Wednesday 16 September 2015

Routine british migrants in the clear conditions

Heysham Obs
Tom Walkington joined the "reading Barrow town hall clock from the north harbour wall" club today and that summed up the conditions although the easterly wind was a big plus which undoubtedly prevented the ringing effort being a watch paint dry.  The Sand Martin caught at the Swallow roost on Monday was ringed at the artificial colony at Appletowngarth near Lockerbie - the second one we have had in the Middleton roost from there

Heysham/Middleton selected ringing totals relating to migrants
Goldcrest - 11 plus a bird ringed elsewhere (HJC sequence)
Chiffchaff - 7
Willow Warbler - 2
Whitethroat - 3
Blackcap - 5
Robin - just 3
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
In addition some rather odd lingering 1CY Reed Warblers at Middleton which don't seem to be putting on any weight

Vis mig
Swallow - 16
Meadow Pipit - really poor with only c30
Grey Wagtail - bit sunny and breezy so only 2/c5 caught
Carrion Crow - 4 S
Coal Tit - flock of 4 S
Chaffinch - 5 S
Song Thrush - one flew high inland just after dawn - typical migrant behaviour
alba Wagtail - 3 SE

Swallow roost
10 of the 15 birds in the roost were caught and ringed!
Water Rail calling from three locations
Sand Martin - two about

Miscellany
White Wagtail - very strong candidate Ocean Edge
Little Gull - usual adult on sea by Red Nab - primary moult seems to be complete
Ringed Plover - 26







Moths
26 Treble Bar and 20 Silver Y dominated the catch