Sunday 29 May 2011

Whoops - not a good time to check the moth trap!

Heysham Obs
Another morning of strong winds, initially a bit too southerly for a decent seawatch, especially given the poor visibility much of the time.  JBP is better in this wind and was graced with 'one man and his persistence', as opposed to the Heysham scenario where a decent sea was left at the crucial time to check a moth trap!  Later, after the front/trough which the Long-tailed Skua was flying 'in' ahead of had passed, the wind went a bit more westerly and produced a few odds and ends, mostly Manxies

North harbour wall 0730-0900, 1135-1315
Gannet - 8
Manx Shearwater - 30 'in' & 24 'out', all but 3 of these 1200-1230hrs
Arctic Skua - dm out c1150hrs
Fulmar - one out
Whimbrel - late one 'in'

Outfalls/Red Nab
Arctic Tern - one
Med Gull - 2CY
Common Cull - c250
Kittiwake - TWO 2CY & adult

Moths
A decent catch with the following new for the year:  Shaded Pug, Scoparia ambigualis, Treble Bar, Garden Carpet, Swallow Prominent (scarce here), Marbled Minor agg, Mottled Rustic

Elsewhere
Long-tailed Skua - at least one inner bay with presumably the same bird flying up the Keer, then appearing again off JBP (but see Solway count re-presumptions)