Friday 28 March 2014

Lots of migration

Heysham Obs
...............but little time to cover it.  Thanks to Malcolm and Justine for Middleton and other coverage

North wall early on plus office area until 1015hrs
Meadow Pipit - at least 467 north 0800-1000 with at least 10 minutes not covered at all and 30 minutes only 'casually'.
Siskin - 7 NE
Redpoll spp - 1 NE
Sand Martin - 2 N (IOY)
alba Wagtail - 45 N
Goldfinch - 8 N and one unringed bird
Greenfinch - 4 unringed birds caught in very short single mist-net session
Chaffinch - 6 north and one unringed bird
Twite - 4 north out to sea as seen from the north wall, 7 around feeder
Linnet - 4 grounded briefly by HNR office, at least 19 around seed on nhw
Tree Sparrow - flock of 3 north-east
Wheatear - 2 on mound

Ocean Edge and area
6 wheatear (2 each mature male, 2cy male and female)
2 linnet (pair) appeared to have just come in (these were the only linnet I saw in full walk)
1 mute
4 RB merganser
6 ringed plover
2 Chiffchaff heard (one in Red Nab copse and one in scrub on east side).
 
Middleton Nature reserve
Mute Swan - nesting pair on fence pond, 3 fighting on boating pond and pair on Tim Butler
2 Moorhen
8 coot
5 gadwall
1 mallard
16 tufted duck
1 scaup
4 teal (2 x 2)
1 little grebe (fence pond)
1 common snipe
2 oystercatcher
2 pheasants
12 meadow pipit (max 3 together) - including 1 parachuting
8 chiffchaff (all heard)
6 greenfinch
1 bullfinch (m)
1 sand martin.
Displaying pair of Kestrel

PS - an Osprey probably flew north along the coast at about 1200hrs but remains unconfirmed