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

Reappearance or new bird?

Heysham Obs
Thanks to John Frankland for keeping the coverage going: 1st W Med Gull around the harbour entrance along with at least one Shag

Elsewhere
A Canary-like 'fencehopper' along the A588 just south of the sewage works road at the southern end of the 30 limit. Flew across the road into the housing estate. Ad Med Gull (unringed) Stone jetty at lunchtime but no sign of the Purple Sandpiper. No sign of the Lesser Snow Goose, or indeed many PFG off Pilling Lane Ends

Useless wet strong southerlies

Heysham Obs
Ad Little Gull outfalls, two Shag harbour - both during token coverage in late afternoon

One March Moth in the trap

Elsewhere
Lesser Snow Goose & 7 Barnacle Geese Pilling Marsh before the rain, similarly 3 Spotted Redshank & 2 Greenshank Conder & 3 Scaup Glasson marina. At least 10 Whooper Swan on the Lune valley floodplain opposite Farleton, though distant.

No Sand Martin Pine lake but 4 Shoveler & a male RB Merganser new in. Sand Martin reportedly at Leighton Moss in the afternoon (no further info)

Red Nab, Outfalls & Harbour

Core area
Little Gull 1st W & adult on both outfalls then on Red Nab as tide came in 10.00 hrs.
Shag 3 in harbour + 3 on wooden jetty.
Cormorant 17 wooden jetty.
Wigeon 71 Red Nab.
Kingfisher on the south harbour wall at 0845hrs, then flew over Power Station

Middleton IE
3 Little Grebe, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 3 Snipe

Thanks to John and Malcolm for today's news

Elsewhere
Very little news from this area today. Med Gull in the Black-headed Gull colony on the Public Mere at Leighton - aged as 2nd summer. Lesser Snow Goose on Pilling Marsh in the morning but no sign in late afternoon (but 6 Barnacle Geese & one Taiga Bean Goose). Three Little Egret on nearby Middleton Sands

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.