Bits of coverage

Heysham Obs
A bit unsatisfactory today as there were clearly things on the move, notably and obviously Swallows, but the coverage was too late.  Thanks to Steven Feasey for some pics taken here and Middleton in recent weeks (see below)


Middleton NR 0830-0930
No ringing
Grey Wagtail - 3 SE together
Meadow Pipit - at least 5 singletons SE
Swallow - 27 SE
House Martin - 6 SE
Whinchat - 1
Blackcap - 5+
Whitethroat - at least 2
Willow Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - 3


HNR office area
Chiffchaff - 3
Blackcap - 2


Outfalls/Red Nab at high tide
Family parked on the end of the rocks with 3 dogs - thee first time there have been any problems this year that I am aware of - these were not from Ocean Edge and therefore had not seen the notice


Med Gull - at least 14 on the saltmarsh (3 2CY, 10 1CY, one adult) and 2 1CY on outfalls = 16 minimum
Swallow - 17 south
Nothing else of interest


Middleton pm
Grey Wagtail - 2 SE appeared to be migrants!
Swallow - at least 120 in the roost with 60 ringed (just 4 adults) - birds not flock-cohesive as in previous weeks - presume migrants unfamiliar with site?
House Martin - at least one with the swallows




Moth trap
Another Rusty Dot Pearl

Wheatear at Red Nab

Peacock and Red Admiral Heysham NR

Red Darter HNR

Red Darter HNR near Ocean Edge

Clouded Yellow MNR

Clouded Yellow MNR

Small Copper MNR

Incoming tide watch

Heysham Obs
Thousands of gulls seemed to be strewn all over Red Nab/outfalls and area on the incoming tide, despite Heysham one outfall seemingly out of action.  A fairly lengthy watch showed that stuff is easily missed as it passes through/is displaced by the tide


Heysham outfalls 0900-1130 on and off
Black Tern - highly mobile juvenile seemed to disappear as the tide started to come in
Sandwich Tern - at least 8, possibly 9 - flew south as tide came in
Med Gull -  c17 x 1CY, 1 x 2CY, 4 x 3CY/Ad
Little Gull - moulting adult which also disappeared on the incoming tide!
Whimbrel - 1
Wheatear - 4


Heysham NR
A Long-tailed Tit flock was accompanied by 5 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, one Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler


Moths
Two Rusty Dot Pearl disturbed from tall vegetation on a tramp round the outer rim of the reserve.  Trap useless in easterlies. 

Ye of little faith

Heysham Obs
After what appeared, leaving a slightly windy High Tatham at 0515hrs, to be going through the final CES (& supplementary nets) motions on a slightly breezy sunny westerly morning turned out to be rather better than expected.  A large slow-moving area of cloud sat to the north-west and spilled over covering the sun and produced a couple of tiny spells of drizzle.  Most importantly, it knocked the wind on the head.


Middleton NR CES etc
Grey Wagtail - 10 SE (7 of these ringed)
House Martin - group of 4 SE he only other noticeable 'vis'!
Redstart - 1CY male ringed
Other migrants ringed comprised: 7 Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Robin and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warblers.  None of these were a result of a tit flock entourage (in contrast to the last visit) - there were no tit flocks heard or seen this morning.
34 juvenile Goldfinch were also ringed!


Common Buzzard - one over Middleton NR pm

Very septembery

Heysham Obs
The final CES at both sites tomorrow and preparations this evening included a small Swallow catch in conditions which were less than perfect.  The morning saw a cold start followed by Grey Wagtails, Robins and Blackcaps in the mist nets.

Heysham NR early am
Grey wagtail - 6 ringed, at least another 3 missed
Robin - 4 ringed
Blackcap - 6 ringed
A few odds and ends included single Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler and two Whitethroat

Middleton pm
Really devoid of warblers in a fresh north-westerly - looks like a 'duff' morning tomorrow for the CES unless the tit flocks do their stuff and drag a few birds on to the site
Swallow roost - c60 with 19 ringed including about 5 adults using the only sheltered net site which was a bit enclosed


Wheatear - two south end of Middleton NR near old pontins site pm

What was missed?

Heysham Obs
A real struggle this morning as under the weather and didn't arrive until 0900hrs to be greeted by Willow warbler contact calls and later two Tree Pipit taking off from around the pond and heading inland over the gold course.  What was here earlier?


