2 x 2nd winter Med Gulls patrolling

Ocean Edge saltmarsh
16 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 40 Linnet, 3 Meadow Pipit (45E)

Red Nab area
Kingfisher
Ad Med Gull
92 Wigeon

Vis mig from by the office
Not a lot and highlighted by 6 Woodpigeon (will add figures tomorrow)

Elsewhere
Guillemot on the Lune Estuary is a good Atlas addition. Great White Egret still Leighton Moss. "Stubble-burning" at Cockersands produced:
2 Stonechat, 2 Reed Bunting, 9 Snipe, 25 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit. Very late Wheatear in a recent cut maize field at Melling, Lune valley - a notable inland record and very unexpected 'winter bird' for SD57!

Harbour area-fest

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall area
Black Redstart: The adult male was seen between the sand plant and the centrica storage area mid-morning, then a Bk Red was flushed from the gravel alongside the centrica s.a. before flying under some pallets at 1310hrs. The views were brief and almost exclusively rear-end but it didnt appear to be an adult male!!
Little Gull - adult blogging offshore mid morning. This is the first for some time in the absence of a regular outfalls bird this autumn
Shag - juvenile on the wooden jetty
Twite - up to 5
Med Gull - 2 x 2nd W & adult

Red Nab/outfalls
230 Black-headed Gull, 89 Wigeon and an adult Med Gull

Insects
Mottled Umber and Light brown Apple Moth in the trap

Elsewhere
The light-bellied Brent Goose was again off Sunny Slopes. The Black-necked Grebe still on the borrow pit at the end of Lancaster Quay. Great White Egret still Leighton Moss

A very good day's birding in this area.............

Heysham Obs
...........with Heysham Obs playing a full part

Thanks for the early posting, John.
Highlights
Black Redstart: adult male Heysham NHW found by John Wood at 1130 hrs just past gate adjacent to sand plant using mounded earth, fence and sea wall between many feeding flights. Unfortunately could not be found in the afternoon but may have flown across the harbour to other suitable habitat (SD36V Atlas record)
Black Guillemot: on and around the wooden jetty (SD35Z Atlas record)
Pale-bellied Brent Goose: A 'seen-from' juvenile just to the north of Heysham Head on the skeer off Sunny Slopes. A bit of a sense of shame with this bird as it was surely the same one recorded on the HT WeBS in mid-October by the Regent road groyne. Poor coverage! (46B)

North harbour wall
Twite: 3 at feeding station - two with blue over yellow rings, indicating old birds ringed in the 2002/3 winter. Also on mound were: 5 Goldfinch, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin and one Wren (SD36V). Adult and just one 2nd W Med around

Sea
The only observation was: Shelduck 11 'in'. Might improve later this week (Pom Skua??)

Vis from the Obs 0800 - 1000 hrs.
Woodpigeon 131 W/SW, 21 NW, 3 E, 2 S
Starling 126 N/NW, 11 S/SW
Carrion crow 3 S, 5 SW then E with 7 Jackdaw (SW then E)
Jackdaw (see above)
Siskin 4 NE
Greenfinch 15 S
Chaffinch 2 S
Mistle thrush 2 S
Skylark 2 E
Grey wagtail 1 W
Sparrowhawk 2 over Reserve at same time, one low SW, one NE at pylon height.

In addition, 5 Whooper Swan flew south past the north harbour wall at about 0745hrs

Middleton IE
4 Mute Swan, 6 Coot, 8 Moorhen, 7 teal, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 male Pochard, 29 Snipe (45E)

Insects
Migrant Hawker on Middleton IE - first November record. Two Common Darter NR dipping pond. NNEW moth trap but White Speck trapped JUST outside the recording ares at 342 Heysham Road. Definitely a potential 'seen from'!

Elsewhere
Black-necked Grebe still on the borrow pit at the end of Lancaster Quay. Great Grey Shrike adult Dalton Crag. At least 29 Common Crossbill Thrushgill (possibly 38). Great White Egret came to roost on the island mere, Leighton Moss, at 1650 and there were 13 Little Egrets also roosting there. Polish-ringed Med Gull P96 on Lancaster City football pitch and Belgian-ringed 36W north Morecambe promenade. Via the Fylde BC website: near-adult Yellow-legged Gull Glasson (for SECOND day)

Migration continues

Heysham Obs
Vis mig from by the office
0745 - 1045 hrs. All SW unless stated:

Starling 571 NW; 157 SW; 8 E (high up). A total of 28 flocks.
Greenfinch 18
Jackdaw 11 SE (late for this species to be on the move still)
Chaffinch 5
Woodpigeon 9
Mistle thrush 8 + 3 E
Kestrel 2 N
Mute swan 2 N
Skylark 3 SE
Great spotted woodpecker 3 SW
Siskin 4 E
Goldfinch 1 & others (<10) 'blogging' (or were they? - a tricky species to document) Raven on one of pylons (46A)

Moneyclose Lane/Ocean Edge/Red Nab area
Redwing - 5 on Moneyclose Lane (45E)
Linnet - 27 on Ocean Edge south field (45E)
Twite - 6 on Ocean Edge south field in separate flock to above (45E)
Med Gull - the large Ad sat on the sand off OE saltmarsh (45E)
Rock Pipit - one on OE saltmarsh (45E)

North harbour wall
Windswept in the morning with just one 2nd W Med seen

Insects
5 Feathered Thorn and a White-shouldered House Moth in the trap. Two active wasps near the feeder

Elsewhere
A quality new arrival in the form of a Black-necked Grebe on the new 'borrow' pit between the Lune and Freeman's Wood at the south end of Lancaster Quay. Great White Egret from Griesdale Hide Leighton Moss. Hawfinch at Woodwell. A late afternoon visit to Thrushgill was too late but Crossbill and Redpoll spp. heard. Late news concerns a Waxwing seen well sitting on a tree, loosely associated with Fieldfare and Redwing, on the west = golf-course side of the road between Leighton reception and the causeway late afternoon on Thursday 1st Nov (per two Scottish birders).