Two fairly sheltered nets saw two overdue year ticks in the form of single (surprisingly female) Blackcap and Willow Warbler along with three Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest. A single Sand Martin was an even more overdue year tick and the late afternoon hirundine movement recorded elsewhere brought two Swallows to the model boat pond
Velvet Scoter - Ad drake again off Heysham head north side readjusting its position in the outgoing tide race
Brent Goose - today's lottery number was five pale-bellied!
Gulls - masses of all shapes and sizes on the outfalls with the exception of anything remotely unusual. Watch this space
Meadow Pipit - about 40 recorded in total overhead
Great crested Grebe - about 5 offshore (6 yesterday)
Grey Seal - two offshore - also seen yesterday
Pics posted tomorrow - thanks Janet
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.