A fine warm sunny day after overnight rain and a cool start. A NW breeze switching to NW during the day
Heysham Nature Reserve
Ringing summary - Pete
The overnight rain saw a significant fall of Chiffchaff and Blackcap with the clear conditions from dawn leading to an initial ‘rush’ of grounded birds dispersing inland with most of those entering the nets in the first 1.5 hrs of daylight. Ringing totals of migrants saw 24 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, one Cetti’s warbler, just one Goldcrest and a single Robin. In addition two Grey Wagtails were colour ringed and a few odds and ends at the feeder, mainly Goldfinch and tit species. Once again a complete absence of Coal Tit and Bullfinch with none seen/caught
Some of the visible migration - Shaun
Pink-Footed geese 160, 40, 80, 240, 30, 140, 120, 40, 130, 30. = 1010
Pintail male + 4 female south high.
Cormorant 5 south high.
Blackcap 6 un-ringed birds.
Raven 2.
Pintail male + 4 female south high.
Cormorant 5 south high.
Blackcap 6 un-ringed birds.
Raven 2.
Jay 2.
South shore
I checked 08:20 - 10:30 Malcolm
Pink-Footed Goose 535 south in 10 skeins. Some of these are definitely additional to those seen from HNR
Shelduck 6
Wigeon 23 on Red Nab
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| Wigeon |
Teal 1 south
The Linnets on and around the saltmarsh were active but not disturbed. 60 was the most seen at one time.
Greenfinch 12 along the saltmarsh edge
Meadow Pipit 1 on the saltmarsh
Reed Bunting 2 on the saltmarsh
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| Reed Bunting |
Little Egret 4
Jack Snipe 2 individuals accidentally flushed from the saltmarsh edges. There is no reason for them to be around the edges on such low tides, possibly just arrived?
Redshank 350 around the saltmarsh
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| Redshank and Little Egret |
I walked out to waterline. Initially there were lots of waders, but they were very flighty and all but some of the Dunlin left to the south. Best estimates of numbers
Curlew 25
Bar-Tailed Godwit 31
Oystercatcher 150 including one ringed in Iceland. Details awaited
Knot 2000
Dunlin 600
Sanderling 5
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| Curlew, Oystercatcher and Dunlin on the Mud. There are 2 Sanderling just in the sea to the left of centre. 3 more Sanderling with the Knot and Dunlin coming in. A few Godwits to the right in the water |
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| Sanderling |
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| And then they were gone! The Godwits leaving last |
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| Some of the Dunlin ended up with the Redshanks around the saltmarsh |
Mediterranean Gull 6 on the mud out from the saltmarsh
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| This adult having a yawn |
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| This one had a metal ring only |
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| This 1st calendar year had a colour ring. Its scheme maintained on an open database, so its history, albeit brief, was immediately available |
Janet checked this afternoon
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| Linnets |
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| Greenfinch |
There were still six Wheatears, or possibly another six Wheatears
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| They look quite strange when stretching up!! |
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| This one has a small insect in its bill |
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| The males are still quite striking |
Stonechat 3 between Red Nab and the foreshore (they definitely weren't there earlier)
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| Stonechats |
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| Common Darter in the Nature Park |
Middleton Nature Reserve
Cetti's Warbler (not ringed) - Janet
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| Cetti's Warbler |
Peter and Rosemary visited and checked both the main pond and the south side. Several dragonflies seen including this immature Red-Veined Darter on the main pond.
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| Teneral Red-Veined Darter |
Southern End
Common Darters Ovipositing 3 pr
Male Common Darter 12 (at least)
Female Common Darter 3
Hawker spec (they were too far away to determine whether they were Migrant or Southern)
Speckled Wood 3
Main Pond
Red Veined Darter 1
Common Darters Ovipositing 2 pr
Male Common Darter 8
Female Common Darter 2
Hawker spec (again, they were too far away to tell whether they were Migrant or Southern)
Mute Swans 1 pr
Mallard 4
Coot 3
Long Tailed Tits 3
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| Female Common Darter |
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| If you zoom in, this shot shows the female's abdomen in the water |
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| In this shot she has just taken her abdomen out of the water and it has not returned to being "flat" once again. |
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| Quite a faded Speckled Wood |
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| Noon Fly |
Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:00 - 14:30
Eider 64
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| Some of the Eider on a sandbar |
Little Egret 8
Not so many large gulls feeding now, but there were lots of feeding Black-Headed gulls in the drains as they were emptying. There must have been a shoal of Whitebait or Sandeels at risk of being stranded.
More Oystercatcher than recent at least 2000. Other waders similar to recent including 2000 Knot.
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| Some of the Knot. Despite the good viewing conditions I only saw one colour marked bird, and that has been seen earlier |
Pink-Footed geese were still heading south over my house after dark. Malcolm
Just out of the recording area - Heaton marsh
The three Glossy Ibis are still there
