Heysham Obs
Not without interest this morning but generally fewer birds than yesterday
North harbour wall sea/vis 0645-0930
Arctic Tern - 230 in, highest flock = 47
Sandwich Tern - c16 in or blogging
Shag - adult in the channel by the sandworks until about 0700hrs, then could not be found
Black Guillemot - appeared about 0715hrs then remained throughout but very mobile with many circling flights
Guillemot - 1st S on water
Shoveler - a pair in the harbour mouth c0800 - a completely unprecedented record. Disappeared whilst the camera was being sorted out.
Shelduck - flock of 5 high to the north
Whimbrel - just one flock of 3 north
Razorbill - flock of 5 floating in about 1030hrs
Purple Sandpiper - one beneath the wooden jetty with 191+ Turnstone = highest numbers of the year at present on spring passage
Kittiwake - 4+3+1 - a little unexpected in the conditions
Black-headed Gull - 75 in in three main groups
Swallow - 185NE
Meadow Pipit - 44NE
Linnet - 37NE
Sand Martin - 18NE
White Wagtail - 7NE
Goldfinch - 11NE
Grounded/ringing
Wheatear - not many with only 8 recorded along the coast
Willow Warbler - 17 ringed
Blackcap - 4 ringed
Lesser Whitethroat - one ringed
Goldcrest - one male ringed - late
Tree Pipit - one on non-op land
Elsewhere
Red Kite flew north over Nether Kellet at 0735hrs
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.