No Kittiwakes left

Heysham Obs
First chance to really get a good look round myself this afternoon and I can confirm that all the likely bolt-holes for off-passage Kittiwake were checked and none seen. Most unusual - a significant influx (as happened in Dec/Jan) usually leads to a few 1st W birds hanging around until the late spring.

Ad Little Gull seaward end Heysham One outfall, 1st W Little Gull inner end of Stage 2 outfall. Just 6 juv Shag by the harbour 'waterfall'. Ad and 1st W Med Gull north harbour wall.

Common Buzzard "seen from" the recording area near Heysham Moss. There were no sightings in/seen from the Heysham Obs recording area last year!

Elsewhere
Excellent pics taken today of the Purple Sandpiper on the LDBWS site from Simon Hawtin. A distant herd of swans on the Lune floodplain opposite Farleton this morning comprised at least 11 Whooper and at least 8 Mute and some which could not be seen properly. There was also an adult Med Gull well into summer plumage roaming around with a highly mobile Common/Black-headed Gull flock. 3 Spotted Redshank at Conder Pool.

Roost and no roost

Heysham Obs
Observation just before dusk revealed that the Starling roost at the harbour/pier was either non-existent or at best very small. The incidence of strong winds and rough seas during the course of this winter must surely be relevant!

In contrast, there was a roost of c50 Pied Wagtail "somewhere in the region of Heysham 2 Power Station".

Earlier coverage by John Wood revealed: adult and 1st W Little Gull Heysham one outfall, 7+ Shag in the harbour and 114 Wigeon alongside Heysham 2 outfall

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper still at the Stone Jetty - showing at the end at low tide

Not a lot of coverage

Heysham Obs
Not much time for anyone to get out and about today, other than a short visit to the harbour which produced 9 Shag. Pair of Bullfinch by the office.

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper at the end of Morecambe Stone Jetty at low tide at lunchtime

A few extra thrushes

Heysham Obs
Middleton Industrial Est Wetlands 8:30 - 10:30am
4 mute, 9 coot, 4 moorhen, 1 little grebe, 4 goldeneye (1 male), 10 tufted, 13 teal, 10 mallard (including one white domestic version), 18 snipe.

There was a distinct impression of newly-arrived thrushes along the entrance road and around the office in the drizzle/rain this morning. Two olive-toned Song Thrush were being chased off by a more rusty-coloured territorial bird which was otherwise in song and there was a cluster of 10-15 unringed Blackbird. The ringed resident Robin by the office chased off two unringed birds in quick succession. This is all very odd so early in the year but the conditions were spot on for landfalling any trans-Irish Sea movement

Otherwise: 8+ Shag in the harbour, 1st W Med Gull attending anglers on the north harbour wall late afternoon and adult Little Gull on the end of Heysham Stage one outfall

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper at the seaward end of the Stone jetty at low tide. Mandarin drake on the canal between Hatlex bridge and the A6 bridge to the north continues to be a year-listing circus act as people wait for it to show authenticity by swimming away from them.

No real indication of any cold weather movement

Heysham Obs
A couple of high-flying Song Thrush may have been cold-weather displacements but there was no other evidence e.g. increase in Blackbird

Usual stuff: 10+ Shag harbour, Ad Little Gull outfalls, Ad & 1st W Med Gulls north harbour/harbour mouth. Again, no Kittiwake seen

Elsewhere
By far the most interesting sighting was a male Yellowhammer at Brookhouse, at least 15km from the known range. Purple Sandpiper still at the Stone Jetty along with "400+" Eider. Incidentally, looking at these Eider numbers, a King Eider was found at my old stamping ground at Clachtoll, north of Lochinver today. That WOULD be nice off Morecambe - not at all beyond the bounds of possibility, especially a less obtrusive Queen.

Nothing new

Heysham Obs
Ad & 1st W Little Gull, at least 11 Shag, Ad & 1st W Med Gull in the harbour/north wall/outfalls area. NO Kittiwake seen! 62+ Wigeon & 120 Shelduck off Red Nab.

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper at the Stone jetty still the star. Surprising THREE Spotted Redshank at Conder Pool

The white stuff did not reach us..........yet?

Heysham Obs
No evidence whatsoever of any cold weather movements - the snow was nowhere to be seen, even on the fell tops

At least 8 Shag still in the harbour but only one Kittiwake could be found. Adult Med Gull in the harbour mouth and 1st W Med Gull along the north wall. c70 Greenfinch (including a tight flock of 36 which flew off east) on the Heysham NR feeder - there is usually an influx in early February. Outfalls/Red Nab not visited

Elsewhere
The Purple Sandpiper at the Stone Jetty is most definitely topping the bill - indeed it is pretty well up there on its own - and was seen well at various times today. Beginning to really miss Lancaster Tip and its only been gone a month!

Too busy for birding

Heysham Obs
A vehicular saunter down the north harbour wall produced both the adult and 1st W Med Gulls and there were at least 5 Shag and 2 Kittiwake in the harbour. Outfalls not checked.

Elsewhere
The main news was the continued presence of the 1st W Purple Sandpiper, both feeding at the end of the Stone Jetty and roosti9ng on the groyne by the car park. There were at least 40 Black-tailed Godwit (unexpected) and a drake & 2 female Scaup (expected) close inshore between the Battery and Golf club as seen from a moving car late afternoon. Nothing new on Pine Lake.

Day off

Heysham Obs
Just the 1st W Med Gull seen today along the north harbour wall

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper at the end of the Morecambe Stone Jetty am

Med Gull restored to health

Heysham Obs
The 1st W Med Gull was along the seawall this afternoon devoid of its fishing line. An adult Little Gull was in the harbour (very unusual in calm weather). Just 4 Kittiwake and 5 Shag seen

Ringing
A niggling light northerly, the worst direction for the feeder net, led to a ringing attempt being abandoned after one round. Single Greenfinch, Blue & Great Tit were ringed and about 5 other birds were retraps. There are far more unringed tits around than is usual at this time of year.

Elsewhere
Purple sandpiper at the end of the Stone Jetty this morning and a few Scaup still offshore at north Morecambe. Good numbers of duck on Pine Lake but the only thing remotely unusual was a pair of Gadwall