Saturday 2 May 2009

Always check the gulls in the harbour...........

Heysham Obs
Fortunately two birders (Jean Roberts & John Mason) were by the gate at 0725 when all the gulls in the harbour were disturbed. The one departee, via a flightline taking it over the Twite ringing site thence out to sea towards Ulverston, was a juvenile Glaucous Gull. Unfortunately not possible to communicate in time with observers at the end of harbour seawatching site. Always worth scanning gulls on Fisher's roof, by the waterfall etc. on arrival at this site. The Glauc. will probably be a major local year-listing 'blocker' now we have no rubbish tip.

North harbour wall 0600-1000 (mostly pre-0815hrs)
Glaucous Gull - see above
Black Guillemot - by wooden jetty as usual
Gannet - 30 in
Red-throated Diver - 8 in, 2 out
Kittiwake - 1 in
Fulmar - 1 in
Guillemot- 5 in
Sandwich Tern - 12 in plus 7 blogging
Arctic Tern - 1 in
Common Scoter - 27 in
Bonxie (Great Skua) - 1 in at 0749 [Please use both names to facilitate the records search at e.g. the end of year!]
Dark-bellied Brent Goose - 1 out at 0800
Whimbrel - 3 in

Vis (all NE unless stated)
Goldfinch 2
Swallow 6
Linnet 2 SW

Ocean Edge
Wheatear - 4

Elsewhere
Two Yellow Wagtail on Lune south of Wenning