Leaf mining takes over from migrant searches!

Heysham Obs
Calm and foggy first thing! (c/f forecast). The title just about sums up this mornings rather poor results from reasonable coverage. A predictable arrival by a few Redwing, but the single Fieldfare was perhaps unexpected until the Caton Moor vis mig info. was received. Thanks to Malcolm, Martin & Mike for good coverage today & John for diversifying into brown patches on leaves!

Coastline birds
Little Egret - 2 OE saltmarsh creek
Kingfisher - one Red Nab
Med Gull - just the one adult seen
Linnet/Twite - up to 18/three on weed seeds by the big wheel on the south wall
Wheatear - 2

Vis mig/grounded stuff
Pheasant - female Middleton IE - mega these days
Stonechat - female Middleton IE
Redwing - 5 Red Nab first thing, then 4 over reserve 0745
Fieldfare - noisy singleton may have been grounded, then SW at c1000hrs
Chiffchaff - 3, one singing & another 4 on Middleton IE
Goldcrest - NONE
Robin - small influx
Coal Tit - 5 excitable birds
Skylark - 5 audible registrations of very high birds
Meadow Pipit - 6 SE
Blue Tit - 2 unringed birds caught
Grey Wagtail - 3 together SE on arrival
Goldfinch - 7 SE
Siskin - heard once
Chaffinch - 15 SW
Greenfinch - 2 high to south
Song Thrush - 3

Leaf mines
Mompha raschkiella, Stigmella aurella & crataegella, Parornix angicella, Phyllonorycter ragella & leucographella. Try the UK moths website for further info (see links)

Adult insects
Migrant Hawker - 2, Comma, Speckled Wood, Peacock (late for this species), 2 Red Admiral, several Speckled Wood, lots of wasps still,

Elsewhere
Nothing posted yet but a few Redwing & Fieldfare over Caton Moor early morning. 2 Great White Egret Leighton Moss, 1, 005 Black-tailed Godwit Allen Pool

Not a great deal but the Redwings are coming!

Heysham Obs
An alert from the Pennines that Redwings are on their way!

Vis mig 0800ish-0830ish
alba Wagtail - 17 SE
Chaffinch - 30 S
Goldfinch - 4 S
Song Thrush - 3 watched being grounded (see below)
Meadow Pipit - 3 SE

Grounded
A most significant element of a thorough check of the NR was the complete lack of Goldcrest! 15 migrant Song Thrush and 3 Chiffchaff were the 'highlights'

Misc
Guillemot in harbour still

Elsewhere
The two Great White Egret are still at Leighton Moss

More Reed Buntings

Heysham Obs
Heysham NR office area
The main theme of the Nature Reserve ringing was Chaffinches, with 17 caught at one net site. A Grey Wagtail was ringed - surely we are now at the back-end of the migration of this species. Apart from a single Chiffchaff, there was little else migrant-wise.

Middleton IE
Vis:
Meadow Pipit 12
Chaffinch 6
alba Wagtail 3
Siskin 5
Greenfinch 4
Skylark 6
Song Thrush 1
Starling 2
Goldfinch 1
Grey Wagtail 3

Ringing:
13 Reed Buntings, without any retraps from yesterday, indicates a significant passage for this species at this site, with a record 27 ringed in two days (plus the capture of a 1CY ringed at Leighton in July, therefore almost certainly out of a nest there). As significant numbers are also being ringed at Leighton, just the one movement between the two most definitely does not suggest local origin for all these birds. Indeed, the recent Little Bunting (accompanying Reed Buntings) at Seaforth does perhaps indicate that some of the Reed Buntings could even be from across the North Sea. A Chiffchaff was also ringed at Middleton but little else of note.

Elsewhere
2 x Great White Egret Leighton Moss (including the French colour-ringed bird)

Reed Buntings galore

Middleton Industrial Estate

Vis:
Collared Dove 2>S
Skylark 7>S
Swallow 5>S
Meadow Pipit 35>SE
Grey Wagtail 7>S
alba Wagtail 5>S
Mistle Thrush 4>E
Rook 7>E
Chaffinch 5>S
Greenfinch 7>SE
Linnet 11>S
Lesser Redpoll 1>SE

Ringing:
20 Reed Bunting were trapped, 6 already had rings, one of which was ringed at Leighton Moss on 13/07/2009.
2 Grey Wagtails out of the 7 over were colour ringed. Other species included Robin, Wren, Goldcrest and 3 Chiffchaff.

Other:
4 Common Snipe were accidentally flushed whilst putting up the nets.

Fair weather birding!

This is the 'resident' 1st winter Med taken by Mike Watson during the recent seawatch. Earlier, when there were more traces of juvenile plumage and a less well-defined facial mask, some observers were having problems sorting out this age class from early, rather 'contrasty' juvenile Common Gulls. Thanks Mike.

Heysham Obs
All birding was in an hour between the rain (outside) or in the car (high tide) when one of us should have been thrashing the rain-sodden bushes in reasonable migrant arrival conditions. Too much work to do.

