Cold and frosty finches

Heysham Obs
Just a few odds and ends on the north harbour wall this morning and afternoon.  In the morning, 26 finches were caught and included 10 unringed Goldfinch, 2 unringed Linnet and three Twite comprising one ringed in autumn 2011, the other two in autumn 2012.  The afternoon saw 13 Twite on the seed

Half a whistle stop

Heysham Obs
Czech-ringed med Gull north wall
Twite - minimum 9 north wall but flighty - didn't seem to be any food left

I wont be at Heysham at all for the rest of this year, so blog entries very welcome.  Thanks.

Whistle stop

Heysham obs
Ad Czech-ringed med gull north wall - the only one around at the moment?
Twite - 11 on seed plus c35 other finches

Chiffchaff, Jack Snipe and Shag top the bill

Heysham Obs

 

Did a full circuit today. Some interesting, if not spectacular, sightings:

MNR

11 mute. I new adult causing particularly un-festive ructions.

10 moorhen (all but 1 in field adjacent to Tim Butler)

6 mallard

2 tufted

60+ teal counted on water (Tim Butler pond)

1 meadow pipit

1 chiffchaff (seen only)

I grey wagtail ringed. Hard to pick colours, as every time I got close a blackbird moved the wagtail on. Pretty sure right leg was red over white. There was something on left leg, whatever it was, it was pale.  This wintering bird was ringed on 20th September and seen on 16th November

 

OE Salt Marsh 1 hour before high tide.

4 RB Merganser

23 linnet

1 reed bunting

5 common snipe

2 jack snipe

 

The only thing along South Wall, apart from mountainous waves and BHGs was a single Pink Foot struggling in waves. It seemed to be waterlogged.

 

1CY shag by waterfall in harbour (almost eye level at times!).

 

Malcolm Downham

Nothing new in the wind

Heysham obs
Purple sandpiper - heliport seawall
Med gull - ad fishers roof
Shag - 1cy with four cormorant by waterfall in hour
Twite - at least three north wall with c40 finches

Finches but no Twite

North Harbour Wall

Adult Med Gull
30 Finches at feeding station.
20 Goldfinch
10 Linnets
also a Robin.
36 Ringed Plover on helipad at high tide

JM

Winter routine

Heysham obs
Shag - 1cy harbour
Med gull - ad seaward end Heysham one outfall
Little gull - ad out in boat channel off Heysham one outfall

Moths
One winter moth and one mottled umber

Shag still present

Heysham Obs
Shag - 1CY by the harbour waterfall with Great crested Grebe
Snipe - 10 OE saltmarsh
Linnet - c36 OE saltmarsh

Ringing recovery coincidences

Heysham Obs
A nice set of ringing recoveries have just come through, all involving birds ringed at Middleton Nature reserve this autumn.  All 1CY.

1) Chiffchaff ringed on 2/10 caught at Hungerford, Berkshire on 7/10 304km SSE

2) Chiffchaff ringed (next ring number!) on 2/10 caught West Bexington, Dorset on 12/10  373km S

3) Reed Bunting female ringed on 3/9 caught on the Fleet, not far from the above, Dorset on 30/10 - a notable movement of 381km S

4) Willow Warbler ringed on 2/7 caught at Queen Mary Reservoir, Surrey on 7/8 - 332km SSE

5) Whitethroat ringed on 8/8 caught at Haxton Down, Wiltshire on 31/8 318km SSE

These were the only recoveries affecting Heysham Obs other than a Walney to Heysham Chaffinch and were amazingly similar in terms of quality and distance - no 'down the road' Greenfinch etc. in this lot!  

Never too late to find a mate

Heysham obs
The highlight of the first daylight visit I can remember without seeing a bird was a pair of December moth which, despite its name are usually done and dusted by now.

Moths
Mottled umber, winter moth, dark chestnut and a pair of December moth
Nearby an actinic catch in the lune valley included 1,164 mottled umber!