A flattish calmish sea yields very little

Ad Med on the NHW railings this afternoon. Thanks Gavin.

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Red-throated Diver - one in, one close inshore
Med Gull - two adults around
Pink-footed Goose - 120 north then back south
Twite - 19 in afternoon, one with autumn 2004 ring (Ocean Edge birds - see below?)
Linnet - 3 (getting late for this species in this area)

South harbour wall
Red-throated Diver - 1 in 1145 hrs
Pink-footed Goose - 53 North well out over Bay
Shag - one on the stanchion in the harbour

Red Nab/Ocean Edge am
Twite - c20
Med Gull - adult
Wigeon - c65
Snipe - 2 on Red Nab (c/f BTO challenge)
Grey Plover - 1 Red Nab (ditto)

Office
Woodpigeon 2 high SW
Pink-footed Goose 1 SW
Redwing 3 over (& 6 along Moneyclose Lane)
Bullfinch M over

Half-Moon Bay

Kingfisher - one this pm

Todays observers were: John Wood, Gavin Thomas, Malcolm Downham, Pete Marsh

Elsewhere
One Cattle Egret left the Leighton Moss roost this morning at 0745hrs. It was not possible to view the roost last night due to fog and anything roosting there would have required sophisticated homing instincts. This bird flew north, not the direction of the two previously presumed Cattle Egret, which was NE. NO Cattle Egrets located feeding anywhere today & no egrets arriving from the north into the Leighton Moss roost this evening (c20 Little Egret). Waxwings have been present at Black Dyke Road, Arnside all week and comprised 28 today. Early morning report of Waxwings from Booths at Carnforth, but nothing since. The Rough-legged Buzzard reportedly showed to a select few at various parts of Leighton Moss today. Wintering Common Sandpiper still in Conder area. 26 Waxwings flew over Galgate. 3 Scaup close inshore at Teal Bay at high tide & female Scaup remains at Freemans Pool. 46 Twite Bank End with many bearing autumn 2008 Heysham rings

Fog and foggier

Heysham Obs
Coastal birding and other activities seriously impeded today - ask Cheltenham Town FC as they trundle back down the M5 after a wasted journey & wasted energy

Red Nab
Wigeon 71
Shelduck 51
Kingfisher 1

North harbour wall
Med Gull adult
No Twite during afternoon visit

Middleton IE
2 Mute Swan, 9 Coot, 8 Moorhen, 13 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Pochard, 4 Teal, 3 Snipe, 21 Redwing

Observers: John Wood, Alan Draper & Malcolm Downham

Elsewhere
6 Waxwings at Carnforth Booths until at least 0915hrs, increasing to 7 in the afternoon - but often absent. 2nd W Med Pine Lake a 'new' bird. Some confirmation that the Cattle Egrets do in fact roost in situ near Whasset (in trees behind the lime kiln) and seen there & in nearby fields today, but not very cooperative for photographers.

Ringed Shag details sorted out

Heysham Obs
What is thought to be just the one ringed, long-staying, juvenile Shag was sorted out today. Thanks to all involved in this rather tortuous ring-reading process! Just in case their has been more than one bearing a ring, the limital dates when the ring was actually read are used for the 'formal' ringing details. However, a ringed juvenile Shag has been present since late August:

1426618
Ringed: Puffin Island, Anglesey Pullus (from brood of 3) 7/6/08
Read in field: Heysham Harbour area: at least 26/10/08-at least 28/11/08

This is the most regular source of ringed Shags in this area, but, as the vast majority are NOT ringed, not necessarily the main source of all records!

Harbour area (apparently crane-barge and dredger-free)
Shag - two juvs; 1 in Harbour (ringed bird) + 1 wooden jetty
Shelduck - 1 'in'
Twite - 44 south harbour wall area - including 1 yellow-ringed Duddon bird

Reserve
Jay - 2

Moths
Light-brown Apple Moth and Blastobasis adustella in the trap

Observers: John Wood, Malcolm Downham, Alan Draper

Elsewhere
Waxwing - 6 at Booths, Carnforth late afternoon, but mobile and often absent. 29 on Black Dyke Lane/Road in Arnside this afternoon (per pager). 2 Cattle Egret almost certainly seen emerging from the Leighton roost this morning - the only Egrets to fly NE - seen later in the Whasset area, but mobile e.g. seen looking south near Ackenthwaite from B6385, as well as from the Whasset-Beetham road - these are either side of the published site for the last few days

--------------------------------------------------------------
THURSDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 2008

Middleton coverage
Heysham Obs
Coverage today by Malcolm Downham at Middleton IE
4 Pochard, 4 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Snipe, 6 Mallard, 9 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 2 Mute Swan, 10 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw (one either showing characters of the N/E form or aberrant)

Elsewhere
Cattle Egrets still at Whasset area

Twite continue to arrive.

