still mainly winter mode

Heysham Obs

26 Pink-footed Goose and 8 Whooper Swan north this morning, also seen at the Stone Jetty.

No small landbirds recorded on the 'vis'

Ad & 2 x 1st W Little Gull Heysham 2 outfall

3 Shag in the harbour and what looked like an individual of this species flying into the Bay at long range

Female Stonechat Middleton. Female Pochard still there but just 4 Tufted Duck remaining. 4 pairs of Lapwing and a single pair of Oystercatcher on territory - all round the new pond. Will they stay?

Elsewhere

Ad Med Gull in field at northern end of Agnes Ings Lane (Mealbank), Wray this afternoon and 10 Whooper Swan still on the Lune floodplain by Farleton. Nothing new at any other sites.

Pale form of Diurnea fagella, a rather large micro-moth which causes some problems at this time of year as people think it 'should' be in a 'proper' moth book due to its size. Beware! Most specimens are much darker than this but retain the distinctive shape with the long but terminally-rounded forewings. Plus another Small Brindled Beauty at its only Lancashire location (5 close tetrads) to fill the gap! Both taken at Millhouses, near Wray last night.

Two new moth species....and its only mid-March!

Heysham Obs
Red Nab, Outfalls & Harbour
Shelduck 42 south of Ocean Edge + 86 off RN. Also 4 + 2 out NHW
Mute Swan 2 south OE
Peregrine circling off OE
Wigeon 9 off RN
Reed Bunting female in bush near first caravan & RN
Little Gull adult + 2 1st W Heysham 2 outfall
Shag 1 wooden jetty + 1 "in" NHW

Vis
A sample 30 minutes 1000-1030 saw 20 x Meadow Pipit and 2 x alba Wagtail heading north

Moth trap
After checking the relevant annual reports and daily logs (thanks to Steve White for help), there was no evidence that Mottled Grey had occurred at Heysham (see yesterday). Extraordinarily, another new species materialised this morning, a female Oak Beauty:






Elsewhere
Nothing dramatic: similar rate of Meadow Pipit and alba wagtail passage over the Stone Jetty earlier in the morning. The Whooper Swans were back at Farleton at least in part (7+). Two singing Chiffchaff Leighton Moss and blurred shots of a funny looking specimen in Lancaster (see LDBWS photograph page)

A quieter day

Heysham Obs
Red Nab/outfalls/harbour
Shelduck 101 RN
Eider 1 male off RN
Little Gull adult & 2 1st W outfalls
Wigeon 11 far out on ebbing tide
Shag 2 in harbour + 2 wooden jetty, later presumably the same 4 on wooden jetty
Red-breasted merganser male out past wooden jetty


Grounded migrants
3 Stonechat on Middleton IE (2 males) but no evidence of Wheatear or Goldcrest after a very clear night. The most unexpected record was a Greenfinch on the north harbour wall mound - a new 'grounded' species for SD36!

Vis
One or two Meadow Pipit

Moth trap: There are no records on the MapMate database and indeed checks of the daily logs and the annual report revealed no evidence that Mottled Grey had been previously recorded at this site.



Thanks to Reuben Neville for this and the above Oak Beauty

Elsewhere
Very little news today other than the continued presence of the Purple Sandpiper at the Stone Jetty and 512 Eider offshore there mid-afternoon, the only notable records from a low tide count between Heysham Harbour and Teal Bay. Avocet number about 14 on the EM complex and nearby 118 easily-spooked Greylag Geese are probably the wild birds which many of us believe still visit this area, as the most southerly regular flock of Icelandic birds. Seemingly negative news on the Lune valley Whoopers but they have plenty of places to hide! No sign of the Lesser Snow Goose at Pilling.

More signs of spring

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
A half-hour seawatch fortuitously coincided with a Bonxie flying purposefully up the centre of the Bay at 1125hrs. Similarly, an adult Shag flew out, then landed on the water and floated in again with the tide

Outfalls: Ad & 2 1st W Little Gull

Wooden jetty/harbour
4 juv Shag on the jetty and one juv by the waterfall (NB 2 x Cormorant also by the waterfall)

Grounded migrants
The first Wheatear of the year on Ocean Edge football pitch. At least 5 Goldcrest still on the reserve during a late afternoon circuit. Single Jay seen (2 there yesterday)

Vis
16 Meadow Pipit and two alba wagtail in 30mins 1030-1100hrs

Moth trap: just one (rather early) Shoulder Stripe



Thanks to Reuben Neville

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper Morecambe Stone Jetty, low numbers of Sand Martin scattered around. Singing Chiffchaff south Lancaster & 2 reports of singing Blackcap, presumed to be wintering birds. 10 Whooper Swans on the Lune flood plain opposite Farleton. Lesser Snow Goose relocated at Pilling Marsh

An extraordinary moth trapping session last night (therefore the records are documented as yesterday) at the superb sheltered woodland site at Millhouses near Wray produced 197 moths, including 3 of the very local Small Brindled Beauty:

Thanks to Jennifer Newton

Another species for the vis mig trickle!

