Productive end of year but waders seriously displaced by dog exercisers

Heysham Obs
A 1CY drake Scaup was unexpected on Middleton model boat pond at least late afternoon with a tiny increase in Tufted Duck.  Possibly from Glasson marina?

A couple with a woolly alsation and a couple of black of white things (one with a black head and mainly white body) displaced 11,000 waders from the foreshore between Ocean Edge and Potts corner today with the dogs very wide-ranging.  Fortunately the tide was dropping rapidly and the birds were able to find suitable feeding off Middleton saltmarsh.  Are the notices up at Shorefields yet?

The male Black Redstart made an appearance on the rocks at Red Nab as I was watching the Isle of Man ferry in - target being the Bonxie which had been seen off Rossall on at least two of recent days.  No sign. Thanks for emailing, Roger, to say the Black Redstart was also at Red Nab at 1030.

Coastal stuff
Little Gull - 7 adult, two 1CY Heysham 2 outfall
Red-throated Diver - one flew 'out'
Guillemot - 7 in harbour, possibly more
Kittiwake - 22 behind IOM ferry, mainly 1CY - many peeled off and flew out before reaching harbour.  One adult by the harbour waterfall
Black Redstart - male on Red Nab rocks 1030, then again when next checked at 1215, then went back into Power Station near small reedbed
Red-breasted Merganser - 3 in harbour, two off Red Nab
Ringed Plover - 10 on the saturated grassland along OE foreshore
Med Gull - two adults north harbour wall by anglers
Twite - late afternoon visit to feeding station saw 15 (plus 3 Goldfinch) - no Linnets
Jack Snipe - 2
Snipe - 21
Little Egret - 2
Wigeon - 91

Middleton model boat pond
Scaup - 1CY drake (from Glasson?)
Tufted Duck - small increase to 12
Linnet - 70 on the rubble mound area - a really good winter flock (NHW birds?)
Teal - 100+
Pochard - female Tim Butler pond
Gadwall - 2 tim butler pond

More windswept coastal checks

Heysham Obs
Maxima from several checks along the south harbour and outfalls area was:

Little Gull - 5 adults and 5 1CY
Kittiwake - 4 adults
Guillemot - 8

Coastal coverage south of the harbour

Heysham Obs
A summer plumage Guillemot in the harbour was double-checked! The male Black Redstart was seen briefly from the top of the bank by Red Nab, on the fence by the small reedbed at 0945, but only a brief check was subsequently made  through the fence - looking through double fences and my eyes don't get on.

Harbour/outfalls
Guillemot - 9 when first arrived, some of these had made their way out later - one in summer plumage
Little Gull - 5 - 3 2CY and 2 adult, one of the latter feeding by the waterfall in the harbour briefly.  Only one 2CY feeding on the outfalls, the rest were drifting around and 3 of them appeared to head out to sea
Kittiwake - at least 6 around, mainly in harbour
Twite - c40

Red Nab area
Black Redstart - adult male as above

Offshore
Two distant red-throated diver

Male Black Redstart reappears

Heysham Obs
The male Black Redstart (or the one at the Red Nab end?) was showed in the power station land on two occasions this morning by looking through the fence alongside the seawall at Red Nab (in the region of the purple container/Road 10).  Thanks to Gavin and Ian for some of these sightings.

Inshore
Mainly leftovers
Kittiwake - 10ish in the harbour, 3-4 outfalls
Little Gull - c10 with 2+ adults
Guillemot - at least 5
Shelduck - 11 out

North harbour wall
Twite - 13-15 (10 ringed but not necessarily Heysham)
Linnet - 23
Goldfinch - c25
Med gull - 2 ad and 3cy

The usual suspects

Green shank request
Anyone any green shank sightings from 2013 at Heysham which we may have failed to pick up/you might not have thought worth reporting. At the moment we have a blank in the species accounts. Most likely to turn up during the Bonapartes gull period in early autumn. Please text or email pete (see sidebar).  Thanks - also anything else we don't know about as doing species accounts now

Heysham Obs
Best today were three juvenile Shag, one in the harbour mouth which then drifted around the corner into the bay and two together struggling to fly out of the bay.  One Kitt flock and a scattering of Little Gull in the hour long morning seawatch from the Gate 38 area & others later almost certainly gradually flying out but difficult to be absolutely certain. In late afternoon as the tide started to cover the outfalls, there were 45 on the outfalls and area and a further 41 counted flying out from the north side in 20 minutes.  So at least 86 and this is almost certainly a gross underestimate as all perceived movement has been 'out'.  Loads of large gulls around but I suspect we have had our white winger quota for this year.