Ocean Edge/Red Nab

These are the same two geese taken a day or so later at Cockersands. Thanks Stuart.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 2 unringed adults Red Nab, then off Ocean Edge saltmarsh around midday
Kingfisher - one
Med Gull - adult

North-harbour wall/vis 0830-0900
Rock Pipit - 1 grounded
Meadow Pipit - 3 grounded
Pink-footed Goose - 3 S
Chaffinch - 5 S
Linnet - 5 grounded
Wheatear - one

Elsewhere
Nothing yet

Trickle of rather high vis & productive ringing

Heysham Obs
Middleton IE & HNR ringing
A ringing session at Middleton of 40 or so new birds included 4 Grey Wagtail, 7 Reed Bunting, a Blackcap and 4 Chiffchaff. A further Grey Wagtail was ringed during a very low-key multi-task at HNR office, making 62 so far this autumn, with the end of the passage surely nigh. Please inform as many birders as possible to keep an eye open for colour-ringed birds, especially during the coming winter and on the breeding grounds next year. This theoretically includes a chunk of last year's birds perhaps wintering to the north of here as more 'resident' adults? See right hand column for the configurations. Rather odd was the capture of a Meadow Pipit ringed last autumn. Local or passing through the same site? - surely the former!

Heysham NR & Middleton vis mig first light to 1130
Pink-footed Goose: 34+52+31 south
Meadow Pipit: 21
Goldfinch: 5
Skylark: 1
Greenfinch: 25
Chaffinch: 24
Swallow: 14
Reed Bunting: 1-2
House Sparrow: one high to south
Whooper Swan: 4 - also seen from Caton Moor!!
Grey Wagtail: 10 (5 ringed)
alba Wagtail: 10
Starling: 5
Linnet: 3

Ocean Edge pre-tide
Med Gull - adult
Bar-tailed Godwit - 9

Grounded miscellany
Green Woodpecker - Middleton IE
Chiffchaff - 4+ Middleton, one HNR
Blackcap - one HNR, one Middleton
Goldcrest - just the one heard very early morning

Insects
Middleton IE: 5 Migrant Hawker, 6 Common Darter, 3 Comma, one Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood. Yesterday at Middleton: 8 Migrant Hawker & 17 Common Darter. 2 Red Admiral on yellow buddliea by HNR office

Elsewhere
2 x Great White Egret EM Pools. Cetti's Warbler ringed at Leighton Moss along Lower Hide to causeway path. Caton Moor vis 0700-0900 including the above Whooper Swans and a very high southbound Raven - definitely a migrant

Diverse, but mainly routine

Some Leach's Petrel images from yesterdays seawatch. Thanks to Mike Watson.

Heysham Obs
Good coverage this morning & a visiting birder has just reported a Bonxie (distantly) off Ocean Edge and lo and behold, it correlates with both the pager and text messages. Thanks Malcolm, Jeff & Dave!

Heysham north wall
Stonechat - female - first autumn migrant
Guillemot - one by the harbour waterfall
Med Gull - ad & 1CY visible on hey one outfall

Eider - 5 (3 males)

Ocean Edge/Red Nab (low tide)
Black-tailed Godwit - 2
Bar-tailed Godwit - 15

Snipe - one on Red Nab
Kingfisher - 1
Wheatear - 1
Merlin - 1
Knot - 2,300
Wigeon - increase to 7 (2 since 29/9)
Bonxie - seen offshore from OE by 'Dave' at about 1145

Vis mainly by office 0720 to 1030
Grey Wagtail - 1
Meadow Pipit - 47
Chaffinch - 62
Goldfinch - 6

Snipe - 3 south
Reed Bunting - 2
alba Wagtail - 24
Whooper Swan - 3 low to the south 0930
Pink-footed Goose - just one skein - 55 south at 1030

Grounded by office
Blackcap - one female
Robin - quite a bit of early morning ticking and chasing
Song Thrush - one, then inland
still no Goldcrest!

Elsewhere
Two Great White Egret distantly from the EM Pool. Bonxie Lane Ends 1125ish. Dark-bellied Brent Cockersands, then Bank End

The 'perfect depression' as expections exceeded

Heysham Obs
With a very narrow margin as regards the correct wind direction, 'perfect' depression tracks producing decent autumnal seawatches are quite a rare event in the Bay. Add a decent tide time & height (not too 'splashy'), stronger overnight winds than forecast, plus a well-timed high tide squall and the result was far better than anticipated. As seems to be usual on a Saturday, no local observers, but Mike Watson and Anne & Peter stayed for the duration. Also, as anticipated, no joy for JBP observers in a 'wind shadow', although at least one Leach's Petrel reached Teal Bay. The knock-on from this (i.e. nothing right in the inner bay) was that the Leach's Petrel movement finished quite early in the dropping tide cycle with nothing after 1500hrs. High tide was 1034hrs, therefore, as is not atypical with Leach's Petrel, the vast majority of the observed movement out of the bay (as opposed to being swept in at longer range) was on the dropping tide.


