The very strong east wind eased before midnight. A light east wind in the morning gradually moved to NW. light showers early on but after that mainly dry with some sunshine.
The Heysham Bird Observatory annual report is now available - see image on sidebar. This is an excellent report, not just for the records (birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies and mammals) but it also provides a summary of when to expect to see each bird species, and also some very interesting results from ringing and ring reading in the field. Contact Alan if you would like a copy (£4 collect or £5 post). Plus I will keep copies in my car if you see me out and about (Malcolm)
First some images from Kevin Singleton of his sightings on Heysham Head yesterday
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| Male Linnet |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Whimbrel |
Seawatch report from Pete:
Arctic tern 19 - 12 plus 6 plus 1 out
Sandwich Tern 25-30 outbound
Arctic Skua 1 light morph in low then climbing high 0840
Gannet 1
Common Scoter 6 plus 2
Canada goose 1
c20 swallow
Knot 25 non breeding plumage out
I had a walk along the north shore waterline on the rising tide (MD)
I started near the skear corner
Eider 10 on sea plus 2 out
Great Crested grebe 8 - these are 7 of them
Shelduck 4+2 outPresumably this is the same Canada goose as seen by Pete
The hirundines became more frequent during the morning.
Swallow 42
House Martin 1
Grey Seal at least 2, probably 3 possibly more.
It's hard making an accurate count of the Sandwich Tern, some were feeding some resting others moving through. 14 was the most I could account for at any one time.
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| Sandwich Tern |
Everything so far in today's post would have been visible from the location of the LDBWS event on Heysham Head tomorrow morning. This last clip of 7 resting (and canoodling) Sandwich Terns was actually taken from the stone graves on Heysham Head.
Tomorrow's event is open to none LDBWS members
Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)
The nesting Mute Swans on the "no swimming" pond now have at least 6 cygnets
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| Looks like this Robin also has a family |
The frogs have also had a successful breeding season, the "no swimming" pond is full of tadpoles!
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| Roebuck |
