Heysham Obs
Vis mig 0700-0815
"Rolling" vis mig this morning - a mixture of checking the outfalls and listening, north wall and listening and outside the office produce the following obvious underestimate:
Meadow Pipit - 72 SE
Grey Wagtail - 2 SE
Chaffinch - c25 SE or temporarily grounded (all office area)
Linnet - 3 SE
alba Wagtail - 7 SE
Goldfinch - 6 SE (flock)
Swallow - 2 SE
Grounded
Goldcrest - at least 2 by office
a few 'ticking' Robins
Miscellany
Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 3 together SW at about 1100hrs as seen from the north wall - couldn't subsequently find them on the mudflats south of Ocean Edge
Shelduck - flock of 8 SW
Med Gull - ad & 1CY north wall, 3 1CY, 2 2CY, 2 Ad outfalls/Red Nab and area
Little Gull - ad stage 2 outfall
Common Tern - juv stage 2 outfall, later in the bay by Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Fulmar - one out mid-pm
Whimbrel - late bird over nhw mid-pm
Wheatear - one heliport
Ringed Plover - 54 heliport (one cr bird read & sent in) and 23 Ocean Edge at high tide
Redshank - 410 Ocean Edge beach at high tide
Moths
A major surprise in the form of Toadflax Pug - very late in the context of the recent weather. This is one of the few regular sites in the north-west and it seems to have become rather scarce here in recent years. Other insects included a Common Darter and Meadow Brown by the dipping pond. Acleris emargana by the dipping pond mid pm along with at least one Nettle-tap moth