Seabirds
Little Gull - at least 86 by late afternoon but see above
Kittiwake  one flock of 13 out, 3 inshore & c15 out later, 5 outfalls late pm
Shag - see above
Guillemot - at least 12 in the harbour/harbour mouth/offshore
Razorbill - presumably the same 1CY off the harbour mouth (it has been checked carefully!)
Wigeon - 32 out

Others
Med Gull - Czech bird north harbour wall

Feeding Area - c40 mixed Finches seen briefly on feeding visit

Probable French bling

Heysham Obs
Working at Millom then Wigton today and the schedule wasn't half tight - the A595 reminds me of the old days timing yourself driving across Ireland from say Dublin to the west side. One promising bit of dual carriageway otherwise miles and miles of  narrow bendy road. Thanks to Malcolm and Ian for records.

Inshore sightings
Kittiwake - colour ringed individual provisionally French
Little gull - 2 1cy
Guillemot - at least 5
Med gull - 3 ad
Rock pipit - 1
Brief visit to feeding area saw only a small flock of mixed finches

Middleton
Teal - record count of 137, one grabbed by Peregrine but escaped
Snipe - 7

Heysham NR
Woodcock - 1

Ocean Edge
Injured Pink-footed Goose still present

Quick early morning walks

Heysham obs
Very little time this morning and Malcolm and I covered different se ruins of coast early on. Had to go and do some survey work at millom to take advantage of weather at exposed site! Was hoping for a sympathy vote mince pie but all I got were stroppy dogs

Heysham one outfall
Little gull - 2 1cy seaward end low tide
Guillemot - 6 in harbour
Rb merg - 4 in harbour

North Harbour Wall 10.15-10.45am
Increased number of Finches but very flighty
Minimum of 60 seen very briefly on ground.
Difficult to see very well due to background sun and how spread out they were.
Still mainly Goldfinch and Linnet but with some Twite and at least one Chaffinch.
Also 2 Adult Med Gulls.

Below par for the conditions but seawatching a bit awkward

Heysham Obs
A day when it would have been useful to have the north harbour wall back for car-seawatching

Sea at various times
Little Gull - at least 8 adult and two 1CY
Kittiwake - Just the one 1CY!
Razorbill - perhaps the same 1CY off the harbour mouth
Guillemot - minimum 15, 4 in the inner harbour
Med Gull - at least one adult
Wigeon - 3 'out' on seawatch
Red-throated Diver - one out
Great crested Grebe - c5 out, 3 inshore

The wrong kind of very wet

Heysham Obs
Awful today with a rubbishy southerly gale and driving rain.  The highlights were a three figure Teal count from Middleton and the dizzy heights of 14 Mallard on there.  Yesterdays inshore Kittiwakes had completely vanished.  Some pics from Sandra and John yesterday off Ocean Edge:




Middleton/Ocean Edge (thanks Malcolm)
Teal - 116
Mallard - 14
Gadwall - 5
Tufted Duck - just 7 left
Snipe - 9
Little Egret - 3
leucistic Bar-tailed Godwit Ocean Edge

South harbour area
Med Gull - 2 adults
Guillemot - 4 (3 in, one just offshore)
Just a few Goldfinches seen in very brief visit to feeder

Winter seabird selection

Heysham Obs
Unfortunately the best site for sheltered seawatching at the moment, now most of the north wall is closed to cars, is from the harbour entrance, including by Gate 38.  However you sacrifice field of view and about 250m of distance for shelter and that caused a bit of a problem with the morning's highlight