Heysham Obs
Twite-ringing on north harbour wall
38 caught by 1000hrs of which 16 were unringed and one a new bird (in addition to 2 already caught) which had been ringed at Askam in Furness in late October. This shows that birds are still arriving. At least the same number again present early morning but ringed/unringed ratio unknown

SHW/Harbour 1040-1120
Goosander M 'in' over WJ & NE along NHW
Red Throated Diver 'out'
Purple Sandpiper 1 WJ with c15 Turnstone
Med Gull adult

Ocean Edge
Jack Snipe 4 different individuals
Snipe 65
Linnet/Twite 69
Kingfisher 1
Knot c7000

Red Nab
Wigeon 64
Shelduck 14
Kingfisher probably same as OE.

Dredger update
It was raised yesterday, but at the current time it is very slowly sinking again and being counteracted by pumping.

Observers: Alan Draper, Malcolm Downham and John Wood

Elsewhere
6 Waxwings Booth car park, Carnforth this morning. Cattle Egrets still present at Whasset (both sightings per pager). [Just OOA, Little Bunting trapped in Knott End garden at 1000hrs and still present at dusk! ]

Plenty of coffee to keep warm.

Heysham Obs
Office Vis. 1010 - 1115 hrs
Pink-footed Goose 59 South over GC
Starling 3+25+20+2 North & 4 West
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 on Reserve

Middleton IE AM
Mute Swan 2
Coot 9
Moorhen 7
Mallard 4
Tufted Duck 6
Teal 5
Gadwall 1
Little Grebe 3
Snipe 15
Heron 1 (over)
Redwing 4
Bullfinch 4

Observers: John Wood and Malcolm Downham

Elsewhere
The two Cattle Egret were still at Whasset from at least late morning onwards but apparently absent in early morning frost. They follow the cattle! Extreme negativity elsewhere in the LDBWS area, although the Snow Bunting at Jubilee Tower was seen first thing (but not later) - no Waxwing seen anywhere locally, no Chiffchaffs at Bentham, no shrike at Aldcliffe, no reports of the Cockersands Snow Bunting, no reports of Rough-legged Buzzard at Leighton in pretty decent flying conditions. A Chiffchaff (unknown race) was by Skerton Weir and the female Scaup was still on Freeman's Pool. [Three Long-tailed Duck flew out of the Bay as seen from Rossall Point & Black-throated Diver seen on the sea there - incentive for a bit of seawatching tomorrow??]

Filling Winter Atlas/BTO Challenge tick boxes

Heysham Obs
Red Nab
Woodcock - in the bushes - flew towards the non-op land
Kingfisher - on the rocks
Grey Plover - on the rocks
Med Gull - Ad on the rocks

North wall & offshore
Twite - c30 [& c5 Linnet]
Red-throated Diver floating out well offshore
Med Gull - 2 ads

Inner harbour
Robin & Dunnock by "Gate 38"
[No Shag sightings today]

Observers: Malcolm Downham, Alan Draper and Pete Marsh

Elsewhere
Two Cattle Egret between Milnthorpe and Whasset alongside the B6384 - second day. Waxwing still on Borrowdale Road (by No 61) all or most of morning. Up to 12 (more usually 11) Waxwings at Booths at Carnforth. Single Snow Buntings roadside near Jubilee Tower, usually on the Lancaster side, all day and on the rocks by Cockerham Sands Caravan park. 9 Whooper Swan on Lune floodplain between Hornby and Melling. Late news for yesterday concerns a reported Great Grey Shrike on the bushes between the cinder road and main track at Aldcliffe. NNEW on Conder Long-tailed Duck.

Guillemot leads the way

Heysham Obs
Twite pics
Thanks to Gavin Thomas for these taken yesterday. The singleton is an ancient bird by Twite standards bearing a ring combination from autumn 2004. The other pic shows (right to left): an unringed bird, Heysham autumn 2008 bird, Askam in Furness autumn 2008 bird

Not much sign of birder activity on a cold dreary morning!

