Sunday 20 July 2008

Useless north-westerlies

Heysham Obs
A phone call "requesting" Storm Petrel today just prior to posting these records was responded to by a 'no chance, head for the Mersey mouth'. North-westerlies are useless here, not the least for being too cold for insects.

Outfalls/south harbour area on incoming tide
Med Gull - 2 adults, including Czech-ringed bird & one 2nd S
Arctic Tern - one adult
Kittiwake - adult and 1st S
Little Gull - one 2nd S
No obvious sign Black Guillemot

Middleton IE
Common Sandpiper

Insects
Two windblown Gatekeeper on the reserve and a handful of the usual dragonflies in sheltered locations at Middleton

Elsewhere
40 Sandwich Tern and 1st summer Little Gull on the mudflats at the Morecambe Battery pre-tide. Not there on the WeBS (kite surfers!). Adult Med Morecambe Broadway but not sure whether ringed. Ad Yellow-legged Gull still Lune estuary & three Spoonbill Leighton Moss in evening (hard to see, mainly in areas surrounded by reeds & no viewing point).