Tuesday 17 December 2013

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.