Light variable winds starting north then drifting to west, high clouds with some weak sunshine,
Seawatch report by Pete Crooks:
An adult Puffin relatively close inshore (inside the yellow buoys) gradually drifted past the North Harbour Wall towards Heysham Head between 10.40 and 11.10 am on the incoming tide.
 |
| Puffin - picture by Andrew McCafferty |
Arctic Tern – A total of 116 in a series of widely spaced flocks were seen gaining height (with some disappearing into the sky before reaching the yellow buoys): 62 at 8.28 am, 9 at 9.24 am, 15 at 10.10 am (including 10 repeatedly landing on the flat calm sea) and 30 at 10.30 am.
Kittiwake – a single tight-knit flock of 60 flew in while gaining height at 8.28 am (when the first Arctic Terns appeared).
Gannet – A total of c.33, including a high flying group of c. 15, then 6 + 3 + 8 + 1.
Also: 3 Sandwich Tern, 46 Eider and 8 Red-breasted Merganser in the first channel
34 Swallow – in groups of up to 5 low over the sea
2 Rock Pipit along the North Harbour Wall
1 Grey Seal
1 Harbour Porpoise – visible thanks to the calm sea surface
Additional records from Andrew McCafferty:
Red-Throated Diver 1 in
7 common scoter also in
1 Guillemot going out, all before high tide
Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)
Greylag goose 2
Grasshopper Warbler reeling - same location as yesterday, towards the Tim Butler pond
South shore (MD)
Linnet 2 pairs around the saltmarsh plus 8, seemingly in pairs between the lighthouse and the waterfall.
Rock Pipit 3 one each at the lighthouse and waterfall, but no sign of the ringed male. 1 along the sea wall
Wheatear 2
Shag 2nd calendar year on the wooden jetty
Whimbrel just 2
Common Sandpiper 2 together along the sea wall.
 |
| Common Sandpiper, well camouflaged amongst the wrack covered rocks |
 |
| Easier to see when they move |
This is just a clip of them flying down towards No.2 outflow.
Heysham skear (MD)Low water wasn't till 19:50, I went down at 17:30
Shag 1 2nd calendar year feeding on the north side, presumably the bird on the jetty this morning
Eider 26
Red-breasted Merganser 5
Great Crested Grebe 3
Little Egret 13
Grey Heron 1
Whimbrel 6
Dunlin 17
No Turnstone
Peregrine 1
Osprey 1 - at 18:00 all the gulls and Oystercatcher went up, I knew a large "predator" was about and suspected an Osprey, but I couldn't find it! Turned out it was just a distant speck about 1km north of the skear. Even when it got a little closer, it was difficult to get my camera on it and keep in focus.
 |
This is it scanning the shallow lake just north of the skear.
There are about 20 large gulls just behind, but it managed to keep scanning. |
Fortunately, I managed to keep a clip in focus long enough to show the dive and capture.
These are some stills from the above clip
 |
| Just before hitting the water |
 |
| Caught a reasonable sized flattie (plaice or flounder) |
I like this clip, as it shakes the water off its feathers before flying off with its catch, followed by some of the gulls.
This time last year when I saw an Osprey feeding here, it returned the following day. If we are to get a repeat performance tomorrow, it could be any time after about 17:45.
