Behaviour by photographers around the Chough has been pretty good with eg favourable comments from locals. Not this morning. A single individual followed and kept flushing the Chough all over the first two fields by half moon bay 1000-1030ish. It just couldn’t settle down and feed and this was observed and commented on from eg the cafe. In this respect, it takes a bit of time to locate and extract its main current prey item - earthworms. Later photographers showed how it should be done. Can you please remember that you are in a very public place here and your conduct will be being observed by the many locals who are aware of this bird. There is a big difference between a single flush by a passing dog and being chased around the field!
Iceland gull - third winter by waterfall in the morning and perhaps surprisingly by all accounts over the tide in the afternoon
Pale bellied Brent Goose - now three birds feeding on skeer off the horse fields north of Heysham head (low tide), one of these flew south on its own 1100ish - presumably the extra one. This then disappeared and the usual two were on Red Nab on the later incoming tide and again (flying from south) as the tide dropped
Chough - in the first two fields north of 1/2 moon bay café
Med Gull - Czech bird on the north wall railings; it or another harbour mouth late pm
Velvet Scoter - drake accompanying the second and last Eider gang offshore but quite distant
Great-spotted Woodpecker - drumming on Heysham Head
Eider - about the same numbers and distribution as yesterday
Red-throated Diver - one offshore
Great-crested Grebe - c5 offshore
Red-breasted Merganser - just 3 offshore
Scaup - as is absolutely typical of this species - no sign of what looked like a 'settled' flock!
Shag - juv seen around wooden jetty early pm:
Pink-footed Goose - 250 NE and 255 NW
Stonechat - female OE NE corner and the half moon bay female also seen
Greenfinch - small influx (at least 10) around office with four new birds caught and ringed
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.