Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Purple Sandpiper 2 below wooden jetty
Shelduck 2 'in' + 2 'out'
Eider 7 'in'
Twite - 7 on the seed, legs not seen
No sign of any Meds
Kittiwakes
It looked a good day to kickstart the spring Kittiwake passage - a stiffish westerly at the end of February. There is some history of this species being more frequent in spring on afternoon dropping tides (only Storm Petrel of the other regularish seabirds exhibits this pattern and in a totally different context). No time at all to seawatch over/after the tide at Heysham so it was left to the conscientious JBP observers (Tom & Tony) to rein them in:
"Kittiwake 5 + 13 (a long way out) +4 (close in) over the tide + at least 120 minimum feeding on dropping tide at 15:30pm"
Should be some more in the next few days
Heliport
At least a male Ringed Plover on territory
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Ringed Plover - a reduced flock of just 11 in the high tide roost, including a metal-ringed male trying to chase the rest off. No sign of the Snettisham-nesting c.r. female [one other metal-ringed bird].
Wigeon - 86 Red Nab
Elsewhere
Ad TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE Jeremy Lane (Glasson) along with 1st W European White-fronted Goose. 1st W Pale-bellied Brent elusive in Sand Villa area
