Thursday 21 February 2008

Plagued by phone calls!

Heysham Obs
Missed the lunchtime IOM ferry check, missed a late check of the north harbour area as darkness intervened, all due to an overactive mobile!

High tide check off Ocean Edge
Usual large Ad Med cruising the shoreline, then sitting on sea above Ocean Edge saltmarsh (covered)
1st W Little Gull Stage 2 outfall

Lunchtimish brief check along the north wall
2nd W Med Gull but only seen distantly c/f fishing line - certainly showing no obvious signs of distress as yet

Elsewhere
Very frustrating day for most people. Another Birdguides "reported" concerned a Great White Egret off Glasson at 1410hrs, but no sign after an exhaustive check by Fylde and other birders [this is the commonest species not on any Fylde birders local area lists]. There were also birders in the area an hour previously. The Chough was again available flying above and very briefly landing on Warton Crag quarry from c1525-1535 but no indication of where it came from, or the direction flown in as everyone was watching from inside the quarry, with very limited lateral vision. It is now "pretty certain" that the bird is not ringed. Single Avocet on the 'flood' (eastern end of EM Pool, visible from the crag). There have been 17 Egrets in the Ashton Hall roost recently, all presumed to be Little (per Helen Pye)