Friday 11 May 2007

Seawatching highlight....an 'in-off' Silver Y!

Heysham Obs
Leighton Moss sold out of 2006 Heysham Obs reports early in the Bank Holiday. This has now been redressed with another print run and more errors corrected! Available at Leighton Shop from tomorrow. Thanks to British Energy for the printing facilities

The 'cutting edge' c/f this (early) morning tide was to check the wind direction and go back to bed.

Sea 0730-0910 north harbour wall
Arctic Skua - light morph blogging then 'in' at c0750
Arctic Tern - highish flock of 41 in, lower flock of 5 in also 35 on outfalls 1630 hrs
Sandwich tern 2 around outfalls pm

Inshore
2 Common Sandpiper below the north wall 0900 + 3 there 1654 hrs
The first visit for months not to register Shag but 3 juvs on wooden jetty 1645 hrs
c35 Turnstone on the wooden jetty
Dunlin 49 on skeer opposite NHW gate 1505 hrs
Eider male on sea off NHW
Shelduck 7 'in'
Red-breasted merganser male 'in'

Red Nab
Whimbrel 4 + 3 flying off from there East, all calling 1800 hrs
Shelduck 17


Insects
Silver Y moth 'in-off' at 0820hrs as seen from the north wall was notable (see below)

The moth trap held the following new species for the year: Silver Y (see above), Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Lychnis

Mammals
Single Harbour Porpoise (just a very faint chance there were two) off the north wall at c0810
Elsewhere
Two Spoonbill still at Leighton - Eric Morecambe pool or Griesdale area. I waited for the late afternoon weather front at Pine Lake and about 50 House Martin were dropped. Checking hirundines on the likes of Pine Lake and/or checking muddy edges for waders is the order of the day this coming Sunday, I suspect, or even during any periods of rain tomorrow.