Inshore Little Gull at last

Heysham Obs
The only previous ones this year were a very distant flock of five in Cumbrian waters on new year's day

North harbour wall 0830-0900hr
Twite - 96, 7 unringed
Linnet - 5
Goldfinch -7
Purple Sandpiper - one along base of seawall on incoming tide
Red-throated Diver - one 'out'
Pink-footed Goose - 63 NW (none obviously in the bypass filds, but plenty of fields not visible!)
Med Gull - 3CY sat on the sea off the heliport at high tide, Czech-ringed adult on seawall railings, another adult on Fisher's roof
Careful check for 'the' Shag has failed to produce either yesterday or today

Outfalls check late afternoon
Little Gull - adult on stage 2

Anywhere but above the knee on the right leg!

Heysham Obs
The 3CY Med Gull was sitting on the heliport seawall facing into the wind - surely an opportunity at last to read the ring?   However, the seawall is relatively low, the right leg was the furthest away from the observer and the above tarsus area holding the ring was the only external part of the bird which could not be seen,  despite a lot of different scope angles tried from the road

The other more tangible key feature of the morning was a pair of Scaup flying 'out' with the other Heysham year tick involving two Pintail, also heading out

North harbour wall late morning seawatch
Kittiwake - a distant swarm of gulls, partially obscured by a hail shower were picked up at JBP and confirmed as c50 of this species.  Flock of 22 'in', then 'on' c1400hrs
Pink-footed Goose - 55 SE
Scaup - male and female 'out'
Pintail - 2 'out'
Med Gull - 2 ads, later sitting on Fisher's roof, 3CY by the heliport
Twite - c60 early morning
Goldfinch - 15 late afternoon
Linnet - 5 late afternoon

Heysham NR
Redwing - 2

A nice day after dodgy early-morning roads

Heysham Obs
Thanks to Ann and Pete for a donation to the Twite-feed. 

North harbour wall
Twite - 60+
Goldfinch - 1+
Med Gull -  2 adults, one the Czech-ringed bird
Purple Sandpiper - 1
Red-throated Diver - 1 offshore and presumed the same flying in later on the dropping tide

Heysham NR
Woodcock - 1
Long-tailed Tit - flock of 11

The windchill of the weather change

Heysham Obs

North harbour wall
Evil outside this morning with the Twite ringing session successful courtesy of the ability of hatchbacks to block out most of the wind.  The metal-only ringed bird was caught and proved a bit of a puzzle as it was assumed that it was one of the later Machrihanish-ringed birds from last autumn when they ran short of colour rings.........but it is not the same sequence as the rest of the Mach birds = L974510.  The early arrival of the precipitation curtailed the session but almost certainly a majority of the current unringed birds were caught, assuming at least some of the same birds each day (11 ringed; max seen recently 15).  A couple of unringed Goldfinch were a bit unexpected. 

Med Gull - adult on railings

Crossbill surprise

Heysham Obs
The geese appeared over the reserve again at just after 0800hrs, in similar numbers to yesterday, but were fragmented and continually disturbed by shots coming from the area of the mast just south of Heysham Moss.  Eventually 2,300 were visible and gone through with just a single Barnacle Goose

Heysham NR
Common Crossbill - red male and a green bird flew in from the northwest and landed on the bush next to the (ex)-obs tower pond briefly before heading south (thanks John)
Geese - similar numbers to yesterday but only one Barnacle located from persual of about 70%

North harbour wall
Twite - 108 on seed, c15 unringed, one metal-only ring
Goldfinch - 1
Rock Pipit - 1
Song Thrush - 1
Purple Sandpiper - 1
Med Gull - 2 adult

Heysham village
Male Blackcap in garden at SD411610 (thanks Maalcolm)

Loadsa geese

Heysham Obs
A quick block-count at 0805hrs saw a single straggling flock of 3,900, perhaps just topping 4,000 Pink-feet/goose spp heading from the roost off the south Lune across the recycling centre area to land in fields just west of the Overton roundabout on the bypass and this estimate was confirmed by counts 'on the deck'.  These were visible looking east from the nature reserve office and apparently did the same route yesterday morning but flying a little closer to the office

