Wednesday 20 April 2022

A bit of a mixed bag

 The wind started light from NNE but quickly freshened and moved to ENE. High cloud with plenty of sunshine.

Tim had an early morning check from Heysham Head:
2 Little Egret
2 Canada geese high heading NE
I Sparrowhawk high heading E
Lots of linnets buzzing around in small groups
1 Grey Wagtail came up from the rocks 
No Rock Pipits seen

Heysham skear - low water 09:00 (MD)
Red-breasted Merganser 10
Great Crested Grebe 1
Eider only 40 seen but probably more in the outer channel
Little Egret 6
Oystercatcher c1,000 but more on outer skear
Knot c500 (one flock)
Otherwise a general reduction in wader numbers
Curlew 2
Redshank c20
Turnstone c90
Dunlin 1

South shore towards high water
From Pete and Jean
Shag 1 2nd calendar year on wooden jetty 
Black-Tailed Godwit - flock of 7 on Red Nab before flying south.
Kevin took this shot of a male Wheatear with a beetle 

North shore on evening ebbing tide.  (MD)
Sandwich Tern 2 feeding together
Whimbrel 4 (2+1+1)
Swallow 1
Shelduck 1

The Snakeshead Fritillary is in bloom on Heysham Nature Reserve. Janet took these shots.

Snakeshead Fritillary