Heysham Obs
Seaward end of Stage one outfall early incoming tide
The gathering of pre-tidal gulls on the seaward end of Heysham One outfall at about 0930hrs included a partial summer plumage adult Little Gull
Wooden jetty
Purple Sandpiper - 3
Turnstone - 165
Middleton IE
Loose flock of male & 3 female Stonechat late pm
North harbour wall
18 Twite trapped, including 7 unringed birds, out of 30+ seen. The retrap data is interesting. Most of them were retrapped for the first time since ringing with the ringing dates as follows: 31/10/08 (1), 5/11/08 (2), 26/11/08 (4) and 4/2/09 (1). One was ringed on 5/11 and retrapped on 4/2/09. Two others were both ringed on 31/10/08 and retrapped on 5/11/08 + 16/11/08 and 16/11/08 + 15/12/08 respectively. Bearing in mind that only FIVE out of the 137 ringed during winter 2008/9 have been previously retrapped twice, it is interesting that two of these have appeared for their third retrap today. This suggests that, in contrast to the rest of the retrap data (& unringed birds), which suggests a wide-ranging metapopulation with individual birds occasionally visiting Heysham, these two have developed a degree of loyalty to the Heysham feeding station.
52 & 300 Pink-footed Geese NW, the big flock flying very high
Moths
2 Dotted Border, 2 Hebrew Character, one Common Quaker and an as yet unidentified small brown thing
Elsewhere
7 Avocet EM Pool along with the Ruff. [Sand Martin Brockholes Quarry 1040hrs]
