End of season dross

Heysham Obs
A half decent forecast this morning..........in theory.  In practice, the upper wind was far too much of a 'parallel' (to the coast) southerly with the ground wind more south than east.  Result: a poor morning with little evidence of newly grounded birds other than Blackbird.  The gut feeling (and contradictory rainfall radar vs written forecast) that the promised rain would not materialise proved correct with one or two miniscule pulses neither dropping any birds nor putting paid to the (mostly empty) sample mist-netting

North harbour wall/mound
Twite - 21
Linnet - 4
Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Med Gull - 2 ads Fisher's roof

Vis mig dawn to 0930hrs
Meadow Pipit - 3
alba Wagtail - 16
Chaffinch - 62
Greenfinch - 16
Goldfinch - 29
Reed Bunting - 1 (and another grounded)
Collared Dove - one
Redwing - 102
Fieldfare - 44
Mistle Thrush - 3
Woodpigeon - 19

Grounded
Blackbird - c50
Song Thrush - 5
Redwing - 13
Goldcrest - only 3 seen/heard (one ringed)
Robin - one lightweight unringed bird

Insects
Emmelina monodactyla located along PA way (SD46A).  No moths in the trap[.  Four social wasps seen

Double-striped Pug and Yellowhammer top the bill

Heysham Obs
Vis by the office dawn until 1040
Woodpigeon - 13
Skylark - 14
Meadow Pipit - 10
Grey wagtail - 1
alba Wagtail - 13
Blackbird - 40 at dawn then inland
Song Thrush - 2 inland
Redwing - 25 first thing, then inland, 14 SW
Mistle Thrush - 1
Jackdaw - 12
Rook - 10+3
Starling - 190
Chaffinch - 213
Brambling - 1
Greenfinch - 14
Goldfinch - 38
Linnet - 2
Lesser Redpoll - 13
Bullfinch - 2
Reed Bunting - 3
Rock Pipit - 1
Yellowhammer - 1

Grounded
Goldcrest - small influx arriving from the south from 0900 with 7 ringed
Blackcap - newly-arrived female ringed
Wren - three unringed birds caught 'in the dark'
thrushes - see above
tits were conspicuous by their absence, given the 'open' nature of the morning, and not a hint of any movements, other than two unringed Blue Tit late morning

Ringing
A short session for Redwing/Reed Bunting at Middleton was a little too windy.  The nets by the office are workable in SE/SSE winds, allowing ringing this week.  This morning was quite productive with the following newly-ringed birds:  Reed Bunting (2), Redwing (7), Blackbird (2), Song Thrush (1), Wren (3), Goldcrest (7), Dunnock (2), Greenfinch (8), Chaffinch (11), Goldfinch (4), Lesser Redpoll (1), Blue Tit (2), Blackcap (1)

Miscellany
Twite - 12 Ocean Edge beach at high tide
Med Gull - adult outfalls area

Moths
Amazingly productive given the early morning was freezing cold.  Double-striped Pug was very unexpected so late in the autumn (even though it can be very early in the spring, autumnal records usually terminate in September), Satellite is scarce here and the other two were 'routine'; Parsnip Moth and Mottled Umber

A perhaps unexpected AA morning

Heysham Obs
Ringing/vis from dawn for an hour or two today with the aim to catch some pre-dawn thrushes, then the finch passage.  A nocturnal unringed (therefore just landfalled?) Wren in a mist net set the tone of the morning which saw a chunk of "AA" rings used on common birds and conversely relatively few Blackbird and Chaffinch in evidence today.  The low point of the morning was the first evidence of obvious trichomonosis this autumn (500+ finches handled) on a fairly old retrap Greenfinch - this was released immediately it was extracted and the number noted.  Less numbers but quite a bit of variety on the vis mig today with more of a cross-bay corridor than recent days

Vis mig 0720-1030
Starling - 396
Chaffinch - 179
Redwing - 286
Greenfinch - 4
Woodpigeon 38S, 16N
alba Wagtail - 5
Lapwing - 2
Reed Bunting - 3
Brambling - 3
Meadow Pipit - 4
Blackbird - 25
Song Thrush - 4
Mistle Thrush - 1
Bullfinch - 1
Goldfinch - 20 then flock of 25 over about 1130hrs
Siskin - 5, then 2 with above Goldfinch flock

Grounded
Goldcrest - small influx with 4 ringed and c6 on circuit of reserve
Blackbird - at least 27 on mid-morning walk
Wren - small influx with 3 ringed (one caught in the dark!) and 10 seen/heard on reserve circuit
Robin - lot of activity at dawn with two unringed lightweight "British-looking" birds caught in the half-light
Chiffchaff - 1
Blackcap - 1
Coal Tit - 3 unringed birds
Treecreeper - 2
Long-tailed Tit - flock of local birds held two unringed individuals, then unringed flock of 5 caught

