Very poor visibility today, but the wall to wall overnight rain had failed to drop any night migrants eg Wheatear during the morning at least. A search of the grassy areas for the potentially 'grounded' Chough also failed to produce. However, Red Nab and the outfalls provided some publishable material, notably a pink-flushed ad summer Little Gull:
Little Gull - three - probably the recent on/off adult winter and new adult summer and a 3CY at Red Nab/outfalls at various times during the am
Brent Goose - todays lottery number was five pale-bellied (multiple observation of just four yesterday!)
Sandwich Tern - 13 came into Red Nab
Rock Pipit - petrosus type still lingering around the south lighthouse area - record shot later
Wheatear - 1
Cetti’s warbler - singing central marsh middleton
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.