Unfortunately, the morning was poor for visible migration as the weather was overcast with a very light SE wind. The stratocumulus cloud obscured vision for day flying migrants and migrant watchers alike. Next day was, of course, perfect but with so many people involved the date could not be changed.
Two charts of results have been compiled. The small chart headed “Visible Migration” is of the migratory birds only, while the large chart shows the results of the “Small Sit” i.e. all the birds visible from that site in a 3 hour period from 0630 hours to 0730 hours (the exception being Rossall which was counted from 0700 hours to 0830 hours). The numbers on the large chart indicate a species was seen NOT the total number of birds.
Below are comments made by the patient watchers at each site:
Sunderland (Jean Roberts) The best sight was the 73 Arctic Terns which flew noisily in from the Bay at 0700, followed the river for a short while then gained height and moved inland towards Bowland.
Aldcliffe (Jon Carter) The lowest bird list ever counted at Aldcliffe!
Heysham NR (Les Tollitt and Alan Draper) Too busy ringing birds to count all the species around. Sorry.
Red Nab (Pete Fletcher) The proceedings were enlivened by a 1st winter Med Gull and an adult Little Gull on the outfalls.
Jenny Brown’s Point (Mark Prestwood) Mark was the only person to do a full breakdown of birds hour by hour, showing that Arctic Terns there arrived from 0730 onwards.
Crag viewpoint (Pete Marsh) Still the best spot for seeing the most birds. No birds of prey until 0900 hours.
Pilling Lane Ends (Steve Dunstan) A surprisingly high total of species considering the lack of any clear cut migration and the high tide being too low to make out all the wader/wildfowl species. The Red-legged Partridges on the tideline and Steve’s first Cuckoo of the year were the highlights. Still 750 Pink feet around. Some Greenfinches appeared to be exhibiting pre-migratory activity, flying out over the saltmarsh some distance before returning to cover. NB In desperation to boost his list, Steve also noted Peacock and “domestic duck”!!
Rossall (Len Blacow) Len was pleased to see Red throated Divers and Common Scoters. He waited for the numbers of Ringed Plovers to build up but even they didn’t oblige on this grey morning.
| BIRDS |
RED NAB
|
S/LAND
|
ALDCLIFFE
|
CRAG
|
JBP
|
LANE ENDS
|
ROSSALL
|
| RED THROATED DIVER |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| LITTLE GREBE |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| GC GREBE |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| CORMORANT |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| GREY HERON |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| MALLARD |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| TEAL |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| PINTAIL |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| EIDER |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| WIGEON |
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| SHOVELER |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| POCHARD |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| RB MERGANSER |
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| SHELDUCK |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| GREYLAG GOOSE |
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| PF GOOSE |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| CANADA GOOSE |
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| BLACK SWAN |
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| MUTE SWAN |
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| KESTREL |
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| PEREGRINE |
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| GREY PARTRIDGE |
0 |
0 |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| PHEASANT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| MOORHEN |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| COOT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| OYSTERCATCHER |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| LAPWING |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| RINGED PLOVER |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| GREY PLOVER |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| TURNSTONE |
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| CURLEW |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| WHIMBREL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| BLACK TAILED GODWIT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| BAR TAILED GODWIT |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| REDSHANK |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| KNOT |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| DUNLIN |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| GBB GULL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| LBB GULL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| HERRING GULL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| COMMON GULL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| MED GULL |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| BH GULL |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| LITTLE GULL |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| ARCTIC TERN |
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| COMMON TERN |
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| SANDWICH TERN |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| WOODPIGEON |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| FERAL PIGEON |
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| COLLARED DOVE |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| CUCKOO |
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| SWIFT |
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| SKYLARK |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| SAND MARTIN |
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
| SWALLOW |
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| HOUSE MARTIN |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| C CROW |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| ROOK |
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| JACKDAW |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| MAGPIE |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| GREAT TIT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| BLUE TIT |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| COAL TIT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| MARSH TIT |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| LT TIT |
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| WREN |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| DUNNOCK |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| MISTLE THRUSH |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| SONG THRUSH |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| WHINCHAT |
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| WHEATEAR |
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| BLACKBIRD |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| ROBIN |
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| BLACKCAP |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| LESSER WHITETHROAT |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| WHITETHROAT |
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| SEDGE WARBLER |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| WILLOW WARBLER |
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| CHIFFCHAFF |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| GOLDCREST |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| MEADOW PIPIT |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| PIED WAGTAIL |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| WHITE WAGTAIL |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
| GREY WAGTAIL |
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| STARLING |
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| GREENFINCH |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| GOLDFINCH |
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| LINNET |
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| TWITE |
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| REDPOLL |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| CHAFFINCH |
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| REED BUNTING |
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
| NO.OF SPECIES |
37
|
37
|
26
|
59
|
34
|
46
|
13
|
|
BIRDS |
HNR |
RED NAB |
S/LAND |
ALDCLIFFE |
CRAG |
JBP |
LANE ENDS |
ROSSALL |
TOT |
|
RED THROATED DIVER |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
GREY HERON |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
GREYLAG GOOSE |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
PF GOOSE |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Y |
0 |
0 |
|
PEREGRINE |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
WHIMBREL |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
Y |
0 |
11 |
|
BLACK TAILED GODWIT |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
BAR TAILED GODWIT |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
|
LITTLE GULL |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
ARCTIC TERN |
0 |
0 |
73 |
0 |
0 |
57 |
0 |
0 |
130 |
|
SANDWICH TERN |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
|
COLLARED DOVE |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Y |
0 |
5 |
|
CUCKOO |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Y |
0 |
1 |
|
SWIFT |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Y |
0 |
1 |
|
SAND MARTIN |
0 |
0 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
Y |
9 |
26 |
|
SWALLOW |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
14 |
0 |
Y |
13 |
33 |
|
HOUSE MARTIN |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
|
WHINCHAT |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
WHEATEAR |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
15 |
|
LESSER WHITETHROAT |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
WHITETHROAT |
0 |
5 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
WILLOW WARBLER |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Y |
0 |
4 |
|
MEADOW PIPIT |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
WHITE WAGTAIL |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
GREENFINCH |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
GOLDFINCH |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
|
LINNET |
4 |
0 |
33 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
Y |
0 |
40 |
|
TWITE |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
REDPOLL |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
CHAFFINCH |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
TOTAL |
18 |
19 |
124 |
23 |
52 |
91 |
0 |
44 |
371 |
|
No species |
5 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
0 |