Ringing
Not quite what was expected with the following new birds: Wren (3), Long-tailed Tit (7), Chaffinch (3), Coal Tit (3), Blue Tit (2), Bullfinch (2), Greenfinch (2), Goldfinch (2), Blackcap (1), Song Thrush (3), Blackbird (1), Redwing (1), Goldcrest (4), Robin (2)

Moth
Brick attracted to the security light but not surprisngly, nothing in the easterly-facing moth trap

Starlings lead the vis mig parade

Heysham Obs
Vis mig by the office 0730-1100
Golden Plover - 1
Lapwing - 9
Woodpigeon - 5
Meadow Pipit - 2
alba Wagtail - 7
Fieldfare - 43
Song Thrush - 1
Redwing - 174
Jay - 1
Carrion Crow - 2
Raven - 5 together south
Starling - 1,304 south-west
Chaffinch - 401
Brambling - 1
Greenfinch - 15
Goldfinch - 12
Linnet - 1
Bullfinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 1

Grounded
Goldcrest - just 3-4
Chiffchaff - 2 (north-east corner and by dipping pond)
Blackcap - one ringed with off-passage fat score of 4
Blackbird - absolute minimum of 50 first thing around the office (landfalling overnight and flushed in the dark from gorse and hawthorns)
Redwing - relatively few before dawn (5-10)
Robin - lot of ticking first thing but just the one lightweight unringed bird caught

A couple of windblown insectivores in the north-east corner during the afternoon (Chiffchaff and Goldcrest).  Thanks Janet

North harbour wall
Twite - 8 seen early afternoon, 2 wearing our colour rings
Linnet - 10
Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Eider one inshore

Miscellany
At least three Treecreeper around with one already ringed, one unringed and one of unknown 'status'.  Small amount of ringing this morning in winds which were less than forecasted with new birds comprising:  Blackbird (3), Song Thrush (1), Chaffinch (7), Greenfinch (2), Treecreeper (1), Long-tailed Tit (1), Blackcap (1), Robin (1)

Butterfly
Red Admiral north harbour wall late morning with at least three seen early afternoon flying along NHW from harbour entrance towards Half Moon Bay.

Wet vis

Heysham Obs
Quite a bit of vis whilst sheltering behind the office between 0815 and 0845

Vis 0815-0845
Redwing - 143 SW plus 8 out of bushes, then inland
Fieldfare - 19 SW
Chaffinch - 22 SW
Greenfinch - c15 SW
Goldfinch - 6 SW
Starling - 220+250 SW (not ex-roost?)
Siskin (heard once)
alba Wagtail - 4 SE

Grounded
at least 25 Blackbird by office/tank farm at 0815

Miscellany
Med Gull - 1CY on the north wall railings & ad Red Nab
Guillemot - one inshore (thanks Mark)
Twinnet - about 27 Twite and 8 Linnet but very flighty
Wigeon - at least 75 Red Nab
Kingfisher - one inner end of Heysham one outfall
Little Gull - adult outer end of Heysham one outfall
Rock Pipit - one by the 'wheel'
Thorough but negative search for Black Redstart around the harbour and visible parts of the Power Station site.  If any power station workers are reading this, please keep an eye open for this species during the coming week's weather and drop me an e-mail (see sidebar).  Thanks

Insects
No moths (SE wind into window c/p 140 in the Millhouses trap!), but two Red Admiral flying south and one 'blogging' in the Nature Park during quite dull conditions for butterflies........but unseasonally warm.  c8 social wasps seen today.

Thrushes and Finches

Heysham Obs
Heysham Nature Reserve
Vis 0740-1100
Redwing 347
Fieldfare 67
Mistle Thrush 1
Chaffinch 310
Goldfinch 18
Greenfinch 13
Siskin 22
Lesser Redpoll 4
alba wagtail 15
Grey Wagtail 1
Woodpigeon 9
Collared? Dove 1
Reed Bunting 2
Cormorant - one high to the south over the reserve
Great-spotted Woodpecker - one seen to fly 'in-off' from the north harbour wall
Pink-footed Goose - 62 south midday
Goose spp - 25-30 low far inland as seen from HNR office

Grounded
Chiffchaff - one abietinus caught and ringed (pic later)
Blackcap - two contact calling to each other early on
Robin - one new bird
Blackbird - c20 early on but no on-going movement
Song Thrush - just 3 early on
No new Goldcrests

Middleton Nature Reserve (Lunchtime)
Mute – 3
Coot – 2
Moorhen -1
Teal – 5
Tufted - 2
Snipe – 2
Pinkfoot – 100 south
Fieldfare – 35 grounded
Redwing – 2 grounded
Common darter - 8

Sparrowhawk

CHIFFCHAFF

 (Abietinus)

North harbour wall
Twite - just 2 reported
Guillemot - winter ad/juv inshore - flew out (thanks for reporting this)

Moth
Feathered Thorn

Minimalism

Heysham Obs
Little Gull - adult Heysham one outfall
Twite - just two flighty birds around the feeder

Reproduced from the LDBWS site re- 2010 LDBWS annual report
Hello
The printers have really got on with this and it is ready. We intend to save postage by distributing most of them via the LDBWS meeting on 31st October. The report always creates a slight cash-flow problem.

