Friday 18 January 2008

No sign of Iceland Gull during lunchtime visit in poor visibility

Heysham Obs
Didn't really expect to see it, even in decent visibility, as it seemed very much in transit yesterday. If we still had the rubbish tip...........

North harbour wall/IOM passenger ferry
Due to the wind & poor visibility, birds following the ferry were just shapes in the mist unless attracted to the turbulence created by the right angled turn into the harbour. Several presumed Kittiwake seemed to be heading out in the mist, but the only birds of interest feeding in the turbulence were:

Med Gull: large adult, presumably the 'south of the harbour bird'.
Little Gull: adult
Kittiwake: adult

None of these followed the boat into the harbour

A less than conscientious check of the skeer along the north wall did not reveal any Purple Sandpiper & no finches seen on the mound/sandworks in the strong wind. Two Cormorant feeding at the harbour waterfall.

Elsewhere
Pale-bellied Brent Goose on the tideline off Sunny Slopes. Otherwise zero on the pager/websites for this area (to 1800 at least)