Heysham Obs
Oblivious to the breaking news to the north-east of my house, a 2CY Kittiwake was observed on the outfalls
21 Dunlin, 33 Curlew on Red Nab (no Sanderling today with the Dunlin)
Pair of Ringed Plover with 1+ chick just inside the power station fence at Red Nab (nested on the non-op land about 300m inland from the seawall)
The visit to the north-east was memorable for the twenty seven (or eight?) year exorcism of the Calf of Man (I was supposed to have been on there visiting John Calladine when the 'had to be there on the day' bird turned up) and especially for the hospitality of the people on Hartlepool Headland. OK, they are probably used to birders wandering around the various nooks and crannies, but the response to the doctor's garden impasse in late afternoon, where initially only the nimble managed to scale the wall or climb on to the back of transit vans, in the form of "ladders for all-comers" was brilliant and should surely be captured in tomorrows papers. I used to visit this site regularly when petrol was cheaper and have always enjoyed this perhaps unique 'urban' birding and the good humour of the locals. The only problem was the "Mr Whirl" van which hovered temptingly for much of the afternoon. Eventually succumbed mid-afternoon - the first genuine junk food for 18 months!
Pete