Therefore please renew your membership subscription as soon as you can, either at the LDBWS meeting or by sending £12 (single adult membership - see under 'Join' for other permutations) to: Mike Chamberlain, 3 Redmayne Drive, Carnforth LA5 9KA

Alternatively, you can collect your report (and leave a membership renewal cheque!) in the meantime from Heysham Nature Reserve office - there is usually someone there during at least the morning

Thanks very much

Pete Marsh (Secretary LDBWS)

**The 2010 Lancashire Bird Report has also been printed and on its way to the retail outlets
Moths
Yet another Brick - mega autumn for this species - and two Angle Shades

Dead clear start, minor interest after the showers

Heysham Obs
Some mornings are worth an early start - this wasn't

Vis mig dawn to 0930
Chaffinch - 69
Brambling - 3
Redwing - 1
alba Wagtail - 15
Goldfinch - 17
Mistle Thrush - 1
Lapwing - 1 south
Siskin - 2
Meadow Pipit - 5
Woodpigeon - 6+11+3
Carrion Crow - flock of 5 (where are the Jackdaws!)

Grounded by the office
Nothing first thing, a few bits after the showers
Robin - 3 unringed birds caught (two very orange-breasted)
Chiffchaff - 2 (at least one of them unringed)
Wren - two unringed birds caught
Blackbird - zero (like a cold morning in midwinter, not mid-October) first thing - c5 seen later
Song Thrush - 3 probable migrants after the second shower

Harbour area
Twite - 8
Linnet - c12
Med Gull - 2 adult and 1CY
Little Gull - visible feeding on Heysham one outfall

Mammals
Roe Deer - one NE corner reserve
Grey Squirrel - one by reserve entrance gate


Moths
Brick, Red-line Quaker, Mottled Umber - the latter new for the year

Redstart surprise and overdue Rock Pipits

Heysham Obs
Despite being in the "unassuming" category in dudey bird books (small/brown/hard to see/not worth looking at), I think Rock Pipit would have been noticed had it appeared earlier, given the reasonable coastal coverage.  The Redstart was most unexpected and a product of a bit of a vigil in the sun-trap in the north-east corner of the reserve by Jean and myself.  The vigil-instigator (very brief initial views) turned out to be a Garden Warbler - notable in the context of this poor autumn

North-east corner of the reserve (1100-1145)
Quite a bit!
Blackbird - 35-40
Chiffchaff - 2 (one ringed)
Goldcrest - one
Redstart - female/imm
Garden Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 1
Redwing - 1
Treecreeper - 1

Heysham NR generally (1045-1200)
A lot of Wren with perhaps 15 heard contact-calling
Water Rail - at least three in the marsh with vocal behaviour suggesting new arrivals
Sisikin - 3
Meadow Pipit - 5 overhead
Skylark - 7 overhead
Chaffinch - probably 15 vis mig birds
North harbour wall circuit
No sign of the Snow Bunting in a thorough search in better conditions than yesterday (but colder!)
Wheatear - large one on the mound
Twite - 8 (2 x green/white split over light blue, one light blue over red/white split, one light blue over dark blue/orange split, 2 unringed 1CY, 2 unaged unringed)
Linnet - 16 (5 ringed)
Rock Pipit - two
Meadow Pipit - one
Med Gull - 1CY flew along the seawall
Little Gull - ad seaward end Heysham one outfall

Insects
Migrant Hawker - NE corner
Comma - NE corner
Red Admiral - c7, mainly NE corner
Rusty Dot Pearl - worn individual PA way bank (SD46A - entered on MapMate)
Red-line Quaker - one in the trap

Mammals
Grey Squirrel - one alder woodland
Common Shrew - dead one on path by dipping pond (45E)

A few notables

Heysham Obs
Snow Bunting - female alongside the wide bit of north harbour wall road feeding on weed seeds about 1110hrs - flew in the direction of the Twite feeder but could not be relocated, unless it was skulking in the sandworks
Little Gull - adult outfalls
Arctic Tern - one adult in the harbour late morning, 3 adults reported later on
Med Gull - at least two 1CY around plus 3 adults
Kittiwake - 12-15 behind the IOM passenger ferry at 1205hrs
Chiffchaff - one by office
Twite - up to 5 on the seed (2 cr)
Linnet - up to 12 on seed (one metal-ringed)