Little Auk - what was presumed to be this species was seen twice with a 40 minute gap between sightings presumably related to being brought into the bay by the tide and flying and landing again with the process repeated.  Therefore it was seen flying 'out' twice but presumably floated in unseen on the rough sea.  The second view was relatively good with a Guillemot for direct comparison and comprised a small 'whirring' thing with fast 'flickering' of light and dark which "didn't seem to have an obvious bill" and was perhaps too small for even a Puffin.  Hopefully it can be completely nailed by someone in the next few days
Razorbill - First winter in the harbour mouth, then appeared to fly out
Guillemot - at least 25, including a gang of 11 close inshore and 3 in the harbour
Little Gull - flock of 5 adults and a single 1CY
Kittiwake - 47 offshore, two in the harbour and one on the outfalls, biggest flock 17
Red-throated Diver - 6 sightings on the incoming tide, minimum of 3 seen
Great-crested Grebe - 11 sightings on the incoming tide, at least 3 individuals
Med Gull - single adult

No finches seen

N Harbour Wall  09.30 - 11.30
The feeding site was half flooded this morning and partly washed out. A few finches flew up from the area on arrival. Some work on the site with pick and shovel has hopefully created some channels to divert the water. Fresh seed put down (in very strong wind) brought back a larger mixed flock of c50 Goldfinch/Linnet.  I was not able to identify any Twite owing to the conditions causing watering eyes and buffeting bins!
ajd

Wet watch from the wheel

Heysham Obs
A big black cloud which had been 'hovering' offshore decided to make a move as I was waiting for the incoming DFDS ferry.  Just missed the incoming Stena prior to that.  Decent number of birds in tow, including a lot of large gulls, but nothing startling

Harbour area, south side 0930-1015
Med Gull - 3 adults
Guillemot - 3 by the waterfall, at least one offshore
Little Gull - adult 'out'
Kittiwake - adult behind ferry
Goldfinch - 10 in the willowherb area

Friday 20th December

Heysham Obs
2 Ad Med Gulls around the harbour/outfalls, 2 Guillemot offshore

Just one or two finches north wall and no obvious food left at lunchtime (per Pete)

Winter Moth in the trap

Wild and woolly continuum

Heysham Obs
The trouble with this wild weather is that the wind direction is not staying consistently westerly and there are too many breaks to get a decent collection of waifs in the harbour and around the outfalls.  Some seawatching early on showed some promise and there may be long enough spells of a westerly element to produce some stuff in the next few days. 

Coastal sites 0845-0945, including 30 minutes seawatch from Red Nab area
Med Gull - 3 ads harbour & one later in afternoon on Heysham 2
Little Gull - 1CY battling against the wind about 500m out and getting nowhere!
Kittiwake - 1CY with Black-headed Gulls on water off outfalls, adult behind ferry
Guillemot - at least 10, possibly 15
Red-throated Diver - one 'out'
Goldfinch/Twite/Linnet - 49 around seed area - at least 7 Twite and at least 23 Goldfinch
Song Thrush - masochistic wintering bird still in sandworks on north wall
Meadow Pipit - one Red Nab area

More Jack Snipe but no Black Redstart

Ocean Edge

Low pressure and wind meant the tide was a lot higher than the 9.32 it was supposed to be.

The salt marsh was almost fully covered at 10.45, with almost an hour of the tide to run.

34 Snipe plus 2 Jack Snipe counted.

Middleton NR

A Little Egret, 40 teal, 3 little grebe, 3 snipe, one meadow pipit

No sign of Black Redstarts in very windy conditions.

Both Black Redstarts together!

Heysham Obs
This implies a pretty sizeable assumption that the male at Red Nab/Ocean Edge is also the same one frequenting the north harbour, which is perhaps a rather excessive circuit!

Ocean Edge foreshore/Red Nab (thanks Malcolm for locating this stuff)
Jack Snipe - 2 at high tide forced off saltmarsh
Snipe - 47 at high tide as above
Black Redstart - adult male and female between Red Nab and the far end of Ocean Edge western shoreline - seen on and off (especially the male) until at least 1415hrs when both observers left site

Heysham NR late afternoon circuit
Goldcrest - 2
Water Rail - one along stream by dipping pond
Chiffchaff - collybita type calling in NE corner of marsh

North Harbour Wall
Feeding area monitored continuously from 09.00 to 11.30.  Approx 17 'finches' (including one Twite) present at first then much coming and going with composition of flock changing until near the end of the period the following were present:

Twite - 9 including 3 Blue/Red and two White colours. Possibly these 'extra' birds displaced from Ocean Edge saltmarsh area by the rising tide.
Linnet - c18
Goldfinch - c18

Plus:
Mistle Thrush - 2
Dunnock - 2
Robin - 2
Starling - 9
Feral Pigeon - 2
Kestrel - 1

Large numbers of Oystercatcher and Knot flying round towards Middleton at 11.30, displaced from roost on the heliport by another thoughtless dog walker.

