Heysham Obs
Vis/seawatching
0930-1020 hrs. (Low tide 0742hrs).
Kittiwake two flocks - 90 had floated gradually in on tide for a good 40 mins. in a tight flock, then took off and flew high into Bay wheeling around. Another flock of 30 remained on the sea
Red-throated diver 1 floating in with tide prob. adult
Shag 1 juv on wooden jetty arrived from in the Bay
Carrion crow: one 'in' north towards Grange
Mute swan: pair 'out'
Meadow Pipit: Just c10 NE
Outfalls
adult & 2 1st W Little Gull
Ringing
Perhaps even above-par, given the crystal-clear weather conditions with an adverse upper-wind, was the capture of 4 unringed Goldcrest and an unringed female Blackbird with a winglength possibly indicating continental origin (131mm)
Off-passage wildfowl
Wigeon 22 on sea off the NHW beyond the two buoys (unusual at this time of year) + 4 pair Red-breasted merganser
4 Great crested grebe & 2 pair Eider in same spot
Shelduck 17 off Ocean Edge
Eider 5m + 3f & Great-crested grebe off OE
Insects
Humming-bird Hawk Moth along the north harbour wall at lunchtime (Lou Cross)
Little Auk reported to John Wood by two visiting fishermen on NHW. 'Said it was end Jan/ beginning of Feb on a mid-day high tide only yards off the NHW. It went to & fro on the water frequently diving just below them. They confidently identified it from my Collins guide book'.
Elsewhere
Three Whooper Swan still on the Lune floodplain at Farleton in the morning but not there late afternoon
