Heysham Obs
North harbour wall 0650-1100
A half-decent morning in 'deckchair' weather. Light variable wind turning SE and the early stages of the incoming tide at the optimum time of the morning. Puzzling lack of observers with only three enjoying the Pomarine Skuas.
Pomarine Skua - Three light morphs in distantly at 0915, only one of which had a full tail (this caused initial confusion). Two light morphs giving excellent views as they flew in at 0950hrs - they were well above the sea and unfortunately could not be found in the camera viewfinder!
Arctic Skua - 2 dark morph together + light and dark morph together + single light morph [& 3 additional Arctic Skua after midday as seen from JBP - one inland via the Kent, two via the Keer]
Arctic Tern - 45 in
Pink-footed Goose - 80+150+120+40+13 NNW in that order
Med. Gull - 1st winter in (very large-billed individual with no hint of summer plumage on head - not the bird seen the other day)
Little Gull - 1st S in
Red-throated Diver - 1 in, another on the water
Guillemot - one in on the water
Sandwich Tern - 9 purposefully in & c9 blogging
Mute Swan - 5 imms in (having been on the sea off Red Nab)
Inshore
Black Guillemot around wooden jetty but flew offshore at 1050hrs. No conscientious check for Purple Sandpiper. Just a single Knot remaining on the heliport roost!
Outfalls
Common Tern - 1
Grounded
Very little but did include a Spotted Flycatcher at Red Nab. Just one Wheatear seen.
Insects
Red Admiral 'in-off' as leaving the north wall at 1105
Mammals
Harbour Porpoise - 2 still around
Elsewhere
Hardly anything in this area! Two Spotted Flycatcher Upper Hindburn and Short-eared Owl along Silly Lane, Hindburndale.
