Tuesday 24 August 2010

A few seabirds and trashed insects

Heysham Obs
A degree or two too far to the north west early on, then several degrees too far to the north-west after the mid-morning prolonged squall/cold trough/front.  As a result, a handful of stuff in off their own bat early on, then the rest probably dragged into the bay by various Fleetwood/Heysham-bound boats

Offshore/transient seabirds (thanks to Tom & Mick Wilmer for the later stuff)
Bonxie (Great Skua) - one distantly in about 0815hrs
Manx Shearwater - one across the mouth of the bay about 0835hrs
Gannet - one out 0820hrs, 2 later
Kittiwake - 3 juvs in the harbour early on, then up to 30 milling around the harbour mouth after the squall - unusual in recent Augusts
Fulmar - 4 out after the squall
Common/Arctic Tern - one rapidly and distantly out was amazingly the only tern seen

Outfalls
Little Gull - ad
Med Gull - ad
Mute Swan - pair on Red Nab - check this isnt a new BTO challenge species!

North harbour wall
2 Ad Med Gulls (including Czech bird) early on

Moths
A pretty trashed stunningly unremarkable catch, plus a similarly battered Meadow Brown seen in the field

Udea lutealis and Meadow Brown suffering in the weather.  Thanks Janet