Due to an unfortunate (and slowly increasing) misuse of the reserve by a handful of individuals, resulting in an unacceptable amount of excrement & off-leads within the areas used by school groups and indeed other path users, no dogs allowed on the main Heysham Nature reserve, as reinforced by notices this morning. There is, of course, a huge area along the path to the south of the 'cream store' - the Landscape Strip & Nature Park - which can be used for exercising. This is a joint decision by British Energy estates, ADAS and the Wildlife Trust via the Land Management meeting
Moneyclose Lane is in very poor condition at the moment with the 'normal' driving line being heavily rutted. This has led to rather a lot of Ocean Edge traffic, presumably short-stay visitors not familiar with the road, driving along the centre. This makes turning left out of the reserve rather more dangerous than it usually is. Take care and look left before turning
Heysham Obs
Useless due southerly this morning with not a single Wheatear on a coastal trawl & just a bit of early morning vis, until a check was made (for the first time this year) of the power station non-op land. This produced:
Black Redstart - female-type by the Morecambe Metals skip at the southern end of the non-op land. View area from Nature Park fence. Surely not a new arrival in this mornings useless weather? Please note that if it does stay around, photography 'into' the PS site may be challenged.
North harbour wall 0700-0830
alba Wagtail - 6 NE
Meadow Pipit - 73 NE
Linnet - 10 NE
Whooper Swan - flock of 6 NW
Goldfinch - 5 NE
Lesser Redpoll - 1 NE
Swallow - 2 NE
Siskin - 2 NE
Twite - 75-80, later 42 examined and all ringed
Red-throated Diver - 3 out
Moths
First March Moth of the year!!
