Monday 31 October 2022

Pallids to the left, Pallids to the right......doodly-squat in the middle!

SE light winds all day. Largely overcast, but at least it stayed dry.

Today's title refers to Pallid Swifts being seen both north and south of Heysham this afternoon. Pilling (3 sightings) and Heversham (1 posible) - information from Pete, who advises that the "once in a lifetime show is likely to be over", but there is an outside chance of one on the lee side of Heysham Head tomorrow, e.g. viewing from main carpark in Heysham Village.

Meanwhile, there was nothing of note seen/reported in the recording area, so far.
Heysham skear - low water 09:30 (MD)
Just a very quick check, the mix pretty much as yesterday including the Shag resting on a mussel bank.

2nd calendar year Shag 
No Eider or Knot seen.

South shore - high water 15:15 (MD)
Shelduck 41 out from saltmarsh 
Shelduck out from the saltmarsh 

Lapwing 25
Wigeon 28 feeding on the saltmarsh edge plus 31 at Red Nab 
Mallard 1 male feeding on the saltmarsh Samphire seeds - Mallard seldom merit a clip, but it was nice to see this one feeding naturally (still it only gets 14 seconds of fame though!)
Linnet 120, but very flighty. There was a Kestrel feeding over the far corner, but doubt it was that. There are so many, they must be attracting other raptors. These are some of them being very reluctant to land.

Curlew flying past the foreshore 
Rock Pipit 2 around saltmarsh, but none on Red Nab.
There were 12+ Pied Wagtail feeding on Red Nab, more than normal for this time of day, the Rock Pipits don't take kindly to them.
No sign of any Mediterranean gulls.