Heysham Obs
More north-westerly rubbish therefore almost all the day's interest was contained within the WeBS data. Brown Rats and quality birding seem to go hand in hand these days (e.g. Leighton Moss feeder) and about 2,100 Knot were spooked into a superb aerial display by a terrified 1st W Brown Rat which was forced out of the heliport rocks by the tide and ran all the way along the seawall pursued by Herring Gulls. However, surely these sort of observations should be eulogised over in winter when there is nowt else to look at, not at supposed peak migration time! All observations nearish high tide.
Red Nab/outfalls/OE foreshore
No sign of the Little Gull but a single 1st W and adult Med Gull
North harbour wall/wooden jetty
Juv Shag flew on to the wooden jetty where there was a high count of 42 Cormorant and a most unusual roost of c280 Redshank accompanying the more usual 110 Turnstone. An adult Sandwich Tern flew out of the Bay
The Czech-ringed adult and two 2nd W Med Gulls were gathered around the solitary angler near the sandplant gate giving superb views
Grounded
Not really! One Wheatear on OE foreshore.
Vis
28 Pink-footed Geese SW (80 were reported over the reserve late yesterday afternoon which certainly fits in with observations elsewhere). 6 southbound Meadow Pipit casually noted but certainly no major vis pasage
Moths
Bulrush Wainscot in the hut trap but it looked very like the one from the reedbed two days ago which was released yesterday! They have occurred naturally before
Elsewhere
Continuing the Med theme on the WeBS: two unringed adults by the Morecambe Battery/new Grosvenor groyne and the Belgian-ringed adult on the Strathmore groyne. The veteran wintering Spotted Redshank was also on the Strathmore groyne with 510 Redshank. New in for the autumn was the female Ferruginous Duck x Pochard back on Pine Lake (Pochard influence perhaps one generation back - again the wingbar looked pretty white). It is definitely not, however, a pure Ferruginous Duck. "Usual" stuff on the EM Pool in the form of the Great White Egret, 24 Little Egret and 1-2 Little Stint & 2-3 Curlew Sandpiper. Pale bellied Brent Goose at Hest Bank high tide roost and later seen from Teal Bay on the ebb
