Lots of waders on sand out from Ocean Edge salt marsh at high water this morning, most in a mixture of summer plumage and winter plumage, and all stages in between. This will be the last neap tide not to cover the mud for a while.
Knot 1015
Bar-tailed Godwit 87
Grey plover 198
Dunlin 70
Curlew Sandpiper - one adult moulting
Sanderling 1
Sandwich tern - 3 adult
Little Egret 9
Rock pipit - 1 on salt marsh
Skylark 1 on Ocean Edge foreshore, later 1, possibly same bird, overhead south.
Linda Renshaw located a Speckled Bush Cricket on Heysham Nature Reserve. First for here.
Also at HNR
Goldcrest 2 - first of autumn
Grey wagtail 5 colour ringed.
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.