The other Black Redstart again!

Heysham Obs
The female type Black Redstart appeared again for a short time at Red Nab mid morning. 

Red Nab and area
Little Egret - 1
Black Redstart - female type
Meadow Pipit - 3

Middleton
Snipe 2, Moorhen 8, Tufted Duck 10, Pochard 1, Gadwall 6, Mallard 2, Teal 14+, Coot 2, Mute Swan 2+7

Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Snipe - 18

Dog-walker ignorance

Heysham Obs
Unfortunately one of the best high tide roosts for a bit on the heliport was largely cleared by a gentleman with a ginger and white dog and a large black dog.  When he saw me at the end of the seawall, the dogs were put back on the lead and he scurried away through a rather large hole in the fence.  Therefore he was obviously completely aware of what he was doing, yet obviously just didn't care unless someone was perceived to be about to have a go at him.  There are loads of dog walkers in this area and many of them (as per conversations) appreciate the spectacle provided by the heliport roost and avoid the site.  Why do a small minority have to be ignorant?

North wall etc
WeBS count but the best was the male Black Redstart for a very short time mid-morning before heading towards the edge of the harbour and lost from sight
Med Gull - 4 adults
Red-throated Diver - one 'in' (thanks Jeff)
Guillemot -at least 7 including two in the harbour
Twite - 6 but very little food left mid-morning (& 2 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch)
Golden Plover - a single on the heliport seawall was very unusual
Knot - 2,200 heliport but flushed out of the area
Oystercatcher - peak of 6,500 heliport but most flushed off

Red Nab and area
Wigeon - 81
Meadow Pipit - 1
No sign of this Black Redstart

Middleton model boat pond
The usual three Little Egret, male Pochard, c10 Tufted Duck

Decent local patch birds continue to arrive

Heysham Obs
After a negative large gull trawl, an adult Kittiwake, the first for ages, was seen behind the dredger.  Then a phone call followed by email from Malcolm about the following.  Thanks Malcolm:

First encountered bird about 10.40 as I was walking to west along Ocean Edge foreshore. About 50m east of Red Nab I spotted a robin sized bird flitting between rocks. I got out my binoculars just as it took off towards Red Nab. Got clear view of orange/red tail.  Relocated it in Eastern corner of small bay between Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore. Got several good views as it perched on jetsam before hopping down to feed on whatever it was seeing. Most of the views were full frontal or partial profile. It was distinguished by lack of distinguishing features. I would describe the plumage as pretty uniform charcoal grey, with a hint of darker plumage on face (almost like a shadow of a bird!). Only saw the red tail flanks when it flitted about. I have had a look at my reference books and think that it was a female or immature male.  Not there on the return walk at 1145hrs

 

Harbour area via south wall

Kittiwake - adult behind dredger

Med Gull - at least three adults

Guillemot - one visible

 

Red Nab and area

Black Redstart - female type Red Nab area 1040hrs 

Meadow Pipit - 2

Wigeon - 85

Moths!

Heysham obs
Couldn't make it to Heysham this am because of moths in the brilliant winter months trap at millhouses. . 271 to be exact after a meticulous return search late afternoon unearthed more winter moths. At least 207 mottled umber but the only slight surprise other than the complete absence of the prolific December moth- they appear to have finished here was a worn yellow line Quaker

On the other hand Heysham nr trap held one moth but it was rather good - red sword grass

The only reported bird sightings today so far are the mixed flock of about 35 very unsettled Goldfinche/Linnet/Twite at the North Harbour feeding area in the morning.  Not seen on the ground so species counts not possible.

A brief afternoon visit saw only a handful of silhouetted birds in the sea buckthorn bushes, frightened away by a visitor.

