Friday 12 September 2014

12th September 2014

Weather: SE 3, 8/8 cloud, 3 miles vis, mist around estuary

Lime Speck Pug
It felt good again this morning and the promising weather conditions again delivered.  Phylloscs started arriving a little earlier than yesterday and at least 12 Chiffchaffs and 3 Willow Warblers drifted in during the day along with half a dozen Goldcrests.

Green Carpet
Meanwhile the moth trap provided some invertebrates interest including a Green Carpet and Lime Speck Pug as well as Sexton Beetle.
Sexton Beetle (PSW)

Two Whimbrel were noted on the shoreline and a single Golden Plover was heard passing over mid morning.

Whimbrel - one of two seen or heard today

Greenland Wheatear - one of four caught today (PSW)
Skylark - West Side
A few Greenland Wheatears started arriving mid morning and by the end of the day four had been trapped for ringing and a further five were seen passing through.  A single Skylark alighted briefly on the West Side.

The sea was fairly quiet with a few terns, a single Fulmar, 8 Guillemot and a Razorbill as well as a frustrating distant skua spp.  However, as the wind dropped to almost nil a single and then three Harbour Porpoise were seen.

Just as observers were on the final 'round' of the day all of the Oystercatchers and gulls took flight and once again a frantic search of the skies for a raptor produced an Osprey seen drifting between the islands and West Kirby before drifting off south down the estuary putting up more waders and gulls as it went.

Osprey - the second of the Autumn
Ringing: Wren, Robin (2), G Wheatear (4), Chiffchaff (9), Willow Warbler (2), Goldcrest (3), Linnet (3), Meadow Pipit (2)

(DB, JE +HVJ, AEH, CJ, KMc, PSW, TGW et al)  [769-35]

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