North harbour wall
Twite - c16
Linnet - 6
Goldfinch - 2
Med Gull - ad patrolling
Large Gulls - steady southbound 'passage' along the north wall

Harbour mouth
Guillemot - one just inside the harbour
Great-crested Grebe - as above
Med Gull - second adult seen

Observers: Alan Draper & Pete Marsh

Elsewhere

9 Waxwings between Asda and the Morecambe road roundabout 0945-1010 at least but not 1120, although mobile singleton seen late morning. Long-tailed Duck still by Mill Inn, Conder, on canal. No sign of any Buzzard spp. which could be attributable to the RLB (i.e. no "possible/brieflies", but plenty of Common Buzzard) in Leighton area. Max of 13 Waxwing by the bus stop next to Carnforth railway station/Booths car park but not seen after mid-afternoon. Single Waxwing briefly on Borrowdale Road, Lancaster. 4+ (probably 7)Whooper Swan Lune valley between Hornby and Melling.

Odd Common Scoter behaviour

Heysham Obs
A Common Scoter followed an unusual flightline bringing it close inshore along the north harbour wall wall

South Harbour Wall/Harbour
Shag - 2 juv at Harbour waterfall + 1 Wooden Jetty
Eider - 4+1+1 'out'
Med Gull - adult patrolling Harbour entrance/Outfalls.
Pink-footed Goose - At 0935 hrs, c120 north from Fylde towards Ulverston, initially fairly high then very low over the sea into the wind:1032 hrs 28 north again, well out - nearer to Barrow.
Common Scoter - 1002 hrs, female 'in-off' turning NE along NHW.
Shelduck - 4 'in'
Golden Plover - 1 NE 1055 hrs - scarce here

North harbour wall early afternoon
Twite - 35 on the seed, including a pre-2008 Heysham-ringed bird, surprisingly the first one seen this winter. Also one ringed at Askam-in-Furness earlier this autumn. Also: 5 Linnet, 3 Goldfinch, a Robin and 2 Magpie around the seeded area.
Med Gull - 2 adults following the IOM ferry out

Middleton IE AM
Mute Swan 2
Coot 13
Moorhen 9
Mallard 8
Tufted Duck 15
Teal c45
Pochard 3
Little Grebe 1
Snipe 9
Redwing 6

Observers: Malcolm Downham, Gavin Thomas and John Wood

Elsewhere
Rough-legged Buzzard distantly multi-observed at rest in a tree on Warton Crag from the Griesdale Hide, Leighton Moss followeds by very brief flight views. 19 Waxwing at Arnside National School in the morning but at least one blank afternoon visits as the berries are exhausted. 3 Waxwing Booth's car park at Carnforth at about 1455hrs. Long-tailed Duck still on the canal by the Mill Inn at Conder. Female Scaup Freeman's Pool

Usual stuff

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Twite - 18 of which 6 were unringed (rest Heysham autumn 2008)
Goldfinch - 6 (2 ringed)
Linnet - 2 (1 ringed)
Med Gull - ad

Harbour
Shag - 3 juvs by waterfall

Ocean Edge
'Twinnet' - c40 (mainly Twite)
Rock Pipit - one

Mammals
Stoat - one chasing rabbit in NR car park

Observers: Alan Draper, Pete Marsh

Elsewhere
Long-tailed Duck still on Glasson canal by Mill Inn

False alarm

Heysham Obs
Trumacar stores
The billboard proclaimed: "Heysham school welcomes Siberian visitors". This was literally just after noting some nice juicy rowans fringing Trumacar school and earlier being in receipt of info. on the Arnside National School flock of 19 [see 'elsewhere']. A call to the media maestro, Jon Carter, resolved that it was indeed a teacher exchange with Siberia!

Harbour/North wall area
Linnet - 6 on the seed (one ringed)
Twite - just one unringed bird on the seed at lunchtime
Kittiwake - juv out at 1000hrs
Shag - 2 juv by the harbour waterfall
Med. Gull - adult

Ocean Edge & area
Twite - c50
Linnet - 3+

Observers: Pete Marsh & John Wood

Elsewhere
19 Waxwings Arnside National School on Church Hill (one apparently died hitting a window yesterday afternoon (when there were 12, as was the case first thing this morning)). No sign of the AGP at Cockersands but 2 adult Med Gulls coming to roost. Imm Long-tailed Duck on the Glasson canal just E of A588 along Mill Lane just below the lock by the childrens play area (until dusk).