Wednesday 7 April 2010

Foggy birdless moth-fest of a morning, Red Admiral and transmittered Osprey in the afternoon!

Heysham Obs
Coastal sites/Heysham NR
Meadow Pipit - combined total from 7ish to 9.30ish = 81 NE, but most of them were not visible in the fog, therefore underestimate.  Trickle throughout the day
Siskin - 2 NE
alba Wagtail - 7 NE
Linnet - 16 NE
Fieldfare - one heard in the mist but no grounded migrant thrushes on the reserve (too late?)
Turnstone - c100
Twite - exactly 62 but not possible to check rings
Chiffchaff - 2+ migrants (1 ringed)
Wren - singing male by the office which appears to be holding territory - definitely new in - NO, it was suppressed yesterday! - only the seond on the reserve this spring
Blackcap - first singing male of the year - again passed through
Wheatear - one materialised in the evening!

Osprey
'Talisman' flew either over, just inland or just out to sea here at 1400hrs (the text gives 'over' Morecambe Bay, the map suggests along the eastern side of) as part of a 289km journey from Shropshire to Hawick (via transmitter data).  Talisman was Morven's mate in 2009, successfully rearing young [Morven seen flying past here last April]!

Moths
More than the rest of the year so far put together!  Record count of 3 Shoulder Stripe, a latish March Moth, Parsnip Moth, otherwise the usual suspects:  13 Hebrew Character, 6 Common Quaker and 5 Clouded Drab

Butterflies
A Red Admiral in the sheltered NE corner of the reserve was a major surprise, given the severity of this last winter.  Have any others been reported in the area?  TWO male Brimstone and a Comma also seen, as well as a glimpse of what was probably Small Tortoiseshell.  Plenty of bumble bees today.

Elsewhere
Transmitter-carrying Osprey 'Morven' roosted overnight near Kirkby Lonsdale (6th/7th).  5 Whooper Swan still at Melling