North harbour wall & area 0915-1500hrs
Leach's Petrel as follows (timing past the yellow buoys), some as close as 70 metres: 0915, 1058, 1115, 1152, 1209, 1213 (2), 1215 (2), 1216, 1221, 1225, 1234, 1237, 1242, 1244 (2), 1247, 1253, 1256, 1300 (2), 1302, 1307, 1309, 1310, 1312, 1317 (2), 1318, 1320, 1324, 1327, 1335, 1351, 1354, 1357, 1402, 1444, 1456. These were definitely unduplicated birds, all heading out of the bay, with no backtracking & all birds clearly visible for lengthy periods. A majority were just inside the line of the yellow buoys but some were quite close & photos will be posted later if sharp. Second-hand report of one about 1830hrs on the early stages of the incoming tide
Little Gull - 3 x juv, one ad out
Kittiwake - 2 juv out, 2 behind IOM ferry
Med Gull - 2 x ad & 1 x 1CY along the seawall at various times
Bonxie (Great Skua) - one 'in' at 1415hrs
Arctic Skua - described as dark morph 'out' at about 1110hrs with another mid afternoon (seen by other observers)
Fulmar - 2 out
Guillemot - one on sea
Arctic Tern - juv on outfalls
Red-throated Diver - one on sea
Pintail - 3+1 out
Shearwater spp - extremely distant bird - probably the Manx seen just previously off Morecambe
Good numbers of common wader species on the move

Elsewhere
Arctic Skua JBP, 3 Barnacle Geese JBP, juv Little Gull & Manx Shearwater & Leach's Petrel off north Morecambe. Two Great White Egret left the island mere roost at Leighton at 0720 & 'flew SW'. No further news.

Coastal biodiversity

Should be a few seabirds tomorrow of strictly local interest - might be Leach's, but it is touch and go whether it has been blowing long enough & it is a 'one day blow'. Looking ahead, if you believe any weather forecasts at the moment, the weekend 10/11th October looks reasonable for a decent passerine search with YBW possibilities

Heysham Obs
Another atrocious piece of weather forecasting knocked any vis/ringing on the head but did produce some time to give the tide a good grilling.

Ocean Edge/Red Nab/outfalls
Pale-bellied Brent Goose - juv on Red Nab, then flew along tideline towards Lune Estuary, landing about 2 miles along. Unringed.
Black-tailed Godwit - 4
Bar-tailed Godwit - 7
Ringed Plover - 24; no sign of the colour-ringed bird as yet
Grey Plover - 166
Knot - 430
Dunlin - 62 (much reduced & no Little Stint today)
Med Gull - 2 x unringed adult and one 2nd W (2CY) (new in?) & presumably the long-staying 1st W (1CY)
Common Tern - juvenile outfalls but not seen at high tide

Harbour area/north harbour wall
Shag - juvenile on the sea then floated out of sight behind wooden jetty. A slow autumn for this species & this, I think, takes us past Darwen Moor as the top county site i.e. 2!
Linnet - 13 on the mound
Wheatear - one heliport
Pintail - 27 (flock) south

Absolutely zilch overhead & no obvious grounded migrants on the reserve by the office

Elsewhere
2 Great White Egret left the island mere roost at Leighton Moss at 0700hrs, rested for c 20 minutes before flying out to the Allen/EM Pools where still present at midday

Excellent wader fest off Ocean Edge/Red Nab

Heysham Obs
Rather too late a start this morning - it wasnt supposed to be flat calm!! The weather forecasting for this area has been atrocious this last fortnight. This was a real shame, having just accessed the Walney & Fleetwood birder sites and also been aware of the contrasting lack of any substantial passage on the usually excellent Caton Moor site. Impressions at Heysham from 1015hrs, however, were that the Meadow Pipit passage was miniscule compared to Walney with no obvious evidence that there were contrastingly huge early morning movements (which would also surely have been reflected at Caton Moor and the movement at Rossall certainly seemed to get off to a slow start?). Therefore most of the movement, in very clear weather, was along the 'outer west coast' i.e. Walney to Rossall. We've already missed your early morning Stone Jetty cameos this morning, Jon, with no adequate replacement in sight! Therefore the only early morning vis coverage in this area was at Caton Moor and Bryan Yorke covering Hutton Roof. Perhaps the most unfortunate thing about the early morning Heysham vis/ringing miss was the good Grey Wagtail passages at both Rossall and Walney - previous experience suggests that Heysham, whilst never receiving the same Meadow Pipit numbers, is usually better for this species - one reason why we are colour-ringing them

Ocean Edge/Red Nab mid-late morning
Little Stint - one juvenile (deja-vu 2008!)
Dunlin - c250
Knot - c550
Black-tailed Godwit - 6
Med Gull - 2 adults
Little Egret - just one
Rock Pipit - first of the autumn along the foreshore

Vis mig 1015-1055
Meadow Pipit - 42
Skylark - 5
Chaffinch - 13
alba Wagtail - 4
Pink-footed Goose - 37
Carrion Crow - 3

Butterflies
Painted Lady 3, Red Admiral 5 (3 heading south), Speckled Wood 6+ - all by the NR office

Elsewhere
Great White Egret - 2 Allen/EM Pools, later in the Island Mere roost (one French-ringed). A record 61 Little Egret on the shore (57++ in the roost). Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper Aldcliffe area on Lune itself