Wild and woolly continuum

Heysham Obs
The trouble with this wild weather is that the wind direction is not staying consistently westerly and there are too many breaks to get a decent collection of waifs in the harbour and around the outfalls.  Some seawatching early on showed some promise and there may be long enough spells of a westerly element to produce some stuff in the next few days. 

Coastal sites 0845-0945, including 30 minutes seawatch from Red Nab area
Med Gull - 3 ads harbour & one later in afternoon on Heysham 2
Little Gull - 1CY battling against the wind about 500m out and getting nowhere!
Kittiwake - 1CY with Black-headed Gulls on water off outfalls, adult behind ferry
Guillemot - at least 10, possibly 15
Red-throated Diver - one 'out'
Goldfinch/Twite/Linnet - 49 around seed area - at least 7 Twite and at least 23 Goldfinch
Song Thrush - masochistic wintering bird still in sandworks on north wall
Meadow Pipit - one Red Nab area

More Jack Snipe but no Black Redstart

Ocean Edge

Low pressure and wind meant the tide was a lot higher than the 9.32 it was supposed to be.

The salt marsh was almost fully covered at 10.45, with almost an hour of the tide to run.

34 Snipe plus 2 Jack Snipe counted.

Middleton NR

A Little Egret, 40 teal, 3 little grebe, 3 snipe, one meadow pipit

No sign of Black Redstarts in very windy conditions.

Both Black Redstarts together!

Heysham Obs
This implies a pretty sizeable assumption that the male at Red Nab/Ocean Edge is also the same one frequenting the north harbour, which is perhaps a rather excessive circuit!

Ocean Edge foreshore/Red Nab (thanks Malcolm for locating this stuff)
Jack Snipe - 2 at high tide forced off saltmarsh
Snipe - 47 at high tide as above
Black Redstart - adult male and female between Red Nab and the far end of Ocean Edge western shoreline - seen on and off (especially the male) until at least 1415hrs when both observers left site

Heysham NR late afternoon circuit
Goldcrest - 2
Water Rail - one along stream by dipping pond
Chiffchaff - collybita type calling in NE corner of marsh

North Harbour Wall
Feeding area monitored continuously from 09.00 to 11.30.  Approx 17 'finches' (including one Twite) present at first then much coming and going with composition of flock changing until near the end of the period the following were present:

Twite - 9 including 3 Blue/Red and two White colours. Possibly these 'extra' birds displaced from Ocean Edge saltmarsh area by the rising tide.
Linnet - c18
Goldfinch - c18

Plus:
Mistle Thrush - 2
Dunnock - 2
Robin - 2
Starling - 9
Feral Pigeon - 2
Kestrel - 1

Large numbers of Oystercatcher and Knot flying round towards Middleton at 11.30, displaced from roost on the heliport by another thoughtless dog walker.

The other Black Redstart again!

Heysham Obs
The female type Black Redstart appeared again for a short time at Red Nab mid morning. 

Red Nab and area
Little Egret - 1
Black Redstart - female type
Meadow Pipit - 3

Middleton
Snipe 2, Moorhen 8, Tufted Duck 10, Pochard 1, Gadwall 6, Mallard 2, Teal 14+, Coot 2, Mute Swan 2+7

Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Snipe - 18

Dog-walker ignorance

Heysham Obs
Unfortunately one of the best high tide roosts for a bit on the heliport was largely cleared by a gentleman with a ginger and white dog and a large black dog.  When he saw me at the end of the seawall, the dogs were put back on the lead and he scurried away through a rather large hole in the fence.  Therefore he was obviously completely aware of what he was doing, yet obviously just didn't care unless someone was perceived to be about to have a go at him.  There are loads of dog walkers in this area and many of them (as per conversations) appreciate the spectacle provided by the heliport roost and avoid the site.  Why do a small minority have to be ignorant?

North wall etc
WeBS count but the best was the male Black Redstart for a very short time mid-morning before heading towards the edge of the harbour and lost from sight
Med Gull - 4 adults
Red-throated Diver - one 'in' (thanks Jeff)
Guillemot -at least 7 including two in the harbour
Twite - 6 but very little food left mid-morning (& 2 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch)
Golden Plover - a single on the heliport seawall was very unusual
Knot - 2,200 heliport but flushed out of the area
Oystercatcher - peak of 6,500 heliport but most flushed off

Red Nab and area
Wigeon - 81
Meadow Pipit - 1
No sign of this Black Redstart

Middleton model boat pond
The usual three Little Egret, male Pochard, c10 Tufted Duck

Decent local patch birds continue to arrive

Heysham Obs
After a negative large gull trawl, an adult Kittiwake, the first for ages, was seen behind the dredger.  Then a phone call followed by email from Malcolm about the following.  Thanks Malcolm:

First encountered bird about 10.40 as I was walking to west along Ocean Edge foreshore. About 50m east of Red Nab I spotted a robin sized bird flitting between rocks. I got out my binoculars just as it took off towards Red Nab. Got clear view of orange/red tail.  Relocated it in Eastern corner of small bay between Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore. Got several good views as it perched on jetsam before hopping down to feed on whatever it was seeing. Most of the views were full frontal or partial profile. It was distinguished by lack of distinguishing features. I would describe the plumage as pretty uniform charcoal grey, with a hint of darker plumage on face (almost like a shadow of a bird!). Only saw the red tail flanks when it flitted about. I have had a look at my reference books and think that it was a female or immature male.  Not there on the return walk at 1145hrs

 

Harbour area via south wall

Kittiwake - adult behind dredger

Med Gull - at least three adults

Guillemot - one visible

 

Red Nab and area

Black Redstart - female type Red Nab area 1040hrs 

Meadow Pipit - 2

Wigeon - 85

Moths!

Heysham obs
Couldn't make it to Heysham this am because of moths in the brilliant winter months trap at millhouses. . 271 to be exact after a meticulous return search late afternoon unearthed more winter moths. At least 207 mottled umber but the only slight surprise other than the complete absence of the prolific December moth- they appear to have finished here was a worn yellow line Quaker

On the other hand Heysham nr trap held one moth but it was rather good - red sword grass

The only reported bird sightings today so far are the mixed flock of about 35 very unsettled Goldfinche/Linnet/Twite at the North Harbour feeding area in the morning.  Not seen on the ground so species counts not possible.

A brief afternoon visit saw only a handful of silhouetted birds in the sea buckthorn bushes, frightened away by a visitor.

Negative news unless you like singing

Heysham Obs
The juv Iceland Gull has not been seen since it was lost in a melee of bread and Black-headed Gulls on Middleton model boat pond early yesterday morning.   Not in the harbour this morning either and Middleton was subject to pretty thorough coverage yesterday and today

Middleton
Green Woodpecker - put in one of its intermittent appearances this morning
Med Gull - adult visited the model boat pond
Pink-footed Goose - several early morning skeins

Harbour area
No known views of Black Redstart but a lot of industrial activity in the favoured site
Meadow Pipit - one mound
Song Thrush - singing male on mound!
Twinnet - flock of c38 appeared from calls and silhouettes to be containing at least 15 Twite but very flighty
Goldfinch - separate flock from the above of c25 birds
Robin - 4, including two singing birds

Black Redstart, Meds and Iceland Gull

Heysham Obs

Iceland Gull seen early morning at Middleton model boat pond but not reported later.
Also 3 Little Egrets and Chiffchaff.

North Harbour Wall
Black Redstart midday
Mixed Finches 8.30am
5 Twite
10 Linnets
23 Goldfinch

Also
3 Adult Med Gulls on railings

In haste

Iceland Gull still model boat pond at least 0930