A couple of hastily erected mist nets confirmed what seemed to be happening, the remnants of an early morning arrival in the process of disappearing inland.  Four unringed Whitethroat and two migrant Robins were caught immediately, then nothing migrant-wise for the next hour and the nets were brought in


Office area 0900-1030
Tree Pipit - two together headed ESE, having been grounded, at 0915hrs
Grey Wagtail - one SE
Swallow - c10 SE
Willow  warbler - at least five calling at 0900hrs, soon melted away
Whitethroat - 4 unringed and one ringed bird caught - no others seen/heard
Dunnock - unringed bird caught
Robin -  two unringed birds caught


Moths
Not bad with Yellow-barred Brindle notable for here, with other stuff including Bordered Beauty, Agriphila latistria and Rusty Dot Pearl,

Wet and windy seagulls

Heysham Obs
Outfalls and area
Med Gull - 10 x 1CY, one x each of 2CY, 3CY and Ad
Little Egret  1


Middleton NR
Goldfinch - flock of 80




Moths
Much better including White-line Dart again, two Lime-speck Pug, 3 Agriphila latistria, Rusty Dot Pearl, Treble Bar, Agriphila geniculea, Ypsophola sequella and Oidematophorus lithodactyla

Early morning Middleton coverage

Heysham Obs
The calm weather windows at Middleton may have been few and far between recently but they have provided high quality mist-netting conditions, with bits of cloud knocking the sun on the head and no sea breezes kicking in.  Not exactly fall conditions (too clear) but a fair number of warblers ringed


Middleton NR 0545 to late morning
Lesser Redpoll - one SE (very unseasonal)
Meadow Pipit - 3 SE and a  juvenile, perhaps local, ringed
House Martin - 2 SE
Grey Wagtail - 4 SE (one ringed)
Willow Warbler - 9 ringed
Whitethroat - 17 ringed 
Lesser Whitethroat - three ringed
Blackcap- 6 ringed
Chiffchaff - no new ones
Reed Warbler - none
Grasshopper Warbler - as above
Sedge Warbler - the only ones seen/heard/caught were a family party of at least four birds (ringed adult and one young caught) which appeared on site late morning
Swallow - also scarce with just 3-4 casual sightings of at least one adult


The remainder of the newly ringed birds comprised 2 Blue Tit, one Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, one Greenfinch, one Bullfinch, 2 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 2 Blackbird, 2 Long-tailed Tit


Insects
Another Agriphila latistria in the moth trap along with two late White-line Dart.  Single Clouded Yellow & Panted Lady casually noted at Middleton

More odds and ends of migrants

Heysham Obs
Clear this morning and cool with a touch more northerly in the wind.  The autumnal feel was enhanced by a calling Goldcrest by the office - early for this 'migrant only' species here


The dead animal at Middleton model boat pond has been variously identified as a horse, a colt, a goat and a deer - the latter seems about right and presumably a Roe.  Thanks to all for reporting this unfortunate beastie.  It was a foal!


Office area
Whitethroat - 10+ (just one ringed in rather windy conditions, most of them feeding in tank farm)
Willow Warbler - one ringed
Blackcap - 6-10 office/tank farm (four ringed)
Goldcrest - one (IOA)
Robin - seemed to be quite a few ticking birds (5+) early on
Chiffchaff - at least two
Swallow - 16 purposefully south


Red Nab/Ocean Edge
Wheatear - 4






Insects
Decent number of butterflies around, including a single Painted Lady - thanks to Janet for the pics which will appear soon


The localised Agriphila latistria made its autumnal debut in the trap

Small fall

Heysham Obs
A late start revealed the wind was far less than forecasted, a few warblers were about and it seemed worth putting up a belated net or two (until it became too windy).  Then almost immediately visited by a couple of contractors who indicated our main ringing area was going to be out of commission due to fence replacement and vegetation removal................starting in September.  I don't think a plea to leave it until the end of October will be possible but we'll see. Unfortunate after just spending a considerable amount of time doing the kind of gardening familiar to many people operating mist-net rides


Office area
Whitethroat - at least 10-15 (8 ringed)
Blackcap - one ringed
Chiffchaff - 2
Robin - 1 migrant ringed

Outfalls
Little Gull - 2 adult type
Med Gull - at least 15 around, probably many more - a Catherine Tate attitude to windswept gulls all facing away in a slight 'heat' haze as of 4pm


A late Straw Underwing and Grey Chi were the best of a meagre moth catch

Manx Shearwater caught up in line..

Sunday 17th August

Med Gull - c10 juv, at least one adult but conditions awful!

Absolutely nothing on the sea other than 6 Sandwich Terns at low tide just to the north of Heysham Head