Sunday 22 May 2011

Instant reward for better timing

Heysham Obs
Too many early morning sandbank-fests have recently sapped the enthusiasm of seawatchers here, not helped by some of them being useless Plan B's after a failed CES attempt.  This morning was much better after timing with the early incoming tide as it covered the sandbanks.  However, a slightly earlier start might have been better as the weather then proceeded to clear up, wind drop and the only sightings after the first 40 minutes or so were a few Manx Shearwater

North wall 1135-1550hrs
Pomarine Skua - 3 light-morph in together - quite high in the sky & quite close in 1145hrs
Arctic Skua - 2 dark-morph in together, then landed briefly on sandbank before continuing in 1152hrs
Manx Shearwater - at least 15
Gannet - at least 11
Arctic Tern - up to 4 of the end of Heysham one outfall, at least one out
Razorbill - 2
Sandwich Tern - 2

Outfalls side
Kittiwake - 2CY Heysham 2