A sunny day with a fresh easterly wind.
Pete:
Sea late stages of dropping tide Heysham from back of harbour 0620-0720.
Some nice migration in action:
Arctic Skua - 1 dark morph floating out then lifted up, climbed and headed NE just south of Heysham Head (seen this many times over the years with skuas and Arctic Terns).
Arctic Tern - flock of 11 rapidly in (so nearly missed as they ‘blended’ into the sea), 1 in.
Gannet - 2 in/out, 1 in
Common Scoter - 5 in, 1 out
Red-throated Diver - 1 in
Pink-Footed geese - flock c35 in
Sandwich Tern - c20 blogging, 5 out;
Little Gull - Adult blogging briefly with lots of gulls as sandbanks uncovered - think it then went in;
Mediterranean Gull - 2cy harbour mouth with 2cy Common Gulls.
Little gull the 2cy still feeding outer end of outfalls (but no sign of any Kittiwakes)
Janet checked Red Nab towards high water
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| Two Pale-bellied Brent geese, plus Oystercatchers, Dunlin and three Whimbrel |
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| Three Whimbrel, Oystercatchers and a Dunlin |
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| There were at least five Wheatears |
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| Green-Veined White in the Nature Park |
North shore
Pale-bellied Brent goose 5 early morning - Davis Kaye
Heysham skear - Malcolm 10:15 - 11:30
There were now only two Brent geese, presumably the same two seen on Red Nab by Janet later.
A Redshank with them in this clip.
Redshank often swim across pools of open water, but just to get to the other side. This one continued swimming around for a while, despite being very close to the shore. |
| Pale-bellied Brent geese |
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| Redshank - there were 200+ around the skear |
Eider 16
Red-breasted Merganser 7
Great Crested Grebe 3
Knot c1500 were lifted by what looked like an attack as I was setting out, but they settled again. A second attack a little later was enough for them and they left high to the SW.
Later a Peregrine arrived from the SW with empty talons.
Whimbrel 8 (3 + 5) flying north
Kevin Eaves:
A wonderful variety of butterflies in a sheltered, sunny spot near the bridge on the lane that goes from Middleton Road towards Heysham Moss. Just inside the recording area.
They appeared to be enjoying the sunshine.
Orange-tip
Green-veined White
Brimstone
Speckled Wood
Peacock
Red Admiral
Holly Blue
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| Red Admiral |
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| Peacock |
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| Holly Blue |
