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

Morecambe's Eiders pay a visit

Heysham Obs
Just 4 Shag noted in the harbour this morning and 1st W Little Gull on Heysham 1 outfall. NO obvious sign of the Meds on the north wall but the 'low/low' spring tide may have resulted in some of the Morecambe Eider appearing within view (115). More unusual off there was a flock of 20 Wigeon.

Ocean Edge saltmarsh held 11 Snipe. Observers checking on the latter stages of the incoming tide for Jack Snipe need to ask at Ocean Edge reception before traversing the site. Thanks

Elsewhere
ELEVEN presumed littoralis Rock Pipit at Aldcliffe Lane End at high tide (see tomorrows late posting). Purple Sandpiper off the end of the Stone Jetty again this morning. 6 Sanderling reportedly there at lunchtime (there are winter-period precedents during high tides but usually when also wind-driven).

The moth trap at High Tatham contained 2 Small Brindled Beauty (at its only known location (=4 clustered tetrads in SD66) in Lancs and one of only 2 in NW England), 2 Pale Brindled Beauty, 1 Chestnut & 1 March Moth

First recording gap after 68 days?

Heysham Obs
..........and so we fall at the 69th hurdle. Not a bad run of daily data provision from Heysham, albeit having to rely on quick visits to the Med Gull(s) and Shags on some days!

Elsewhere
Purple Sandpiper on the end of the Stone jetty at low tide this morning. 2 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank Conder Pool, 2 Bewick's Swan Jeremy Lane & 3 Scaup in the Glasson area. 5 presumed Scandinavian Rock Pipits at Aldcliffe - the highest count of a poor winter for this species - unless the Colloway side is more attractive.

Distant (Cumbrian?!) Red-throated Diver.

Heysham Obs
Ad & 1st W Little Gull still on the outfalls [very unusual they have remained in calm weather & not the odd Kittiwake]. Ad & 1st W Med Gull along the north harbour wall. 5+ Shag in the harbour. Very distant Red-throated Diver flying out & possibly another distant bird floating in. Flock of 70 Pink-footed Geese heading NW.

Middleton IE WeBS etc: 21 Teal, 5 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 14 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, 4 Moorhen, 1 Goldeneye, 16 Snipe, 1 Woodcock, 1 female Stonechat.......and the first singing Skylark of the year.

Elsewhere
The most startling records were on the theme of apparent movements of (typically early but not usually this early) passerine species. Stonechat at Cockersands increased to 6 and a flock of 40 Skylark were recorded at Wenning Foot on the Lune - an area where there were none in the winter survey (strictly coastal or coastal stubble). A Greenshank was reported on the Lune floodplain and the two at Conder, along with 2/3 Spotted Redshank were also seen today. An adult Med Gull coming into summer plumage was also seen at the Conder.

A bit of biodiversity for a change?

Heysham Obs
Birds
Routine at the harbour/north wall with Ad and 1st W Med Gull and at last 5 Shag

Insects
Peacock butterfly along the "dog walk/landscape strip" running from the nature reserve to Red Nab. Also a bumble bee spp, presumably Bombus terrestris

Elsewhere
Green Sandpiper appearing at Aldcliffe from an unknown winter bolt-hole. 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank at Conder and male/female Scaup on Glasson Marina
A queen Red-tailed Bumble bee was just outside the LDBWS recording area (but in the NLN recording area of SD47) at the Netherwood Hotel at Grange this afternoon along with a Hawfinch. Dotted Border moth on my outside window at High Tatham as I type this. Ad Med Gull with large gull flock between Burrow and A65/A683 junction early afternoon

Sneaky weather front goes into reverse

Heysham Obs
The available time coincided with a wet reversing frontal system this afternoon. In wimp/unoptimistic mode, I chose the lowest common denominator to keep the daily entry going - at least 6 Shag in the harbour.........unless anyone else was on the prowl?

Elsewhere
Purple Sand in both feeding area and HT roost on the Stone Jetty during the course of the day. At least 11 Whooper Swan in the Lune valley floodplain fields just west of Farleton [the next to Claughton version] along with few Mute Swan. Viewable distantly from along A683.

Are Shag numbers still in double-figures?

Heysham Obs
6 Shag, as yesterday, by the waterfall in the harbour and a further 3 along the north harbour wall. Not all the potential nooks and crannies could be checked, notably anything around the outfalls. No sign of the Med Gulls along the north harbour wall for quite a lengthy spell today. Thanks for the info, Howard.

Elsewhere
That current rarity, a Red-throated Diver, made an appearance off Morecambe Stone Jetty this morning. The main feeding area for Purple Sandpiper was disturbed for a lengthy period and there was no sign

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.