Working on the Green Beach again today, dealing death to Sea Buckthorn, where I was joined by John G, who strung up a few single shelf mist nets and managed to catch a Skylark and a Mipit, which were ringed and released.
The Skylark, a male on wing length, was a cracker, not often you get the opportunity to appreciate just how long that hindclaw is...
The Mipit was a juv, nice and yellowy, one of several that went through during the morning - less birds on the move today, or, as is more likely, just as many, only a squillion feet up in the blue sky.
Certainly fewer hirundines on evidence, although parties were still hawking about, and Goldcrests were calling away in the Alder line.
The number of butterflies along the coast was quite striking - MANY Small Tortoiseshell, with Peacocks, Red Admiral and even a Painted Lady, wafting by in the sunshine.
Good numbers of Migrant Hawker and Common Darter too.
Came across an exhausted Guillemot on the sands, which I dropped off at the RSPCA, but otherwise it was as quiet as the comments section on the blog.
After work I was out on Plex Moss for a short time where it was all very serene, with much poultry and Kestrels on the hay bales in the stubble, loadsa Pinkies floating about in the evening air, loafing Buzzards and still at least two Marsh Harriers.
The light was going when I came across the Marsh Harriers, which was a shame - one was eating something in a ploughed field, half obscured by vegetation, while the other went all dihedral on me and headed off into the sunset.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Hi John, Liverpool RSPB Big Tower Birdwatch on the Anglican Cathedral went very well yesterday. 2 Peregrines are using the tower and showing well.
1 Buzzard came from the Dingle and flew over the tower heading into town.
Later 5 were seen thermalling over Liverpool town centre.
2 Sparrowhawks played in the thermals above the tower. 1 Osprey was recorded but distant.
Meadow Pipits, Goldfinch, and Swallows also recorded.
A great day to enthuse people about birds on an iconic building.
Got out a couple of times today, firstly to the Taggs Island reedbed for a bit, fairly quiet really, a single Chiffchaff calling from the bushes around the reedbed itself and a Tit flock moving through the Alders.
A few Meadow Pipits and Swallows knocking about but no obvious movement.
Early evening I had a look at the Green Beach, c7000 Pinks roosting out on Birkdale beach with birds pouring in from the mosses all the time.
A single Snipe came in from the east and out onto the beach - maybe a fresh migrant from the east?
Small parties of waders off the boardwalk, c100 Sanderling and 20 Ringed Plover.
1 Stonechat, 2 Gtr Peckers, 70+ Mipits, 30 odd alba wags and 2 Wheatears along the coast at Ainsdale/Birkdale this morning.
Early Saturday morning (Sept 22) vismig watch from 06:50 until 09;50 at Marshside Bird Observatory (aka the Sandplant Compound (with John Kelly) was freezing cold early on, but quite interesting.
Highlights as follows; 4 different Sparrowhawks, female/imm Marsh Harrier; 33 Snipe over plus 3 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 195 Skylark, 143 Swallow, 625 Mipits, 212 Goldfinch and a real mega for Marshside - a NUTHATCH briefly in the few remaining bushes on the south side of the compound!
Passage in the clear blue sky was often very high which is why our our numbers cannot be compared with an amazing 10 hours vismig on Winter Hill on the same day (viewable from Mt Baker), where 11,651 Swallows, 3,555 House Martins and 3,481 Mipits passed through accompanied by 12 Sparrowhawks!!
All this wonderful migration gen is FREE on www.trektellen.nl - click on Great Britain and go down all the latest info from sites, click on dates in red and it all pops up. Fantastic site!!
Vogeltrektellingen & ringvangsten in Nederland
www.trektellen.nl
Trektellen.nl - Vogeltrektellingen & ringvangsten in Nederland
23 Rook flew over Anfield during the match yesterday, heading towards town.
Horrendous flooding at Martin Mere today in the wildfowl collection area, which they had to close.
A number of photographs have been posted on Martin Mere's Facebook page.
Cheers,
Colin.
Did you happen to find out how the exhausted Guillemot fared?
JD: Not too well I fear, although I don't know for sure - youngsters are always caught out by the first storms of autumn, unlike adults.
Happens every year....