2nd March 2007

Heysham Obs
Just a report of at least 2 Shags in the harbour

Elsewhere
Intermediate-morph Lesser Snow Goose, considered to be of wild origin and tracked from Norfolk, with Pinkfeet at Pilling Lane Ends and area throughout the day. Also two Taiga Bean and 5 Barnacle Geese. 3 Scaup Glasson area. Purple Sandpiper back at Morecambe Stone Jetty.

Heysham Obs
3 Kittiwake in the harbour this morning (1 1stW), ad & 1st W Little Gull around the outfalls and 2-3 Shag around harbour/wooden jetty. Goldcrest by the NR office possibly an early migrant

Elsewhere
Female Scaup Lilian's Hide Leighton Mos, 5 Avocet EM pool complex

Low key start for seabird migration

Heysham Obs
Very short time spent seawatching saw a flock of 12 Kittiwake heading into the Bay then landing in a closely-packed group on the water. Kittiwake migration, often including some very large flocks, is a feature of the forthcoming month with 800+ on one day last year. On a slightly higher key were flocks of 14 + 4 Red-throated Diver seen flying out of the Bay from the SJ by Ian Hartley. This is an early date for obvious passage birds. ALL mobile seabirds seen from anywhere between Heysham & SJ will be reported here (& reference also made to JBP records).

Ad & 1st W Little Gull outfalls

2 Shag in harbour (thanks to Tom Wilmer for this record) & 3 seen later on the wooden jetty by Ian Hartley

No sign of north harbour wall Meds by Tom or myself - adult at least presumably definitely gone

Elsewhere
Red Kite reported by Redwell Fisheries at 1330hrs (B6254 Carnforth to Kirkby road, about 2 miles east of Over Kellet)

..and slowly they disappear

Heysham Obs
No sign of the adult Med Gull along the north harbour wall for a few days and no sign either of the 1st winter today, despite wasting some Rossisky bread

The Shag seem to be down to 2 individuals, unless others were lurking around the wooden jetty/outfalls

In contrast, the ad and 1st W Little Gull were both still on Heysham 2 outfall

Elsewhere
Avocet increasing to 4 on the Allen/EM Pools. Drake Scaup off north Morecambe

Large gulls back to 'normal'

Heysham Obs
A similar visit this late afternoon failed to reveal any unusual numbers of large gulls with perhaps 50 scattered around, mainly adult LBBG, including 'scoping' the 3km or so tideline impact zone of last night's 4-wheel.

Ad & 1st W Little Gull Heysham 2 outfall in the morning

93 Shelduck on Red Nab

4 Twite along Ocean Edge foreshore

At least 2 Shag and 1st W Med Gull harbour area

Thanks to John Wood for most of this info.

Unexpected gull roost

Heysham Obs
So you think you know your local patch! A visit to the southern end of Ocean Edge to see what was on the tideline in late afternoon saw (an unprecedented??) 520 large gulls (approx 35% LBBG, 40% imm HG and 25% ad Herring Gull) on the mudflats/tide edge along with c250 Black-headed and one Ad Med Gull. A 4-wheel drive was careering around the mudflats to the south, probably celebrating the Countryside Agency now setting the tone re-behaviour on SPAs, and this may have led to some 'corralling' in the Heysham direction but most new arrivals were flying straight over the nearby old Pontins site.

If this roost continues for the next few weeks, it is surely a candidate for one of the many white-winged gulls which will presumably head north with (or without) migrant LBBGs.

At least one Shag was in the harbour and the 1st W Med Gull was along the north harbour wall. A high tide visit saw the 1st W Little Gull flying around the outfalls but no sign of the Ad which was probably sat on the sea out of sight.

60 Greenfinch were on the feeder by the office - plenty here c/f the trend elsewhere being very few at garden feeders

Middleton IE: 4 Mute, 9 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 23 Teal, 20 Common Snipe, 15 Coot, 9 Mallard

Elsewhere
2 Avocet Allen/EM Pools. Male and 2 female Scaup Glasson area

24th February 2007

North Harbour Wall

1st winter Mediterranean Gull

Outfalls

Adult and 1st winter Little Gulls

Heysham Harbour

5 Shags

Other

Adult Kittiwake behind IOM ferry

Red-throated Diver flew out of the Bay

Elsewhere

Water Pipit from Lillian's Hide, Leighton Moss during early part of the afternoon. 10 (+?) Whooper Swans in Lune valley flood-plain fields, as the other day, opposite Farleton

Back into the swing

Heysham Obs
Coverage in both morning and afternoon produced: Unringed adult male Med Gull almost in summer plumage roosting on Ocean Edge saltmarsh at high tide. Usual 1st W Med Gull attending anglers on the north harbour wall. Ad & 1st W Little Gull still on the outfalls. 6 Shag still around, comprising a group of 5 in and around the harbour and one on the wooden jetty

Elsewhere
First Avocet of the season at Leighton Moss. Purple Sandpiper seen all day at the Stone Jetty, either at the low tide site (morning) or on the Bubbles groyne (afternoon)

22 February 2007

2 Shags still around, but little else of note at Heysham.

Industrial estate ponds:
Model boat pond - 3 Oystercatcher, Mute Swan, 2 Goldeneye.
Fence Pond - Pochard
New pond - 6 Tufted Duck

No moths at all in the Heysham trap.

Another blank

Heysham Obs
No visits made to the office by the people who would usually update this site (flu (4th day) & work absence) so late postings possible tomorrow

Please note that the neighbouring Stone Jetty now has a sightings logbook in the cafe in recognition of that dangerous combination, as regards records being 'lost', of a good number of casual short-stay visitors of both the people and birding kind. Please include any Heysham sightings therein if it is more convenient

Elsewhere
A very high number, described as circa TWENTY, presumed littoralis Rock Pipit attracted by a tape at very high tide at Aldcliffe Lane Ends. Mainly rather unobtrusive on floating flotsam. Spot Red & Greenshank Conder, 2 Bewick's Swan Jeremy Lane plus two Stonechat at Fluke Hall which may be early migrants