Wednesday 6 October 2010

Wrong kind of rain stopping at dawn

Heysham Obs
It was followed by a quite blustery westerly which calmed down for a short, clear period, before turning more to the south and increasing.  Not the best direction after rain.  Where was this rain on the met office charts?  Water Rail the star of the morning.  Bizarre!

Grounded
Chiffchaff - 3 (2 caught and ringed)
Blackcap - one ringed
Wheatear - 4 Half moon bay (off-passage from at least yesterday) and one on the NHW mound
Meadow Pipit - 24 on the mound
Rock Pipit - one on the mound
Linnet - 16 on the mound
Blackbird - at least 17 migrants by office
Song Thrush - biggest numbers of the autumn so far with at least 22 migrants around office/reserve/flying inland

Vis mig
0700-0900 by office
Chaffinch - 51 SW
Grey Wagtail - 2 together SE at 0710hrs
Greenfinch - 36 SW
alba Wagtail - 23 SE
Water Rail - one flew past the office and over the classroom!!!!Reed Bunting - 3 S
Linnet - 6 SE
Goldfinch - 35 S
Bullfinch - 1+1+2 high to S
Meadow Pipit - 22 SE
0910-1010 north harbour wall
Meadow Pipit - 44 SE
alba Wagtail - 16 SE
Linnet - 2 SE

Inshore
Little Gull - adult winter roosting at Red Nab
Med Gull - 1CY harbour mouth but no sign of adults, despite two outgoing boats
No sign of any Shag on wooden jetty

Elsewhere
Yellow-browed Warbler trapped and ringed on Walney in main Obs garden