Light but cool NE wind. Warm in the sunshine
Shaun did a thorough check from early morning:
Heysham Head
Tawny Owl calling - pre dawn
Middleton Nature Reserve 06:30-07:30
Barn Owl 1 hunting over the marshes at dawn. It was quite grey on the upper parts and no ankle straps, so clearly not the bird regularly seen on Imperial Rd and Heysham Moss earlier in the year.
Cetti's Warbler 7 singing.
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| Shaun produced this map showing the location of this morning's singing Cetti's warblers. The western bird (B) is interesting - not heard one singing from here before. Definitely two singing at Tim Butler. |
Also, 2 Willow Warbler and 13 Chiffchaff.
Sand Martin 2
Pair of Raven's.
Female Goosander on No Swimming Pool.
Heysham Nature Reserve 07:45-09:00
Chiffchaff 6 singing
GSWoodpecker one drumming
pair of Jays.
Pete and Jean also did a thorough check. Report from Jean:
Here's what we had on our seawatch from 0830-1010hrs (we = Pete, Shaun and me)
Sandwich Tern 104
Kittiwake 35
Whooper Swan 7
Common Scoter 7 (2in, 5 out)
Red-throated Diver 1 into Bay
Goosander - 1 female flew past the roundhead and into the Bay
Sand Martin 11
Linnet 15
Meadow Pipit 10
Pied Wagtail 3
Carrion Crow 4
Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls flew into the Bay but weren't counted
In the distance about 1000 Pink-footed Geese got up but then landed again
Grounded: 1 Wheatear (female)
pair of Rock Pipits on Red Nab and a pair at the Lighthouse.
Raven - 2 flew over towards the shore then returned a bit later
Red Nab - 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese
I had a look from the shore out from the saltmarsh (MD). I didn't manage to see any of the Sandwich Tern, but Jean said many were quite distant.
There was a bit of Meadow Pipit movement close to the shoreline 23 north.
Also lots of Carrion Crows resting on the mud.
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| Some of the 33 Carrion Crows resting on the mud out from the saltmarsh |
I also managed a view of the Brent, looking back towards Red Nab. They are having a drink from the freshwater run off, as were the gulls. This clip does emphasise what a small goose Brent are, these are only Lesser Black-Backed gulls.
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| Interestingly lit Little Egret |
Heysham skear - low water 16:25 (MD)
Eider 85 (mainly males)
Wigeon 6 (3 each male and female) resting on the sea before continuing north
Great Crested Grebe 3
Red-breasted Merganser 6. These three male were following a female. She flew off, I don't know if she wasn't impressed by any of them or just finding out which one was the "fittest".
Waders, just: Oystercatcher c 2,000, Redshank c150, Turnstone c120, Curlew 5, Knot 2.
