Thanks very much to Margaret Breaks for sharing this montage. On end of Stage 2 outfall from c1610hrs-1710hrs todayHeysham Obs
This was a very frustrating day for visiting birders as, in clear but windy conditions, the adult Sabines Gull reappeared c1610hrs (Mike Watson) and was seen on and off for about one hour, always very distant at the seaward end of the Power Station outfalls and sitting out of sight on the rough sea. The last sighting involved a quite lengthy observed flight which was presumably continued out of sight 'behind' the waves along the shipping channel. No further sign by at least 2000hrs
Combined effort offshore intermittent 0840-2000hrs
Gannet - 37, mainly distant in several hours!
Manx Shearwater - one out
Kittiwake - 2 out
Sandwich Tern - 10 out
Common Scoter - male out, 7 in then out
Arctic Skua - light morph out, then sat on the sea, then wheeled back into the bay again in increasing wind c0905-0920. It or another seen chasing gulls at long range late afternoon.
Combined effort inshore
Med Gull - 2nd S->3rd W north harbour wall (2-3 'second year' primaries still unmoulted). 3 adults Red Nab area probably included the 'newly re-aged' 3rd W=Ad having completed wing moult and certainly included the small bird seen several times recently
Shag - Juvenile on the wooden jetty c1600hrs then later in the afternoon as the tide came in
Little Gull - the usual three birds: 2 1st S->2nd W, 1 2nd S->Ad W
Whimbrel - one Red Nab
Sandwich Tern - 2 Red Nab early morning prior to passage
SABINE'S GULL - Ad S intermittently at the seaward end of the outfalls from 1610hrs to c1710hrs but elusive in rough sea and dreadful light
Elsewhere
The two Garganey still at Aldcliffe. See links.
