Saturday 8 August 2015

Warblers creep and Swifts sweep through

Heysham Obs
Weather: clear, calm to start with then light southerly and a few clouds building up. c16C

Middleton NR
More Willow Warblers, Sedge Warbler, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and Whitethroat were ringed at Middleton NR again but fewer than yesterday (only 21 birds in 4.5 hours with 6 nets).  The clear night was probably to blame!
Diurnal migration was happening but not much went through 07:00-11:30:
Swallow - 30
Swift - 13
Sand Martin - 1
House Martin - 1

Heysham NR vis 1335-1415
Swift - 74
Swallow - 10
House Martin - 1

Short circuit round reserve yielded:
Reed Warbler - 1 singing (in reedbed, funnily enough)
Chiffhaff - 1 calling from alder copse
Sparrowhawk - 3 juvs calling and flying about
Butterflies:
Small Copper - 1
Red Admiral - 1
Common Blue - 4 male, 2 female
Small White - 2
Dragonflies:
Brown Hawker in car park