Tuesday 19 April 2011

More drip-feed migration

Heysham Obs
An early start but limited ringing-wise to the office nets, which were not a good choice due to a niggling wind, followed by early sunrise.  The theme was birds bouncing out of slightly billowing nets, notably four Tree Pipit together!  Small by 1980's standards, but "reasonable" by recent standards, fall of Willow Warblers first thing

North harbour wall north-east-bound vis mig
Arctic Tern - 30
Sandwich Tern - 32
Swallow - 30
Meadow Pipit - 24
alba Wagtail - 11
Linnet - 12
Redpoll spp. - 10
Goldfinch - 1
Greenfrinch - 1
Whimbrel - 4
Greylag - 1
Turnstone - 217
Common Gull - 257 (others on south side)
Black-headed Gull - 119 (ditto)
Blackbird - now a pair on the mound!! (female definitely newly-arrived)

Heysham NR (north-east-bound vis very intermittently recorded, but different birds to NHW) 0545 onwards
Tree Pipit - 4+1+1, all early
Redpoll spp - 11
Linnet - 15
Goldfinch - 11
Greenfinch - unringed male caught
Willow Warbler - minimum of 25 in office/obs tower area, almost all in first hour (several bouncing out of mist nets)
alba Wagtail - 9
Meadow Pipit - 13
Reed Warbler - singing male in the far reedbed (first of year)
Sedge Warbler - one singing in reedbed next to alder copse

Moth
Streamer new for the year & not guaranteed here