Two year ticks for the area

Heysham obs
Another local Grey Wagtail seen today (thanks Janet) in the housing estate next to Heysham Moss.  Ringed on 14/9/14 at Middleton.

The way Pochard have been going down the pan in this area and the fact that it is very much an early year species suggested a possibility that we might miss out on it for the patchwork challenge. All change today with a male on the model boat pond

Cetti's calling behind dipping pond this morning and at least one water rail (two yesterday afternoon)

Pair of mute swans back on nesting pond - fence pond- at Middleton

Moth
Pale brindled beauty new for the year in trap

Fog and ringless Cettis

Heysham Obs
The fog relented just long enough to get the webs done and the reward was a new species for the patchwork challenge, albeit the lower end of the points scale - black-tailed godwit 

Here are the Grey Wagtail details for the bird seen this morning at Crook of Lune, Caton, 15km or so to the north-east.  This is the first record from the Lune valley, as opposed to Lancaster or south of on the estuarine part of the river:

Y966256  P/M:DKG/R
Ringed:  Heysham NR          Juvenile                   15/09/2012
Seen:  Crook of Lune   08/02/2015     Photo Jean Roberts

Cetti'sWarbler
I was a bit puzzled yesterday as inconclusive glimpses of the right leg on the Cetti's appeared to indicate there was no ring.  Brilliant views this morning behind the dipping pond- should have taken camera - indicated quite clearly it was un-ringed.  I suspect this isn't a two-bird theory, but the brief view of what appeared to be a right leg ring on the first day was clearly staining of some sort.  This, of course means it is definitely a different bird from the two Middleton and single Heysham records last autumn.   In close proximity to a Wren for quite a time and the two completely ignored each other!




Interesting how this species is getting treated now.  It doesn't qualify for the regional RBA, it's relegated to un-highlighted status on the Fleetwood and Fylde websites (but still worthy of individual daily mention) and it's about to come off the 'county description list'.  A bit of an also-ran at Leighton where presumably all the locals have already year-ticked it (song only??).  On the other hand it is Aldcliffe's "most wanted", its still a mega in Cumbria, it hasn't even turned up at Haweswater (Silverdale) yet and I think it is still a bit of a celebrity at Brockholes despite being 'down south' (or should that be the western outpost of East Lancs for regional year listing purposes?).   In other words, not to be taken for granted yet and no apologies for getting a bit excited about our first winter record.
 
Quite severe freezing fog this morning and still nowhere near cleared - no chance of WeBS count unless it improves, even with my 'inshore' (as opposed to salt marsh edge) roosts


Male Chaffinch giving the vaguely Chiffchaff - like contact call this morning as they do when setting up territories.  Otherwise, predictably not as much singing this morning but the Great-spotted Woodpeckers were active with a lot of calling and drumming


.

Pinkfeet with two agendas and Cettis warbler obliging

Heysham Obs
Interesting early morning - so much for the dawn start of work!


Cetti's Warbler
Calling a lot and showing well from the boardwalk below the classroom - now it is in this area, this is a very 'user-friendly' bird despite not being a singing male (call similar to quiet Great-spotted Woodpecker 'chit')


Red-throated Diver - two offshore but very distant


Eider - c300 offshore
  


Pink-footed Goose
Absolute minimum of 2,100 heading distantly over the golf course towards fields to the north of Heysham Moss - whether any carried on is unknown but.............


450 + 71 + 390 definitely north-west over the office heading across the bay on the usual migratory route






Moths
Single Dotted Border and rather late Dark Chestnut in hut trap

Friday 6th February

Heysham Obs
Sorry someone else was going to do the posting yesterday!

Med Gull - Czech bird north wall
Skylark - one high to east
Red-throated Diver - at least 5 in Kent channel about 3 hours before high tide in a narrow temporal window on the incoming tide (hopeless at high tide at present)
Cetti's Warbler - probably heard at a distance by two people (independently) along the eastern side of the marsh but 'drowned' by loads of singing birds, noisy Goldfinches and drumming & displaying Great-spotted Woodpeckers

Two Chiffchaff and a Peacock

Heysham Obs
More good stuff today:  Thanks to Janet for pics:

Middleton NR
Chiffchaff - two collybita types at the north western end towards anemometer/golf course edge

Peacock butterfly - one by red brick building

Heysham NR
No sign of Cetti's Warbler today
Siskin - 3

Offshore north harbour wall
Eider - 2 (male and femae) out
Pink-footed Goose - 8 north
Grey Wagtail - at feeding station
Linnet - 14 at feeding station
Meadow Pipit - 1

Cettis circuit extended and pale-bellied Brent appear

Heysham Obs
First some excellent pics taken by Janet:

Two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were found by Pete Cook in just about the only part of the recording area which cannot be "seen from" with respect to the Patchwork challenge!  North side of Heysham Head on inshore cobble - visible from Knowlys Road footpath (plus 34 Ringed Plover)


The Cetti's Warbler was working its way through the wetland vegetation just to the north of the boardwalk below the classroom this morning at 0950-1000, specifically along the overgrown channel about 20m north of the water level marker.  Some people have asked how best to find it.  It is keeping very low in the wetland vegetation and nearby brambles, osiers etc.  As usual this morning, located on the rather abrupt call, not dissimilar to a very quiet Great-spotted Woodpecker and probably most confusable within its circuit with the sharp contact call (as opposed to the various trills etc) of Long-tailed Tit.  Beware also the louder but vaguely similar call of the (at least two) local Water Rail.  Views mainly limited to a Wren-like creature with whirring flight between bits of low vegetation.  It has not been heard to sing which suggests it is probably a female.


The osiers have been harvested as part of the annual basket-making routine today but there is plenty of suitable habitat on its circuit, providing it can withstand the low temperatures


Med Gull - Heysham one outfall and presumed same, the Czech bird, on north harbour wall
Goldcrest - by HNR dipping pond
Jay - two by dipping pond
Water Rail - one by dipping pond
Twite/Linnet - mixed flock of 7 north harbour wall

Cetti's vocal again

Heysham Obs
Cetti's warbler was pretty vocal around the dipping pond area this morning and gave a couple of glimpses.  Also Water Rail near the 'tunnel' under the road, singing Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker.......and singing Dunnocks, but it was still freezing!

Siskin was added to the year list in the afternoon, but the Cetti's went awol whilst Water Rail rose to two

A few extra Twite

Heysham Obs
Surprisingly no sign of the Cetti's Warbler this am - hopefully it is still around somewhere

5 Twite caught on the NHW this morning, (4 retraps ), three of which had also been seen earlier this winter.

Also Czech ringed adult Med Gull on railings

Cetti's Warbler

Heysham Obs
One calling fairly regularly and showing intermittently in the osier bed next to the dipping pond at Heysham NR.  Only readily viewable from a wet uneven track with tripping hazards so access not recommended and certainly at your own risk.  This posting is for info only, not to encourage people to 'twitch' a species which is available nearby at Leighton Moss.  The first winter record for here following three from Heysham and Middleton last autumn and three previous all-time records


Two Water Rail, Coal Tit, 2 Mallard, 2 Bullfinch best of the rest on NR circuit


Cetti's showed very well and called a lot (no song) later in the afternoon and its ringed on the right leg

Brief Visit

North Harbour Wall to top up seed at feeding station.
Finches seen.
10 Linnets
6 Goldfinch and
2 Twite

JM