Heysham Obs
There were no records of Purple Sandpiper during the first half of the year and the future looked bleak. However today's WeBS count produced one on the heliport seawall. One of the phone calls indicated that one had been seen on the wooden jetty on 28th September, but not since, by an observer who doesn't 'do' the internet and wasn't aware of the lack of records. Suspect a passage bird followed by hopefully a future winter resident - wintering birds seem to regularly first turn up in early November following a few scattered earlier autumn records
WeBs count included:
Purple Sandpiper - one on heliport seawall
Ringed Plover - excellent count of 47 heliport seawall
Knot - 650 on heliport seawall
Cormorant - 56 wooden jetty
Med Gull - one adult fisher's roof
Has anyone seen the Czech-ringed veteran Med this autumn? - very little effort spent on north wall in absence of seawatching conditions - this will change in the next few weeks as passerine distractions dwindle away
Ten small finches seen in flight north wall feeder area
Moths
Amazingly good with a late Figure of Eight, Feathered Thorn, Red-line Quaker and Angle Shades. So much for thinking the year has ended apart from the odd Winter moth, Mottled Umber and perhaps Chestnut/Dark Chestnut
