Tuesday 28 July 2015

More coastal stuff

Heysham Obs
Not quite as good a day as yesterday but a decent array of gulls and Curlew etc down the tideline towards Potts Corner as it is too early in the day for the chronic disturbance at this running sore of an access point.  Unfortunately its all talk and no action down at Potts Corner with the informative notices carefully designed as part of the 12 month licence for the caravan site "hidden away because the proposed wind-farm cable route would be in the way of where they need to be sited"  What rubbish - they were designed to be spread along the coastal strip there as per the slightly different wording for each location.  Last weekend saw massive disturbance over the afternoon neap high tides with vehicle access as far as the creek at Ocean Edge (the tyre marks are still there), pony and trap careering through flocks of Curlew and Oystercatchers trying to roost and model aircraft being flown near the neap high tide mark "because further inshore they disturb the caravan site residents".  Is it any wonder that there have been none of the more sensitive wader species along this section yet - Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and even Dunlin - they are usually present by this stage of the autumn.  

Red Nab/Ocean Edge
Little Gull - adult along the tideline
Med Gull - 4 adults
Redshank - c40 Red Nab
Turnstone - c9 Red Nab
Whimbrel - 4

Moths
Ruby Tiger the best of a mediocre bunch with Straw Underwing top dog as usual at this time of year