Seawatching highlight....an 'in-off' Silver Y!

Heysham Obs
Leighton Moss sold out of 2006 Heysham Obs reports early in the Bank Holiday. This has now been redressed with another print run and more errors corrected! Available at Leighton Shop from tomorrow. Thanks to British Energy for the printing facilities

The 'cutting edge' c/f this (early) morning tide was to check the wind direction and go back to bed.

Sea 0730-0910 north harbour wall
Arctic Skua - light morph blogging then 'in' at c0750
Arctic Tern - highish flock of 41 in, lower flock of 5 in also 35 on outfalls 1630 hrs
Sandwich tern 2 around outfalls pm

Inshore
2 Common Sandpiper below the north wall 0900 + 3 there 1654 hrs
The first visit for months not to register Shag but 3 juvs on wooden jetty 1645 hrs
c35 Turnstone on the wooden jetty
Dunlin 49 on skeer opposite NHW gate 1505 hrs
Eider male on sea off NHW
Shelduck 7 'in'
Red-breasted merganser male 'in'

Red Nab
Whimbrel 4 + 3 flying off from there East, all calling 1800 hrs
Shelduck 17


Insects
Silver Y moth 'in-off' at 0820hrs as seen from the north wall was notable (see below)

The moth trap held the following new species for the year: Silver Y (see above), Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Lychnis

Mammals
Single Harbour Porpoise (just a very faint chance there were two) off the north wall at c0810
Elsewhere
Two Spoonbill still at Leighton - Eric Morecambe pool or Griesdale area. I waited for the late afternoon weather front at Pine Lake and about 50 House Martin were dropped. Checking hirundines on the likes of Pine Lake and/or checking muddy edges for waders is the order of the day this coming Sunday, I suspect, or even during any periods of rain tomorrow.

The vagaries of seawatching

Heysham Obs
Good first hour or so, very little else........

Seawatching on and off from the north harbour wall 0640-1000, 1200-1600
Dark-bellied Brent Goose - completely unexpected was a flock of 3 flying out close inshore at 0720hrs
Pomarine Skua - light morph adults in at 0655 and 0743
Arctic Skua - 2 dark morph in together at 0705, single dark morph in at 0926 and 2 further late afternoon dark morphs seen from Jenny Brown's Point after Heysham observations had ceased - one flew up the Kent estuary, the other inland over Carnforth marsh
Manx Shearwater - 6
Gannet - 15
Fulmar - 4
Kittiwake - 1
Arctic tern - 4
Sandwich Tern - 1
Whimbrel - 5
Swift - 2
Dunlin - first obvious movement of summer plumaged birds - c160 in 5 flocks, mainly north

Inshore
Black Guillemot - ad summer around the harbour mouth being harrassed by imm Herring Gulls 0730-0740. Last seen flying into the harbour but not seen afterwards, suggesting it had sneaked out again and disappeared. A quick look at the Walney site suggests where it might have got too!
Shag - 4 juvs today
Arctic Tern - 16 on the outfalls at low tide

Mammals
Grey Seal off NH wall

Elsewhere
Two Spoonbill appeared at Leighton Moss before settling on the Eric Morecambe pool from early afternoon

Skua bonanza

Heysham Obs
Seawatch north harbour wall 0730 - 1000 hrs
Arctic skua - one dark and 2 pale at 0800, 1 dark 1 pale at 0947, 1 dark 1 pale at 0955 [7 in total]

Pomarine Skua - Flock of 14 light morph flying into the Bay - found at 0820 and watched until 0826. The view of the single observer (Ray Hobbs) is that these birds were Pomarine Skua e.g. posting on LDBWS site: "In my opinion these were Poms".

Grey geese 10 'in'
Eider male 'out'
Swallow 4
Guillemot 1st S inshore below NHW

Mammals
Grey Seal off north wall

More activity on the sea than yesterday but........

Heysham Obs
....................a stiff westerly wind should have produced a lot more Gannet, Fulmar etc. but their usual point of origin in these conditions required negotiation of the line of wind turbines. It does seem that especially the "usual" spring sizeable Gannet influxes along the Kent channel line are being prevented by the wind turbines. Seabird coverage by no means as thorough as yesterday but did cover the high tide period a little more comprehensively.

