Saturday 27 April 2013

Saved by the Grasshopper Warbler

Heysham Obs
You don't normally organise a seawatching event in order to obtain excellent views of Grasshopper Warbler, the only grounded migrant on the mound/sandworks!

 
Thanks to Peter Last for these

The rest of it was dire with a northerly blocking wind not displaying any easterly element early in the morning.  The old saying - 'you should have been here (pick any other say this last week other than yesterday)..........or even tomorrow where there is a decent wind, plus a even more promising howling gale on Monday for a few displaced Manxies etc. We've had a really bad run of weather for events over the last twelve months.

North harbour wall
Grasshopper Warbler - present for at least two hours in the region of the 'gap' between the mound and sandworks, last seen in/under the sea buckthorn along the south-eastern corner of the sandworks
Swallow - 16 north
Arctic Tern - 96 accumulated on the outfalls but no movement until 1250 when 48 flew purposefully north
Sandwich Tern - 30 in
Auk spp - one out
Greylag - one in
Guillemot - 3 on
Willow Warbler - one late morning
Red-throated Diver - 4 out, one on
Kittiwake - adult behind the ferry
Little Gull - 2
Turnstone - 81
Siskin - 1
Linnet - at least 15 north
alba Wagtail - 2 north
Reed Bunting - late migrant north

Mammals
Harbour Porpoise - 1
Grey Seal - 1