Wednesday 19 March 2008

Highlighted by Twite & Golden Plover passage

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Ad Mediterranean Gull on the sea with passage Black-headed Gulls (see OE below) - not the Czech bird which left on 9/3/08
Red-throated Diver - 5 in sp flew out together, 2 wp/imms on the sea
Common Scoter - 4 in

Vis Mig 0730-1130 intermittent NHW
Meadow Pipit - 89 north
Pied Wagtail - 23 north
Grey Wagtail - 2 north
Twite - 24+3 north over the sea [after visiting the feeder] - 12 remaining around the feeder area
Golden Plover - flock of 28 north (VERY scarce here; c1 record per year!)
Curlew - 7 high inland
Linnet - one north

Ocean Edge foreshore/Red Nab
c300 Black-headed Gull a surprise [see NHW]
77 Shelduck
6 Wigeon
No sign of any grounded passerine migrants in calm crystal-clear weather

Heysham Nature reserve
14 passage Snipe in the sedge bed (after none all winter)

Mammals
Grey Seal and Porpoise (first of the year) off the NHW

Moths
March Moth & Hebrew Character in the trap

Elsewhere
Chough in quarry at least 1635hrs. Red Kite south through the Dunsop valley & 4 Crossbills there. Whilst sorting out nestboxes in Upper Hindburn, there was a Treecreeper in full song. These sort of records, of species which are very difficult to prove breeding once the leaves hit the trees, are worth noting and forwarding as roving records of singing males [also 22 Fieldfare]. Pale-bellied Brent Goose Sunny Slopes groyne area