30th November 2014 – bright and sunny N1/2
Offshore
Early morning observations (0830-0900) produced 9 Common Scoter, 8 Razorbill, 7 Shag, 4 Red-throated Diver and a late Gannet. Later observations over the mouth of Morecambe Bay at low tide added flocks of 5800 Eider, 100 Common Scoter and 70 Great Crested Grebe along with 12 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Red-throated Diver and 3 Shag.
Grounded Migrants
The Chiffchaff remains and 2 Fieldfare and a Redwing were also logged.
Diurnal Migration
A light passage produced 30 Pink-footed Geese, 6 Carrion Crow, 4 Tree Sparrow and a Pied Wagtail.
Wildfowl and Waders
Geese were prominent with 154 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 72 dark-bellied Brent Goose and 37 Barnacle Goose recorded. Waders included 4 Jack Snipe amongst 28 Snipe, 3 Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit.
Miscellaneous
A Little Owl was the best of the rest.
Ringing
Another good monthly total saw 311 birds of 18 species handled. Individual totals were as follows (retraps in brackets): Tree Sparrow 94 (1), Goldfinch 39 (38), Blackbird 35 (4), Wren 19 (1), Chaffinch 17 (1), Goldcrest 9, Lesser Redpoll 4, Dunnock 4 (7), Greenfinch 4 (7), Song Thrush 4, Reed Bunting (4), House Sparrow 3 (5), Robin 1 (5), Stonechat 1, Fieldfare 1, Mistle Thrush 1, Red-eyed Vireo 1 and Blue Tit (1) .