Seawatching from the north harbour wall: 0815-0845, 0940-1030, 1200-1300, 1500-1800
Pomarine Skua - ad light morph flew into the Bay at about the yellow buoy range at c0955 - interestingly only appeared to have one tail spoon. It was beginning to gain height as it passed Heysham N Wall.
Arctic Skua - TWELVE in total seen from Heysham north wall or Jenny B. Point or both [three early morning, nine afternoon/early evening]. Most flew inland or up the Kent channel on reaching the inner bay and the movement, especially during the afternoon was rapid with one light morph tracked from Knott End via Heysham to JBP whence it flew high & overland 1505-1525hrs. Two of the early morning birds and a late afternoon individual were gaining height as they passed Heysham N Wall relatively close inshore
Skua spp. - one blogging in the mouth of the Bay 1729-1735 was probably an Arctic and perhaps the bird behaving similarly at 1635 (light poor by this stage)
Arctic Tern - Rather atypical in these weather conditions was a flock of 47 which appeared to descend out of the sky on to the outfalls before rising equally sharply and heading inland over Heysham harbour. The departure "dragged" the 16 or so 'blogging' on the outfalls up into the air but they quickly returned to their feeding mode
Red-throated Diver - 1
Guillemot - 2
Manx Shearwater - 7 (including flock of 3)
Fulmar - 1
Gannet - 4
Swan spp. Surely a flock of 5 heading NW across the mouth of the Bay at 1703hrs was Mute at this time of year? Were there any Whoopers left around Martin Mere?

Inshore
Med Gull - 1st summer around the outfalls
Kittiwake - adult Red Nab area
Shag - 3 juvs on the wooden jetty - the pattern seems to be 2 regularly at all stages of the tide joined by 1-3 others over the high tide period
Arctic Tern - 16 feeding on the seaward end of Stage one outfall (see above)

Insects
A bizarre moth trap catch comprised a single Sallow Kitten - new for the year and not annual and a micro colloquially known as Parsnip Moth. Nothing else!



Elsewhere
The only migrants of interest were the skuas at JBP, continuing the theme of recent days. An Osprey has been reported from Arkholme 'recently'.

Early 'flurry', then one Arctic Skua per hour!

Heysham Obs
All the coverage today was from the north harbour wall but unfortunately post-1530hrs, following the belt of heavy rain was not covered (this is when many of the Poms went through Bowness)

Seawatching 0700-1500
Arctic Skua - 7 passed Heysham, including three at 1330hrs (one close, two together distant - latter also seen at JB Point). Two further individuals passed JB Point together with the nature of the observation suggesting they had passed Heysham after 1500hrs
Med Gull - 1st summer blogging during the early morning
Arctic Tern - Just 4+ 5 on the move with 8 blogging on the outfalls most of the morning
Common Scoter - 4
Fulmar - 2 - together early morning
Gannet - 19 - all but one distantly 'blogging' early morning
Sandwich Tern - 2
Guillemot - 2
Whimbrel - 1
Swallow - 0.125 per hour!
Mute Swan - two south close inshore - there are 4 non-nesting pairs on Middleton IE


Middleton IE - location of singing male Grasshopper Warblers on visits 1-3 and suggested breeding territories (red circles)


Thanks Malcolm


Insects
Poplar Hawk-moth and Brimstone Moth new for the year in the moth trap

Elsewhere
Yet again nothing new of interest reported in the LDBWS area (see above for JBP).

Early bits..........then birdless dross

Heysham Obs
There was a mod/fresh southwesterly................but that was just about all which was 'right' and it appears as though the SE-bound overnight cloud/rain had provided a brick wall to any movement up the east side of the Irish Sea or indeed overland. The continuation of the low cloud until late afternoon further inhibited any movement. Apart from an early flurry, it was probably the worst seawatch ever experienced at Heysham (and JB Point) at peak spring migration time in SW winds. The Solway was similarly relatively poor, given the apparently favourable conditions, with just 2 Poms and 2 Arctics in a lengthy vigil

Seawatching north wall 0630-1400hrs
NOTHING of any note after 1115hrs
VELVET SCOTER - two landed on the sea just south of the red buoy.....but did not float past on the incoming tide
Common Scoter - 3 with the above, then peeled off
Gannet - 21
Kittiwake - flock of 11 plus one - the flock of 11 was (about 4 hours later!) the JBP 'highlight'!
Red-throated Diver - c7

