14th October - It just gets better!!

Andy and I got to Whitburn Coastal Park early again this morning and got the nets up whilst it was still dark.   The first net round produced several blackbirds and looked good for catching quite a few thrushes. It was soon apparent that unlike yesterday there were no other thrushes present.  The red-flanked bluetail was re-trapped four times and I made the decision to move the bird to where it was found yesterday for the bird's welfare.  It showed well on and off for most of the afternoon.  I wonder if it will be around tomorrow.  Over the day a total of three yellow-browed warblers were trapped which was brilliant.  It seemed like there were many yellow-browed warblers in the big mound all morning.  I would easily say that there were at least twice that number moving through the mound today.  In the afternoon, a surprise was a woodcock that was trapped in the Arc.  Two adult male bramblings were trapped in the afternoon.  On the roost an adult male sparrowhawk was trapped, it was a retrap and was ringed in the coastal park in 2008.  Blackbirds made up the bulk of the birds trapped with a total of 66 trapped.  A total of 88 birds were ringed today.

Ringed species include 66 blackbirds, 6 chaffinch, 3 yellow browed warblers and goldcrest, 2 song thrush, brambling and blackcap, plus singles of coal tit, great tit, blue tit and chiffchaff.

Retraps included 3 blackbirds, 2 great tits, and singles red-flanked bluetail, robin, blue tit, chiffchaff, wren and sparrowhawk.

Red-flanked bluetail © Adrian George

Sparrowhawk © Adrian George

13th October

The weather forecast was for easterlies yesterday so I had my fingers crossed for some migrants today.  Andy, Walter and I got down to the site at 0615 and soon opened all the nets.  However the first net round which should be very productive only produced a few retraps.  We watched hundreds of thrushes piling inland overhead.  We started catching a few redwing, blackbirds and song thrushes. A fieldfare was trapped which was a nice surprise as it was only the second trapped at Souter.  A blackcap bearing a Norwegian ring was trapped so I had high hopes for something to turn up.  I really was starting to get frustrated by how slow going it was although this was all about to change though with the phone call from Dave Foster who had just found Souter's second red-flanked bluetail!!!  It was next to two brand new net rides that were put in a few weeks ago.  A net was erected and the bird was soon trapped and ringed.  It was released where it was trapped where it showed for a few hours.  It was aged as a juvenile although it could not be sexed.  Soon after I heard a yellow-browed warbler in the big mound so put the tape on and two net rounds later it was trapped.  Andy was having a great day with a few ringing ticks!

In the afternoon Paul Cook found another red-flanked bluetail in Church Lane, Whitburn.  Yellow-browed warblers were also found in Trow Quarry and Marsden Quarry. Seawatching at the obs saw several pomarine skuas, c80 red-throated divers and lots of ducks!

The ringing totals for the day totalled 69 and included 25 blackbirds, 11 goldcrests, 9 redwings, 4 chaffinch and song thrush, 3 chiffchaff and goldfinch, 2 blackcaps and singles of fieldfare, red-flanked bluetail and yellow-browed warbler.  Retraps included the norwegian blackcap, 4 blackbird, 2 blue tits and singles of robin, wren, chiffchaff and great tit.

red-flanked bluetail - Paul Hindness

12th October

After a very wet morning I opened nets around 1pm.  It was a very slow day with only a few migrants around.  Ringing totals included 3 blackbirds, 2 goldcrests and singles of chiffchaff, song thrush, redwing and wren.  Retraps included 2 robin, and singles of wren and blue tit.

3rd October

Quite a breezy day on the coast.  Ringing was slow with 2 chaffinch and singles of robin, redwing, song thrush, blackbird, blackcap, chiffchaff, goldcrest and coal tit. Saturdays willow tit and brambling was re-trapped.

An un-ringed yellow browed warbler was in gardens on the Shearwater estate.

2nd October

Unlike the summer weather experienced yesterday, today was a lot cooler with regular drizzle and rain.  Ringing was slow going with only 13 birds trapped. These included 5 goldfinch, 2 blackbirds and singles of robin, wren, redwing, song thrush, blackcap and brambling.

The bird of the day had to be a fly-over Blyth's pipit that was found by Paul Cook.  The bird was not refound despite a long search.

redwing © Adrian George

song thrush © Adrian George

brambling © Adrian George

October - 27 degrees C & Winter migrants

Who would have guessed it was October when the temperature hit 27 degrees C.  Wind speed over night was very light so we were hoping for a sprinkling of migrants.  We had four ringers present today so we put up as many nets as possible, which included a new net ride for this autumn.  We were not disappointed by the days catch.  A yellow browed warbler was trapped early in the morning and was retrapped in the afternoon.  A second yellow browed was located in Marsden Hall.  Song Thrushes and redwings were the first ringed of the autumn.  However the best birds of the day included a willow tit (only the second for South Tyneside) which was trapped and ringed and two nuthatch (one in gardens on Shearwater estate and a second in Marsden Hall)!!

Ringing totals - 12 blue tit, 10 song thrush, 5 robin and chiffchaff, 4 great tit and chaffinch, 2 redwing and coal tit and goldcrest. Singles of goldfinch, blackcap, garden warbler, willow warbler, yellow browed warbler,  wren, dunnock and willow tit.

yellow browed warbler © Adrian George

willow tit © Adrian George

Jason extracting a blue tit © Adrian George

18th September

A still morning and clear skies meant that birds were migrating.  These were mainly Chaffinch with 14 trapped.  Other species ringed include 4 great tits, 3 blue tits, and singles of blackcap, greenfinch, chiffchaff and blackbird. Star bird of the day was a juvenile pied flycatcher.

(c) Adrian George

Other birds in the area included a cory's shearwater heading south.  A whinchat and a lapland bunting were at Whitburn Steel.

It was the Great North Run today and the Coastal Conservation Group manned the lighthouse car park and raised a considerable sum that will greatly help towards the various projects that the group are partially funding.

And lastly but not least, a big WELL DONE to everyone that completed the Great North Run!