Sunday 3 July 2022

A thorough check, but nothing new

West to WNW wind, mainly overcast with a few sunny spells and showers

South Shore
Initial check by Pete Crooks:

34 Mediterranean Gull between Red Nab and Heysham Harbour at low tide – 25 adults, 4 2nd summer, 5 1st summer. Most were rather distant off the the far end of the HS1 and HS2 outfall channels. Two of the most distant birds were colour-ringed: adult with white darvic on left leg, 1st summer with white darvic on right leg.

Also: 4 Rock Pipit around the Lighthouse, including 1 flying into a long horizontal crevice on the harbour wall.

I had a walk along the wall late morning, accompanied by the only prolonged period of rain of the day! (MD). The only thing I would add to Pete's report is that as the tide was covering the beach near the wooden jetty there were 6 adult and a 2nd calendar year Mediterranean gulls. The significance today was that they were at least searching for Sandmason worms, although I didn't see any being caught.
This is the white darvic ringed adult Med, pictured here yesterday

Nearer high water Pete (M) had a look

38 Meds at 1315 including 8 1st summer/2cy as the tide was starting to cover Red nab. About half the number of bhg and Meds cp the other day when 63 Meds and suspect some of the Red nab roosting Meds may already have left for the lune estuary before I arrived