Negative news unless you like singing

Heysham Obs
The juv Iceland Gull has not been seen since it was lost in a melee of bread and Black-headed Gulls on Middleton model boat pond early yesterday morning.   Not in the harbour this morning either and Middleton was subject to pretty thorough coverage yesterday and today

Middleton
Green Woodpecker - put in one of its intermittent appearances this morning
Med Gull - adult visited the model boat pond
Pink-footed Goose - several early morning skeins

Harbour area
No known views of Black Redstart but a lot of industrial activity in the favoured site
Meadow Pipit - one mound
Song Thrush - singing male on mound!
Twinnet - flock of c38 appeared from calls and silhouettes to be containing at least 15 Twite but very flighty
Goldfinch - separate flock from the above of c25 birds
Robin - 4, including two singing birds

Black Redstart, Meds and Iceland Gull

Heysham Obs

Iceland Gull seen early morning at Middleton model boat pond but not reported later.
Also 3 Little Egrets and Chiffchaff.

North Harbour Wall
Black Redstart midday
Mixed Finches 8.30am
5 Twite
10 Linnets
23 Goldfinch

Also
3 Adult Med Gulls on railings

In haste

Iceland Gull still model boat pond at least 0930

Black Redstart surprise

Heysham Obs
An adult male Black Redstart was a superb sighting along the north harbour wall this morning - seen at about 0915 and about 1040 at the northern end of the Centrica storage area.  Necessary working activities between and after these times restricted opportunities but it was seen on the perimeter fence for 5 minutes or so around these times

The juv Iceland Gull was again on Middleton Model boat pond for much of the morning at least and responding to bread!

Thanks to Pete Cook

North harbour wall
Twite - 7 (only 2 ringed), Goldfinch - 28, but no Linnet during my visit.
Single Rock Pipit and Meadow Pipit with at least 3 otther Meadow Pipit on the heliport
"The" Song Thrush
At least two adult Med Gulls
Guillemot offshore

Iceland Gull at Middleton

Model Boat Pond

A fine portrait of the Iceland Gull by Gavin Thomas

Gavin and Ian watched the Iceland Gull until dusk as it returned to Ocean Edge and then the harbour area. Also 5 adult Med Gulls, including 2P96

The Iceland Gull once again enjoyed much of its time today on the model boat pond at Middleton until 14.10 at least.
Also there:
11 Mute Swans (4Ad/7juv)
6 Gadwall
12 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
3 Little Egret

North Harbour Wall
1 Med Gull (Adult)
2 Guillemot
4 RB Mergansers
1 GC Grebe
c30 Linnet/Goldfinch flock, possibly included Twite but none identified. Flock very flighty.

River Lune Golden Ball
1 Med Gull (Adult)

Quick power walk

Heysham Obs
North wall & harbour area
This is now closed off until further notice at the end of the Centrica entrance and obviously any pedestrian access beyond there is completely (as usual) at your own risk with a lot of tripping hazards and holes created by the storm surge.  Stay out other than strictly on the road itself is the recommendation.

Med Gull - ad north wall, 2 ads seaward end Heysham one outfall
Red-throated Diver - 1
Common Scoter - one female
Guillemot - one harbour mouth
Rock Pipit - one south harbour wall
No obvious Twite in c35 finches, mainly in flight
Mute Swan - Ad & ?2CY flew across bay from Foulney direction and headed inland
Very few Eiders a surprise

Middleton model boat pond
Iceland gull - juv at least 1130 and an hour or so later after flying off at 1140. Ate a sea buckthorn berry - definitely worth an old fashioned BB note ' I can find no evidence in the literature' etc

st Pochard, 9 Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall,3 Little Egret, 2+7 Mute Swan

Iceland Gull is back

Heysham Obs
Alan restored the Twite feeding area this morning and 17 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch and 3 Twite were on the seed fairly soon afterwards.  There might, however, be some limitations on access to the north wall as the clearing up operation begins.  After an obvious dearth of large gulls around the harbour, the juv Iceland Gull reappeared on Red Nab late morning as this rubbishy record shot via scope/mobile indicates:

...............as does the fact that the tide was just about to cover the roosting site.  Also 78 Wigeon and a single Meadow Pipit in the area.  Two adult Med Gulls in the harbour along with a single Guillemot visible (but up to 3 underground)

Middleton pm
Iceland Gull - on model boat pond at least 1350hrs
Pochard 1 m, Tufted Duck 9, Teal 64 (65 on Wednesday!), Mallard and gadwall 6 each, Litle egret 3, Snipe 1, Moorhen 15, Coot just 2, Meadow Pipit 8 and the mega - a male Pheasant!

