Heysham Obs
Quite productive on the sea this morning with decent views of a non-breeding-plumaged Black-throated Diver on the water. Trouble was I'd forgotten my mobile and had to leave it to inform others and we arrived back as probably the same bird/species took flight and headed out of the Bay. Many other things of interest as can be seen below - all during the early stages of the incoming tide as the sandbanks were being covered
North wall 0700-1000
Marsh Harrier - one north over the sea at c0900 - cream-crowned but no obvious cream on forewing
Arctic Tern - 2+5+2+1 'in'
Sandwich Tern - absolute minimum of 11 blogging/passage birds
Red-throated Diver - flock of 15 circled high over 1/2 moon bay before appearing to head inland over Heysham Head! Also 3+1+5+1 (25 in total)
Guillemot - 2 on sea
Black-throated Diver - probable 2CY in the centre of the nearest channel, actively fishing 0910 until c0920
Great-crested Grebe - at least 4 on sea
Red-breasted Merganser -loose flock of 9 'in', 3-4 on sea
Swallow - 1 'in' (thanks John - we missed it as it sped along the harbour wall 'below' the telescopes!)
Vis mig
Meadow Pipit - in the region of 220 NE
alba Wagtail - at least 20 NE
Twite - two flew NE along the seawall and "dragged" 8 from the seed area along with them - appeared to continue NE! Prior to that there were still 74 on the seed, a large number for this late in the spring
Siskin - 1 NE
Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Massive decrease in Black-headed Gull & no sign of the 3CY Med
