Good job I wasn’t twenty minutes later with a Heysham Head seawatch as I managed the last bit of westerly before it swung round and closed the door
Velvet Scoter - female flew out beyond the Eider line and landed on the rough sea and couldn’t be relocated after logging the inbound seabirds immediately afterwards
Kittiwake - c270 in long strung out line and two more compact ‘balls’ - mainly adults
Little Gull - loose gang of 16 in - quite distant
Gannet - two ad in
Eider - c290
Pale bellied Brent Goose - flock of 27 on tideline and three close inshore north of Heysham head
Middleton Nature reserve
Mute 3 pair
Tufted 2
Gadwall 5 (4 male)
Water Rail 1
Cetti's warbler 1 singing
Green woodpecker 1
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.