Above: The scene at Ocean Edge foreshore after yesterday's tidal surge

 

Below: The tidally rearranged Twite feeding station

Short and destructive but pretty bird less

Heysham obs
The twite station was like a model of the Grand Canyon and another chunk of the wooden jetty ended up on ocean edge grassy foreshore. The sand works fence was seriously damaged and scoured of its hard-worn embryonic vegetation.  The heliport was completely flooded.
The first image here taken at least an hour before high tide:

 

 

Sightings
Little gull - two ads on sea on incoming tide
Med gull - two ad heliport
No sign Iceland gull
Pochard- male Middleton model boat pond

Head on Iceland

Heysham Obs
A bit of instructive birding this morning when all the gulls were head-on perched on Fisher's roof as viewed from the north harbour wall about 400m away.  I was told on arrival that 'it wasn't there' but this was because of a perception problem with a face-on white-winged gull in perhaps especially early winter juvenile plumage.  The base colour of the breast and underparts is darker than similar age argenteus Herring Gull nearby and, at that range, appears a uniform brown, not a paler dirty white with darker flecks as on the Herring Gull.  So simplistically, you were actually looking for the darkest juvenile/first winter bird as per head on views!

On the other hand if it's side on as in this picture, it's a doddle!

Photo by John Girdley

Fisher's roof
Iceland Gull - juv from at least 0845-0925
Med Gull - 2 adults

North wall
Red-throated Diver - 2 'in'
Goldfinch - 31 on seed, others heard
Linnet - 20 on seed, others heard
Twite - 1 on seed and at last one other heard

Moths
Single female December Moth and (male) Winter Moth

As you were with Iceland gull again absent at high tide

Heysham obs

Harbour area and offshore
Iceland gull - present in harbour area early pm
Red-throated diver- 2 offshore
Twite - 6 plus
Med gull - at least 3 adults

Ocean edge and red nab
Wigeon - 116

Middleton m boat pond
Large collection of gulls over the tide and two little egret and 6 tufted duck

Iceland Gull elusive

Heysham

North Harbour Wall
The finch flock this morning was very restless, partly a result of pigeons hogging the seed area.

Goldfinch - 17
Twite - 1 ringed with Orange/Blue over Pale Blue.
Linnet - 20 at least.  Accurate count not possible because of constant coming and going.

General
Iceland gull - on red nab from at least 1330 to 1410 when flew back towards harbour.
Common scoter - female in
Med gull - at least five
Guillemot - one in harbour and at least two in underground reservoir

Moths
Two mottled umber and one b lacticollela

Always cover the cover at high tide

Heysham Obs

Thanks to Pete Cook

Must get the local patch website stuff sorted out.  A really jammy 'patch find' this morning with good birders who got up at the proper time checking everywhere but the old Fisher's roof on which was a juv Iceland Gull - presumably a small female.  Its behaviour also suggested that it has been around for a day or so as it quickly located the waterfall.  Hopefully it did not clear off at lunchtime when it flew off up the harbour and out of view.  Pics later.

North wall/harbour area
Iceland Gull - juv, pres female, 1000ish to at least 1145ish, then on Red Nab until at least 1330hrs when all observers left
Red-throated Diver - one in the harbour - didn't get good enough views myself to age it - any help please?
Med Gull - 4 adults, including 2P96 darvic-ringed bird

Red Nab
Oystercatcher 1200
Knot 200
Redshank 10
Curlew 8
Turnstone 1
Wigeon 86

Middleton Nature Reserve
Model Boat Pond:
Gadwall 3 pairs
Cormorant 2
Little Egret 2
Grey Heron 2
Pochard 1 male
Tufted Duck 3 female
Moorhen