Dank day delivers

Heysham Obs
...............the commonest bird we just do 'not get here'?  Just the one previous of Nuthatch, which refuses to colonise the 'tasty' Heysham Head, and the second was found by Justine on Middleton NR this afternoon along with "the"? wandering Green Woodpecker

A bit of ring-reading today to knock any accusations of presumptuousness on the head concerning a Med Gull 'with a ring above the tarsus'.  'Ex78' and the word 'Praha' were revealed on the 'metal above tarsus' Med Gull on the north harbour wall - the Czech-ringed veteran which has been present since 2003 outside the breeding season

Chiffchaff by office but could not see the legs to see whether it was yesterday's bird

More late migrants

Heysham Obs

Blackcap - female ringed by office

Chiffchaff - one ringed by office

Goldcrest - one ringed by office

Whooper Swan - 3 heading towards Heysham at lunchtime as seen from both Walney and Foulney!

No black tern

Heysham obs
Work related stuff produced

Negative on black tern on outfalls

Purple sandpiper - high tide on heliport seawall in small mixed wader flock

Rock pipit - two ocean edge

Little egret - at least eight Potts corner to Heysham head!

Twite - at least five in 50 mixed finches north harbour wall

Moth
Winter moth in trap

Black tern

Still there this morning

Updates gratefully received for next two days please as we are in uncharted territory as regards latest ever lancs record. Thanks


Also Purple Sandpiper on heliport seawall until disturbed at high tide by dog walkers

Saturday daytime!

Heysham Obs

Black Tern - still Heysham two outfall at least 0930 and again at least 1315

Shag - juv possibly a new bird in the harbour on stanchion by waterfall

Purple Sandpiper - on heliport seawall until 99% of the birds displaced for the rest of the tidal cycle by a dog walker

Heysham NR
A single mist net round before I had to leave the site produced an unringed Goldcrest and unringed juv female Great Spotted Woodpecker.  This takes the ringing total for the year over 4,000 for the first time and this is with unremarkable numbers of the two most numerous species, Swallow and Greenfinch

Grey Wagtail
The long-stayer at  Connah's Quay, ringed at Middleton in early September, was still there on at least the 19th November

Butterfly
Red Admiral by the office during a sunny midday period 

Black Tern and Purple Sandpiper remain

Heysham Obs
The juvenile Black tern remained on Heysham 2 outfall

The Purple Sandpiper roosted along the heliport seawall at high tide

A Hey Nat reserve circuit produced 3 Redwing and 5 Goldcrest and c20 Blackbird

At least 45 finches on the north wall seed but nothing definite on species composition

Black Tern remains

Heysham Obs
A few decent sightings today included in this lot:


Black tern - still on Heysham two outfall at least 0830hrs
Pink-footed Goose - 5700 over office at dawn heading for Heysham moss area
Purple Sandpiper - one with a rather mobile group of Turnstone on heliport seawall pre-high tide but seemingly not later
Med Gull - unringed adult north wall
Red-throated Diver - one casually noted offshore
Reed Bunting - one office feeder
Meadow Pipit - 6 heliport
Rock Pipit - one briefly at the near naze

Most unexpected sighting of the year?

Heysham Obs
More coverage of Red Nab area after yesterday's lengthy session also included a quick check of the outfalls at high tide and there was a small dark thing flying about - obviously a Black Tern spp.

Thanks to Pete Cook

It was soon confirmed as a late juvenile 'niger' and I suppose they do turn during ESE winds.  It is the latest in Lancashire by about a week according to the avifauna.


Red Nab area
Black Tern - one juv
Little Egret - 4
Wigeon - 92
Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 2

Better late than never

A good mixed flock of Barwits and Knot have arrived at last and were putting on a good flight show today at Middleton shore.  At least 1350 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2000 Knot.  Dunlin were in good numbers, too, with at least 1990.  Only 40 Grey Plover, though, but numbers of all waders should increase in the next few weeks.

A Snow Bunting (presumed female) was seen at Red Nab (0810), then the observer had to leave the area and on return at 0910, the beach was occupied by 3 off-lead dogs and two welly-clad females!  The bird could not be found there or on the Ocean Edge saltmarsh beach but the suitable section between Ocean Edge and Potts Corner was not searched

Several flocks of Pink-footed Geese headed to Heysham Moss area from the Lane Ends roost.  About 2340 in total with the first two big gangs at 0745 (1300) and 0800 (950)

Vis mig
Fieldfare - flock of 23 SW at 0750
Chaffinch - at least 15 SW 0730-0800
Skylarks were heading south again, at least 7 over Middleton shore this morning
Brambling - singleton associating with the office feeder birds at 0800

Grounded
Blackbird - at least 30 in office area 0730
Goldcrest - one unringed bird caught

Miscellany
A Rock Pipit was on the salt marsh and another near Red Nab
Black-tailed Godwit - singleton associating with Redshank in Ocean Edge saltmarsh creek.
Linnet/Twite - at least 7 Twite and 30 Linnet Ocean Edge saltmarsh area but very mobile and elusive

Local cr grey wagtail

Heysham obs
The only news today was a partial read on a grey wagtail by Middleton bottle dump. The right leg had an orange top colour ring and probably a pale coloured lower ring. Please keep an eye open for it - it should now be around all winter (thanks Justine )

Woodcock by the reserve entrance gate