Sunday 10 April 2016

Low tide scrutiny

Heysham Obs
The low point of these spring tides exposes many otherwise covered food-rich skeers which are visible with a scope off the north wall.  The low tide channels are also quite productive.  Contrast this with high ide on a calm day when there is often zero.  More time to check than yesterday and some interest slowly winkled out.    A duffish day for migration though.

Offshore and overhead north wall - one hour
Lesser Redpoll - c13 north-east (& 2 HNR)
Meadow Pipit - c17 NE (& 3 HNR)
alba Wagtail - 6 NE
Linnet - 8 NE (& 2 HNR)
Mainly Herring Gull imms - c480 on skeers and sandbanks, more than yesterday
Scaup - female in 'second' channel
Red-breasted Merganser - 16 - definite influx
Eider - many 'behind' skers but looked to be 250ish
Med Gull - 2CY (not the bird of the other day)
Carrion Crow - one in-off then north (also 2 SE over Heysham NR)

Middleton NR
Cetti's Warbler - 2 singing males
Willow Warbler - 8 singing males

No Wheatears seen early am at Ocean Edge - 2 by 9.30

Male brimstone Heysham Nature reserve 2pm