Today's sea bird coverage managed 07:00 to 11:00 (several observers)
Arctic Tern 865, most before 09:00 with long gaps after and many birds flying inland over a broad front. Some were flying inland over Ocean Edge and one flock over Sunderland Point as seen from Red Nab area. Others fed mid channel then shot into the sky and disappeared!
Arctic Skua: 4 in plus at least two others early am off Morecambe, One light morph came in over Red Nab. The other three dark morph.
Sandwich Tern: at least 192,
Some take a break, the one on the right has a white ring, unfortunately too distant to read.
Black Tern 1,
Little Gull 1 - 3rd Calendar Year,
Common Scoter 60
no Gannet or Red-throated divers today
One of the Dunlin near the wooden jetty - thanks Kevin
Nature Reserves
Grasshopper warblers have finally made it to Middleton two singing simultaneously plus almost certainly a third bird singing.
This makes the full set of 9 typically resident warbler here, Listed her in this year's arrival order.
Cetti's Warbler (over wintered)
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Common Whitethroat (both Whitethroats arrived same day)
Lesser Whitethroat
Reed Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Large Red Damselfly - now present on Heysham and Middleton.
Thanks Janet
This picture from Janet reminded me of just how many Brimstone I have seen this year. I have probably seen as many this year than the total in all my years walking. Presumably that is partly due to a increasing local population plus the favourable winter and spring (at least it has been favourable for overwintering butterflies!) MD
