2nd W/S Med returns!

Heysham Obs
Used Heysham office as a base to make a big dent in the 2007 Annual Obs Report - sorry it is late this year - entirely my fault. Unfortunately two groups of people sent in what should have been the right direction for at least Little Gulls didnt reciprocate and report their sightings, despite an ever so polite request. So a quick dash round from 1515hrs was all the known coverage of the coastal areas. Pity, because putting 2 & 2 together suggested quite a few Kittiwake moving today and the early morning tide would have been worth a look.

North harbour wall
Med Gull - 2nd W moulting into summer plumage cruising the wall as usual!
Kittiwake - Adult along the wall with the Med Gull and another adult in the harbour mouth. A tightly packed flock of 45 on the sea, slowly drifting into the Bay (1530hrs)
Goldfinch - one on the (Twite) nyger seed which was being decimated by rabbits!

Stage 2 outfall
A very brief look late afternoon saw at least 2 adult-type and 2 1st winter Little Gull

Middleton IE
Pair of Mute Swan nest building! 4 Tufted Duck, 1 female Pochard, 12 Coot, 3 Goldeneye, 6 Mallard, 1 male Teal (usually this bird with a female), 1 Little Grebe (low number for this time of year), just one Snipe and 2 Stonechat, presumably passage birds.

Elsewhere
Chough was already roosting in Warton Crag quarry at the usual site at 1700hrs. 1st W Kittiwake Pine Lake (very) late afternoon. Female Firecrest "about 6 minutes" along the Fleagarth Wood to Jenny Brown's Point footpath from the entrance c300m along Hollins Lane (SD465746) mid-morning. Tight flock of 28 Kittiwake lingering of Crook Farm, Lune Estuary mid morning (see intro. comment above) & the usual 3 Scaup on Conder Pool. Pale-bellied Brent Goose still Sunny Slopes groyne