Heysham Obs
A seawatch plus Magic 999 was interrupted by an irritating dribble of Meadow Pipit. After a period of selective radio/vis, the sky cleared and the Meadow Pipit passage took full control. A west of Ireland headland snapshot was provided by a close flock of 14 Gannet - cannot remember such a big flock here.
North wall belatedly 0845-0945
Gannet - flock of 14 out at c0905hrs the only sighting
Red-throated Diver - one in high
Razorbill - 2 out together
Twite - 56 in off-passage flock (7+unringed) and 2+1 'in-off' from SW
Meadow Pipit - 113 NE, most in last 20 minutes
alba Wagtail - 16 NE (as above)
Linnet - 5 NE, 2+ off-passage
Wheatear - 2 males on heliport seawall
Purple Sandpiper - 1 showing on wooden jetty
Cormorant - what was surely a migrant adult flew 'in-off' from the south-west and headed similarly high inland to the north east
absolutely no time to do Ocean Edge side
Moths
Herald & Common Quaker new for the year
Elsewhere
Pair of Marsh Harrier Leighton Moss and 5 (2+3) gull-calling Bittern departing to the E/SE from there this evening, These elicited no response in the form of booming, and that might be it as regards breeding Bittern at Leighton until a corridor linking Leighton with a source of new birds of British origin is established
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.