Saturday 9 May 2009

Bits but no showers to spice things up until we had to pack up!

I'm working away during the easterlies this week. Re-the daily postings, please could you send any sightings to Jean Roberts (see right hand column) or post on the LDBWS site. As well as general sightings of interest, please could you forward any seabird records, even the likes of Gannet and Fulmar or half a dozen Arctic terns, as we try and be comprehensive with spring seabird coverage. Thanks very much. Pete

Secondly apologies to anyone accessing this site who has not received a reply to an e-mail sent during the daytime. The computer I use at that time has a problem with sending e-mails. Will sort when I return.

Heysham Obs
Sightings from other Irish Sea sites seem to indicate that we missed the best chance of multiple Poms this week by leaving too early i.e. before the heavy rain was even on the horizon - did anyone hang in beyond c1200 please?

North wall area to 1200 (no early morning coverage (pre-0700))
Pink-footed Goose - flock flying across the bay variously estimated at 250 or 500 by observers with other priorities
Black Tern - a major surprise in a non-easterly was two flying out together at 0715hrs
Arctic Tern - 27 blogging to the south of the wooden jetty
Common Tern - first of the year on the outfalls
Sandwich Tern - 14 blogging and c13 out
Common Scoter - 4 out
Gannet - 3
Black Guillemot by wooden jetty
Arctic Skua - 2 dm in 1140 (presumably those on the pager for JBP at 1215?)

Ocean Edge foreshore
Wheatear - 11 OE foreshore

Mammals
Grey Seal seen briefly

Elsewhere
2 Arctic Skua JB Point at 1215hrs. Flock of 6 Arctic Skua seemingly unhesitatingly headed inland at JBPoint early afternoon just before the heavy rain. CATTLE EGRET by Sand Villa (along A588 just north of Lane Ends) late afternoon at least