A dry but mainly overcast day after overnight rain. A light west wind.
This from Pete (M)
Common Scoter 1 female off sunny slopes Heysham (and drake off Morecambe town hall area)
Only 36 Eider in recording area (569 Eider in total most north of Sandylands old outfall)
Heysham skear - low water 14:20 (MD)
Eider 5
Red-breasted Merganser 1 female
Oystercatcher 1500
Curlew 36 (probably more as most were feeding just to the north and many could have been hidden by the sand bars)
Redshank 100
Knot 600 - they all headed off to the north as the tide began covering the skear. This is the largest flock setting off.
Turnstone 80Ringed Plover 5
Dunlin 3
Imperial Rd (MD)
Mute Swan 2 adult
Mallard 4
Teal 3
This male Mallard has seen me and is sounding the alarm, albeit a quiet one, you can't hear him over the bypass traffic. A male Teal behind seeks cover, a female Mallard is also visible, but only flinches.
Redwing 1
Kestrel 2 gained height together were lost from sight.
Buzzard 2 perched close together in a tree.
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| Light and dark morph Common Buzzard |
The pale bird took flight first followed by the darker bird, you can just about hear their contact calls
Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall
The Glossy Ibis was feeding in the paddock at 16:25. This clip shows it to be still losing feathers, and it seems to be on smaller morsels today, possibly grubs.
The Green Sandpiper was seen earlier with the Ibis.
This is the picture of the ring on a juvenile Shag in Heysham Harbour taken by Janet on 9th February. Unfortunately just the last two digits were out of sight. But thanks to Pete and Richard, in contact with various scheme managers, we now know where and when(ish) it was ringed. Thanks to all concerned for their efforts and perseverance.
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| Juvenile Shag ringed during May 2023 as a nestling at Bardsey island, Gwynedd, Wales |