Heysham Obs
Vis comprised a single Grey Wagtail high to the north

Outfalls: Ad and TWO 1st W Little Gulls

Wooden Jetty: All the Shag were on here and comprised 5 juveniles acting, as 4+1. In this respect, a singleton has roosted on here and kept itself to itself for the whole winter period, whilst the 4 represent the remnants of the flock feeding around the waterfall in the harbour.

Middleton IE: Two Jack Snipe, 15 Snipe, 5 each of Goldeneye & Tufted Duck

5 x Common Quaker and a single Hebrew Character in the moth trap

Elsewhere
For what is intended to remain a factual daily 'diary', not a discursive site, I allowed an opinion to creep in yesterday. Therefore the assertion that the male Bittern at Leighton is 11+ years old is an opinion which has been challenged by at least two other observers. The text has been corrccted accordingly. Apologies for this incorrect initial wording.

Up to three Hawfinch early morning at Sizergh. Red Kite over Hindburndale and single Crossbill in Thrushgill plantation - the first record since last autumn.

Missed the Red Kite [& possibly a house tick - the second near miss with this species] due to checking a moth trap at Millhouses (therefore out of mobile range) which held an astounding 126 moths (what date is this!), including Yellow Horned, Red Sword Grass, Pale Pinion, 8 x Oak Beauty.

Record count of Roe Deer!

Heysham Obs
Harbour: 4 Shag and a single Meadow Pipit. No sign of 1st W Med Gull near HT, despite many anglers & scraps.

Outfalls at high tide: 1st W Little Gull

Middleton IE: Three Roe Deer (one male) along the British Energy-owned section bordering the golf course. From memory , this is the highest number recorded in the area. Pochard still on 'no swimming' pond & at least 3 Little Grebe back.

Elsewhere
No sign Lesser Snow Goose and only one Barnacle Goose on Colloway and adjoining marshes but female Scaup Stodday. 3 Sand Martin Pine lake both morning and evening but elusive. 8 Whooper Swan & 5-7 Mute on Lune floodplain at Farleton, visible distantly from A683. Extremely worrying Bittern situation at Leighton Moss with the single (unknown age) male so far not being able to boom properly and therefore an essential cog in the successful mating process with the two females is missing. The next week or so will be crucial.

No squalls: no seabirds

Heysham Obs
A promising forecast suggesting "aggressive" showers (5-live forecaster) didnt happen and a 30 minute seawatch produced ONE Kittiwake 'in'. No check for Shag.

Outfalls: Ad and TWO 1st W Little Gulls, adult Kittiwake

Moth trap: Common Quaker (2), Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab. Double-striped Pug around security light in early evening.

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper Stone Jetty at lunchtime. NNEW on Lesser Snow Goose or 4 Barnacle Geese on Colloway Marsh - only report seemed to be of 2000 "very long range Pinkfeet". Just 5 Avocet left on the EM complex and the Bittern situation at Leighton Moss has been described recently as "one male booming weakly"

Goldeneye at Middleton - thanks to Simon Hawtin for these images

Heysham obs
4 Shags in the harbour.
No sign of Med Gulls at either high tide or low tide.

Vis: 8am - 1015am: 1 Skylark (!)

Moths: First Clouded Drab and Hebrew Character of the year in the trap

Middleton industrial estate
2 f and 1m Goldeneye
1 Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing
2 Mute Swan

Elsewhere
Lesser Snow Goose and at least 4 Barnacle Geese on Colloway Marsh with 2000 PF Geese

Trickle of Meadow Pipits

Could people please post any Heysham Obs vis mig records either on to the site or to my e-mail address (see left hand column). Please note number, direction & time e.g. "6 Meadow Pipit north 0700-0715". Thanks very much

Heysham Obs
4 Meadow Pipit recorded flying north this morning - the first indication of passerine vis mig this year. 1st W Med Gull on the north harbour wall, but no sign of the Czech-ringed summer adult (thanks Stuart Meredith).

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper on the seaward end of the Stone Jetty first thing. 11 Avocet EM Pool complex.

Red Nab, Outfalls & Harbour

Heysham Obs
Med Gull: Reappearance of adult in full summer plumage on NHW with 1st W also there this afternoon
Shelduck 9 off Ocean Edge.
Red-breasted Merganser pair RN.
Kittiwake 2 ad outfalls.
Little Gull Ad & 1st W outfalls.
Shag 5 in harbour + 1 wooden jetty.
Wigeon 33 RN down from 71 on the 3rd but tide much further out today.

Elsewhere
Summer adult Med Gull Battery groyne this afternoon. 10 or so Whooper Swans still viewable distantly from Farleton on A683 - in 'centre' of floodplain. Purple Sandpiper Stone Jetty this morning