Heysham NR office area
Pink-footed Goose - c3,900 from roost to feeding area as described above (one orange-legged bird located on the ground)
Barnacle Goose - two located on the ground when the flock was checked along the bypass
Possible Bean Goose seen briefly and distantly (structure and billshape/colour, not legs or e.g. tailband)
Dabbling duck spp - flock of 17 on the same line as geese (not Teal) - most unusual!
Redwing - 3 by office first thing
Greenfinch - quite an influx of unringed birds so far

North harbour wall
Purple Sandpiper - one
Twite -  at least 67
Goldfinch - 5
Song Thrush - 1
Rock Pipit 1
No sign Shag

Middleton NR
Jack Snipe flushed from side of model boat pond during sea buckthorn clearance programme

Purp & Meds

North Harbour Wall

Purple Sandpiper
Shag (briefly)
Twite 50+
Med Gulls 2 adults
Rock Pipit
Song Thrush

Woodcock influx

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Twite - 91, 16 unringed, one with metal-only on right leg
Linnet - 1
Goldfinch - 1
Rock Pipit - 1 along seawall
Purple Sandpiper - one at base of seawall about 100m south of red gate
Red-throated Diver - one offshore
Eider - too murky/choppy to count

Heysham Nr circuit
Woodcock - 4 including two together
Blackbird - 11
Song Thrush 2
Redwing - 2
No sight nor sound of any waterbirds

Mammal
Grey Squirrel - one NE corner

Elsewhere
2 Waxwings at Heaton village at least mid-morning - on hawthorn at entrance to Woodhouse Farm

Brambling highlights trickle of cold weather movement

Heysham Obs
A male Brambling was by the feeder next to the office mid-morning.  Interesting Twite paper in R & M begs the question as to whether there are biometrical differences between the most southerly and most northerly Scottish birds.  Need to  analyse our wing-lengths, but 'impressions' have always been that rather a low proportion of males and females can be clearly separated on wing length compared to e.g. Linnet and that surely cannot be due to a higher proportion than we thought of smaller Pennine birds 'muddying' the issue as this would surely have manifested itself in more Pennine captures/Pennine ringed birds caught here?  If there is a variation throughout the Scottish range, would this explain our rather indeterminate data as 'our' birds seem to originate from anywhere between Lochinver and Sanda?

Lots of uncooperative Pink-feet in difficult-to-watch fields to the north of Heysham Moss this morning (thanks Janet for alerting me but unfortunately the 'easy' ones were flushed)

North harbour wall
Concentrated on distant offshore for 20 mins
Eider - 91
Red-throated Diver - 1
Great-crested Grebe - 3
Twite - 101 max count, inc green/white both legs Machrihanish bird,12+unringed
Goldfinch - 4
Linnet - none

Eastern boundary fields
Mistle Thrush - 6
Fieldfare - 13
Redwing - 1
Woodpigeon - flock of 55

Hey NR office area
Brambling - male
Redwing - 1

Mammal
Grey Seal - 1 inshore

No snow area

Heysham Obs
The best driving conditions for over a week today with every road beautifully gritted, including a lot of effort on the dodgy sloping drive at home.

Nyger seed donations
Very many thanks for your donations, John B, John, Tom and Pete.  Definitely reduced the size of the hole in my pocket and much appreciated!  Anyone wishing to make a donation, please either call in the Heysham Nature reserve office or send to Pete Marsh, Leck View Cottage, Ashley's Farm, High Tatham LA2 8PH.  Thanks very much.

North harbour wall
Twite  104 max, although a lot of work taking place in the centrica compound kept spooking them. The 'old' Machrihanish-ringed bird (red/white right leg,metal over green/white left leg) was conspicuous, remaining on the seed when the rest were spooked
Goldfinch - 5
Linnet - 1
Song Thrush - 1
Dunnock - 1
Robin - 3
Wren - 1
Med Gull - adult
Eider - 50+
unidentified interesting-looking duck - one in the distant murk in flight (????Long-tailed) - keep an eye open in the region of the Eider flock when the light gets better
Wigeon - flock of 22 flew 'in'
No sign Shag