Friday 20 March 2015

Partial eclipse partially visible

Just at the eclipse's maximum the clouds rolled back to enable a brilliant view of the partial eclipse.  A few seconds later the clouds rolled back again over the crescent sun.  It was so quick that there wasn't time to grab a camera and take a photo, unfortunately.  It went as dark as it does when thunder clouds are over, Robins began ticking and Blackbirds made a lot of clucking noises like they do when they are about to roost, 8 Magpies gathered together and other birds went a lot quieter.

The female Stonechat at Red Nab stood still long enough for a photo though.  Sorry about the quality but the photo was taken on full zoom. 

 
Middleton NR
Cetti's Warbler - singing male along the bank between the reed bed and western marsh - two bursts of song in quick succession then shut up - hopefully its on territory there
Water Rail - at least one western marsh reed-bed and one central marsh
Little Grebe - now TWO on the no swimming pond
 
North Harbour Wall 0750-0855
Vis
Meadow Pipit - 19 N and NE
Redpoll sp - 1 N
alba Wagtail - 7NE
Chaffinch - 2 N
Carrion Crow - 1 NE
Greenfinch - 2NE
Linnet - 1 NE
Reed Bunting - 1N
 
Grounded
Wheatear - 1 male

At the feeder
Linnet - 2

Ocean Edge grounded
Stonechat - female
Wheatear - 2 males
 
Heysham NR
The only semblance of night migrants caught were two Song Thrush and a Robin - no Goldcrests seen/heard

Insects
Bog standard 'nuisance fly' in the office for the second day - very early for these