Heysham Obs
.............between suitable and unsuitable seawatching weather. What was wrong this morning was far too much cloud and rain first thing stopping things moving - e.g. not a single Gannet 0600-0830. A total of at least 7 (6 dm) Arctic Skua so far (all together on the shore at JBP at 1030hrs).
Worth checking on the evening tide otherwise roll on tomorrow.
North harbour wall to 1230hrs
Arctic Skua - 1 dm in & one out, 2 dm in, 3 dm out then sitting on sea, possibly with 1+ other "dark" bird at 1217 (up to 7 at JBP - 1030). Unless more evidence to the contrary, all sightings today could refer to the constituents of the flock of 7 at JBP at 1030hrs, as it is not suitable weather for overland migration from the inner bay.
Manx Shearwater - 2
Common Scoter - 1
Red-throated Diver - 1
Fulmar - 4 (one behind the IOM ferry)
Gannet - 1, plus another late afternoon
Black Guillemot - around wooden jetty
No tern species seen, indicating that the "blogging" Sandwich on calmer days are not the same birds each day
Ocean Edge
Med Gull - 1st summer on shore off OE saltmarsh with other gulls
Whimbrel - 4
Wheatear - 2
Elsewhere
3 Arctic Skua together at JBP headed up the Kent at 0955hrs, then 7 appeared seemingly out of the Kent Estuary, sat on the beach and preened before having another go at flying up the Kent. Nothing happened at JBP prior to 0955hrs. 3 dark-morph Arctic Skuas off JBP in the late evening (different birds or not?)
