Thursday 25 August 2011

Black Redstart and a Wall

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall



Thanks for these Janet

A 1st S male Black Redstart along the north harbour wall near the Centrica storage yard from 0930ish. 

Also seen in the early afternoon and showed well in the region of the Twite feeder.  Prior to this it was singing from the top of the nearby 'tank' favoured by the winter Twite flock. It then reappeared late afternoon (see pics)

Its presence inspired a wander around the back of the old sandworks and, whilst admiring the wealth of pioneering vegetation, which will surely include some sand-dune specialists in the near future if it is left, a Wall Brown flitted past - the first that I am aware of in the Heysham area this year and a major rarity in the mainly maritime SD36!

Wheatear - one

Ocean Edge/Red Nab after the tide
Gulls too far offshore in heat haze
Sandwich Tern - 8
Wheatear - 2

Heysham NR office area
A ringing session in rather too sunny conditions saw 30 'new' Greenfinch (where do they all come from!) and only one retrap, 2 Whitethroat (& at least 3 others around), one Lesser Whitethroat, one Coal Tit and a handful of Goldfinch and Blue Tit

Grey Wagtail - 2 SE
No other obvious vis this morning