Friday 14 December 2007

Slight hint of cold weather displacement?

Heysham Obs
Having just accessed the Walney site & noted a minor thrush arrival, three rather 'tame' unringed Blackbird on the grass round the office may have been new in. More than usual Redshank (c30) and Oystercatcher (c50) were feeding over the high tide period on Ocean Edge south and west fields

Red Nab
3 Teal, displaced from a slightly frozen Middleton IE - usually rare on Red Nab?
Med Gull - adult, then flew towards Ocean Edge saltmarsh

Harbour
At least two, probably three juvenile Shag by the intake
Low double-figures of Twite were mobile between the north and south harbour walls/mound

North harbour wall
Ad & 2nd W Med Gulls in residence over the tide

Elsewhere
Firecrest with 3 mobile Goldcrest in hedges just to the south of Freeman's Wood. Pale-bellied Brent Goose by the Battery groyne. Snow Bunting still on Ringstones Lane. Please approach carefully on the bridle track so you dont flush it unnecessarily. Water Pipit Griesdale hide Leighton Moss (good week coming up for this species). Cetti's Warbler REPORTED via Leighton Moss book (but not put out anywhere else at all?) Lower Hide "in reeds" on 12th.