Saturday 26 April 2014

Belated Black Terns

Heysham Obs
You are welcome to join seawatchers on the north harbour wall tomorrow where there will be people present from 0700hrs and there is a reasonably good forecast for tern passage (although the southern Irish sea route for other seabirds is 'blocked' big-time by a Biscayan swirler!).  Please bring your own optics as sharing scopes is not an option during seawatching.  The main consideration is parking.  We share the seawall with large numbers of anglers who have been prevented from using the south side by the bass-related angling ban.  Therefore please DO NOT park along the seaward edge of the north harbour wall road as the anglers will be piling in from 7ish onwards and need to use that side of the road.  Please park appropriately on the wide section of road and walk along the narrow section and past the red gate to join other observers. Thanks.


Please remember dress-wise there might be quite a wind-chill at that time of the morning.  No young children please - not safe.  


The weather seemed to prevent migration this morning with key observations in the 'blogging'/going the wrong way categories


Coastal areas 0730-0845
Black Tern - distant flock of 3 flew in at 0810hrs
Meadow Pipit - one grounded
Redpoll spp - 1+1 north (the only perceived 'vis')
Wheatear - 10 Ocean Edge foreshore
Whimbrel - flock of 7 close inshore OE, then flew south, 1+1 south north harbour wall
Arctic Skua - 2 dark morph out together at 0750, dark morph out at 0820
Red-throated Diver - distant one out, close one in
Tern spp, presumed Sandwich - 2 very distant!
Common Scoter - flock of 6 out


No sign of yesterday Black Redstart Red Nab area