Heysham Obs
Outfalls/Red Nab
Kittiwake - usual 2CY
Common Gull - 91 2CY
Bar-tailed Godwit - 32
Wheatear - nice bright large male
North wall
30 mins produced a single 2CY Kittiwake
Heysham Bird Observatory
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.
Friday, 24 May 2013
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Little Egret deja-vu
Heysham Obs
The adult male Black Redstart has perhaps mysteriously disappeared - maybe it was just a one-day migrant.
Non-op land
Wheatear - 2
Outfalls/Red Nab
Kittiwake - 2CY
Bar-tailed Godwit - 32
Offshore
An attempt to reap similar rewards to the unexpected skua movement in at least the north Irish Sea last night with a lengthy early morning seawatch failed miserably, but at least it produced a record flock of Little Egret - rather similar to last year's spring gang which also headed north
Little Egret - flock of 10 north-westish towards Barrow
Sandwich tern - 1
Recent pics from Sandra and John Truran
As well as the above Wheatear, these were taken (thanks for these):
The adult male Black Redstart has perhaps mysteriously disappeared - maybe it was just a one-day migrant.
Non-op land
Wheatear - 2
Outfalls/Red Nab
Kittiwake - 2CY
Bar-tailed Godwit - 32
Offshore
An attempt to reap similar rewards to the unexpected skua movement in at least the north Irish Sea last night with a lengthy early morning seawatch failed miserably, but at least it produced a record flock of Little Egret - rather similar to last year's spring gang which also headed north
Little Egret - flock of 10 north-westish towards Barrow
Sandwich tern - 1
Recent pics from Sandra and John Truran
As well as the above Wheatear, these were taken (thanks for these):
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
brief bits
Heysham obs
Most of the day seemed to be spent driving too and from Millom on so-called 'A' roads. A bit of coverage this afternoon but not including the Black Redstart in strong winds
Non-op land
Wheatear - two 'leggy' females
Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher still sitting
Common Sandpiper briefly

Outfalls
2CY Kittiwake
Most of the day seemed to be spent driving too and from Millom on so-called 'A' roads. A bit of coverage this afternoon but not including the Black Redstart in strong winds
Non-op land
Wheatear - two 'leggy' females
Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher still sitting
Common Sandpiper briefly
Outfalls
2CY Kittiwake
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Breeding bird survey surprises
Heysham Obs
Power station non-operational land and area
Spotted Flycatcher - one on fence by office 0830ish
Wheatear - at least two in the non-op area
Black Redstart - superb adult male found by Reuben and watched by the three of us feeding in a flat gravelly area before seeming to fly towards the Power Station/storage yard
Oystercatcher - on 3 eggs
Ringed Plover - on 4 eggs
Grasshopper Warbler - confirmation of two territories on the tank farm
North wall
Sandwich Tern - 6 blogging offshore
Power station non-operational land and area
Spotted Flycatcher - one on fence by office 0830ish
Wheatear - at least two in the non-op area
Black Redstart - superb adult male found by Reuben and watched by the three of us feeding in a flat gravelly area before seeming to fly towards the Power Station/storage yard
Oystercatcher - on 3 eggs
Ringed Plover - on 4 eggs
Grasshopper Warbler - confirmation of two territories on the tank farm
North wall
Sandwich Tern - 6 blogging offshore
Monday, 20 May 2013
Night migrant free zone
Heysham Obs
75 minutes of seagulls/sea and an hour of migrant searching left a clean page still in the notebook. Nothing left from yesterday after a clear early night.
Heysham NR
Lesser Redpoll - 5+3 north, the latter flock refusing to enter a belatedly set mist net which was a pity one bore a left-leg ring
Common Blue
Swallow - 3 north
Moths
"Highlighted" by White shouldered House Moth and Brown House Moth on the same night!
75 minutes of seagulls/sea and an hour of migrant searching left a clean page still in the notebook. Nothing left from yesterday after a clear early night.
Heysham NR
Lesser Redpoll - 5+3 north, the latter flock refusing to enter a belatedly set mist net which was a pity one bore a left-leg ring
Common Blue
Swallow - 3 north
Moths
"Highlighted" by White shouldered House Moth and Brown House Moth on the same night!
Sunday, 19 May 2013
A nice late spring migration morning
Heysham Obs
First decent numbers of Spotted Flycatcher this millenium!
Heysham NR & area
Spotted Flycatcher - c9 (2 ringed)
Garden Warbler - one ringed
Sedge Warbler - 5 ringed plus another migrant
Reed Warbler - 1 migrant ringed, singing male marsh
Whitethroat - 6 migrants ringed
Robin - two unringed birds unexpected
Lesser Redpoll - 3 late vis mig birds ringed
North harbour wall
Spotted Flycatcher - one mound
Willow Warbler - one sandworks
Wheatear - 4 large birds mound - not there early am
Arctic Skua - 5 dark morph in
Gannet - 5
Sandwich Tern - c10
Arctic Tern - one outfalls
Common Sandpiper - one around all morning
Common Scoter - c50 raft offshore
Kittiwake - flock of 6 in
Pink-footed Goose - c75 north
Swallow - c200 per hour 0800-0900, fewer later
House Martin - 10 north
Red Nab area
Grey Plover - 61
Bar-tailed Godwit - 15 (75 yesterday)
Dunlin - c120
Kittiwake - 2CY outfalls
Med Gull - 2CY off Ocean Edge
First decent numbers of Spotted Flycatcher this millenium!
Heysham NR & area
Spotted Flycatcher - c9 (2 ringed)
Garden Warbler - one ringed
Sedge Warbler - 5 ringed plus another migrant
Reed Warbler - 1 migrant ringed, singing male marsh
Whitethroat - 6 migrants ringed
Robin - two unringed birds unexpected
Lesser Redpoll - 3 late vis mig birds ringed
North harbour wall
Spotted Flycatcher - one mound
Willow Warbler - one sandworks
Arctic Skua - 5 dark morph in
Gannet - 5
Sandwich Tern - c10
Arctic Tern - one outfalls
Common Sandpiper - one around all morning
Common Scoter - c50 raft offshore
Kittiwake - flock of 6 in
Pink-footed Goose - c75 north
Swallow - c200 per hour 0800-0900, fewer later
House Martin - 10 north
Red Nab area
Grey Plover - 61
Bar-tailed Godwit - 15 (75 yesterday)
Dunlin - c120
Kittiwake - 2CY outfalls
Med Gull - 2CY off Ocean Edge
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Work, rain and no proper coverage or trips to Margate
Heysham Obs
Not even a moth trap this morning as the light fitting was faulty
Outfalls
Med Gull - 2CY
Kittiwake - 2CY
Swallow - one north!
Not even a moth trap this morning as the light fitting was faulty
Outfalls
Med Gull - 2CY
Kittiwake - 2CY
Swallow - one north!
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