Reed Warbler new in

Purple Sandpiper along the north wall today. Thanks Gavin. After going into print saying the 'wintering population has long gone', two birds wintered in 2007/8 with a third on at least one occasion. The problem is what to say about the recent sightings as previous years have shown that passage birds accompany the Turnstone. Possibly the above is the continuously present wintering bird and a return to two individuals for a short time during the spring passage indicates at least one passage bird. Most views have been distant under/on the wooden jetty, so not able to use subtle plumage differences, bill length etc.

Heysham Obs
A fairly low key morning, as the easterly element in the wind was lost, which included a CBC type survey of the British Energy land. This included two singing male Garden Warbler which do not usually breed here and may just be passing through and a singing Reed Warbler which will probably stay.

North harbour wall/outfalls
Poor visibility and a dropping tide are not a good combination, therefore the single Arctic Skua was a bit of a bonus!

Arctic Skua - dm in at 0955hrs
Arctic Tern - just 45 on outfalls, 19 'in' 1500-1600.
Sandwich Tern - max of 21 blogging
Med Gull - new 1st summer 'in'
Kittiwake - 2 1st summer - possibly following ferry
Black Guillemot around
Purple Sandpiper - one below north harbour wall

No Black Terns amongst reduced numbers of Arctic Tern.
Common Tern - one outfalls, later a high count (for here) of 12
"Trickle" of Swallows - no more than 10 per hour!

Middleton IE
Two Grasshopper Warbler

Moths
Puss Moth and Red Sword Grass were unusual records for here as the late spring moths emerged en masse last night. Light Emerald, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (4), V Pug and Bright-line Brown Eye were also recorded

Elsewhere

1st S BONAPARTES GULL just outside the LDBWS area at Stock's Reservoir this evening. Temminck's Stint causing problems at the EM Pools late afternoon where the hide juxtoposition in relation to the sun & height c/f heathaze is probably why this species is so scarce thereon.
Little Gull 1st S on Pine Lake but Black Terns seem to have all gone. Osprey Hornby Wood on Wenning. One Black Tern still left on EM Pool. Spoonbill still present Leighton area