Heysham Obs
A female House Sparrow joined the select list of species to have graced SD36V this morning - this square is 99% sea/intertidal. The rest was a bit dire but perhaps missed some early morning stuff
North wall 0640-0910
Swallow - 100 NE
House Martin - 6 NE
Sand Martin - 1 NE
Wheatear - probably 5 'in-off'
House Sparrow - female grounded briefly at the end of the mound
Arctic Skua - dark morph in, very distantly, at about 0655
Sandwich Tern - two on posts
Gannet - adult u-turned then blogged for a bit
Much reduced numbers of Turnstone
Ocean Edge foreshore
Wheatear - 11 - looked different birds from yesterday - very flighty like new arrivals and soon disappeared
White Wagtail - 1
Mammal
Grey Seal harbour mouth
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.