Saturday 5 October 2013

Westerly fare and a few leftovers

Heysham Obs
There is a possibility that the YBW is still present - whilst clearing a mist net ride in mid-afternoon - heard a distant call which sounded the part from the tall trees fringing the golf course or just over the road in the eastern NR woodland.  The key word is 'possibility' as couldn't trace it or hear a repeat call

Vis mig dawnish until 0930hrs
Grey Wagtail - 3
Chaffinch - 133
Meadow Pipit - just 10 but a few casually noted after 0930
Pink-footed Goose - 6 and a flock of  'c300' about 0950hrs
Dunnock - 2 high-fliers
Goldfinch - 5
Greenfinch - 2
Skylark - 1!
Starling - flock of 4 high to SW

Grounded
Difficult to know what to make of the Chiffchaffs -we have not had any retraps, nor seen any ringed birds in the filed and the impression again this morning was of birds on the move with at least 4 passing through by the office
Coal Tit - 6
Goldcrest - small arrival with at least 5 although one was surprisingly a retrap from over a week ago
Wheatear - at least 2

Inshore
Little Gull - adult following ferry
Med Gull - at least 4
Little Egret - 2 Ocean Edge saltmarsh

Moths
Scarce Bordered Straw at nearby Sunderland, but just Silver Y on the migrant front in the office trap plus actinic

Song Thrush influx 4th October

This looks like being the last day for a bit for any night migrants from the east - at least we managed to tick the Yellow-browed Warbler box but more obliging individuals(s) would have been gratefully received

Vismig 0710-1010
Meadow Pipit 330 Grey Wagtail 4 Song Thrush 54 Redwing 2+9 alba wagtail 50 Siskin x1 heard Chaffinch 67 Brambling 1 Pink-footed Goose - 1 flock heard Linnet 4

A walk round the reserve 0955-1045
Chiffchaff 5, Robin 23, Blackbird 9, Song Thrush 11, Mistle Thrush 1 Long-tailed Tit 2 flocks 1x7, 1x11, Blue tit 8, Great Tit 8, Wren 6, Greenfinch 6, Goldfinch 7, Bullfinch 1, Treecreeper 1, Carrion Crow 3, Magpie 3, Moorhen 2.

September ringing totals are quite interesting. Following the lack of Willow Warblers in August, September saw a similarly rather inexplicable absence of Goldcrest. Flocks of tits were also conspicuously absent, as were passage Reed Bunting. Grey Wagtail passage, on the other hand, was very good. The following were ringed: Swallow (161), Greenfinch (84), Grey Wagtail (76), Goldfinch (40), Robin (34), Blue Tit (27), Chiffchaff (25), Meadow Pipit (18), Chaffinch (16), Blackcap (14), Dunnock (14), Whitethroat (13), Great Tit (10), Long-tailed Tit (8), Blackbird (6), Wren (6), Coal Tit (3), Goldcrest (3), Sedge Warbler (3), Bullfinch (3), Willow Warbler (2), Reed Warbler (2), Sparrowhawk (1), Reed Bunting (1)