Inshore
Shag - up to 4 juvs on the wooden jetty
Arctic Tern - 3-4 'blogging' on outfalls
Sandwich Tern - one around outfalls

Grounded
4 Wheatear

Moths
New for the year in the hut trap were Heart and Dart, Nutmeg and Bright-line Brown-eye

Elsewhere
Nothing worth mentioning so far other than perhaps a single Guillemot off JB Point. No sign of the escaped Night Heron

Today's sightings

Arctic skua dark morph 'out' 0700 hrs & possibly same bird 'in' 1000 hrs

Arctic tern 0700 hrs max. 100 'in'. 8 'out' & 5 'in' later

Shag 3 juv wooden jetty

Red-throated diver 2
Sandwich tern 8
Whimbrel 1 'out' & 1 Red Nab
Swallow 3 north
Swift 1 north
Wheatear male Ocean edge
Shelduck 10 off OE

Middleton IE
Grasshopper warbler 5
Great spotted woodpecker 2
Wheatear 2
Mute swan 6
Swift 1

A foretaste of skuas to come?

Thanks John for this shot of the harbour entrance/wooden jetty

Heysham north harbour wall
0840-1040 hrs
Arctic skua dark morph 'in' 0940 hrs quite high up

Arctic tern 47 + 6 + 7+ 4 'in' then a further 22 'in' to end of outfalls [& 3 during a very short visit early morning]

Sandwich tern 4 'in'
Shag juv in harbour mouth
Swallow 3 north
Shelduck 2 'in'
Great crested grebe 'in'

Grounded

Very little in the nets but 3 new Willow Warbler & 2 new Blackcap ringed. 5 Wheatear logged.

Mammals

2 female Roe Deer on Middleton IE

Elsewhere in the Bay
Jenny Browns Point over the afternoon tide
Unless we hear differently, there were no observers at Heysham after 1040hrs.
JBP was faced with horrendous light conditions and the following reflects the admirable caution of the 5 observers

Skua spp: A flock of NINE was watched for some time in both flight and on the sea. However, they were at extreme range in very poor light and there was no evidence that these birds were interested in attempting an overland crossing and they were last seen floating out of the Bay. Conditions were very murky over the Pennines.
Skua spp, probably Bonxie: A large compact individual seen, again in silhoeutte but almost certainly a Bonxie
Arctic Tern: 126 comprising three flocks in rapid transit (1 via the Kent, two via the Keer) were obviously in addition to the Heysham birds

Elsewhere
See below & LDBWS website (& Simon's link) for brilliant Dotterel pics from a trip of FIVE which was on Ward's Stone during at least the morning but not late afternoon unless the single observer did not look far enough over to the north-east of the plateau. The birds were last seen just below the pile of stones on the N/E perimeter of the plateau about half way between the two trig points i.e. hard to find.









One of 5 Dotterel on Ward's Stone. Thanks Simon


In total contrast, an escaped adult Night Heron was in Lancaster below the scaffolded footbridge between Freehold and the St Leonardsgate car park area (access via De Vitre street). This bird was almost certainly seen in Northallerton in January. Pics on LDBWS site.

The early bird..............

Sandwich Terns chilling out by the north harbour wall. Thanks Jeff

Heysham Obs
As is often the case when the wind slackens off and turns to light/variable, migration loses its impetus - even the Swallows seemed to be flying more slowly today! The loss of the easterly overnight knocked the Arctic Tern passage a little on the head although Jon Carter's observation of a flock of 29 passing through at 1230 shows it is by no means not all over. If there was anyone out there, please could we have your figures. Thanks

Sea/vis from the north harbour wall c0630-1015
Arctic Tern - 226 in with 182 of these prior to 0730 - the birds seen off the Stone Jetty were almost certainly some of these
Arctic Skua - dark morph rapidly in at 0652, light morph flying around high in the sky to the south of the harbour for 10mins or so before descending and heading in the Lune Estuary direction
Sandwich Tern - at least 35, mainly blogging
Common Tern - 2
Gannet - 2
Swallow - 26

Inshore
Purple Sandpiper on the long skeer again
Shag - at least 2 juvs

Grounded
3 Willow warblers and a Robin ringed, no Wheatears seen! No Lesser Redpoll passage at all - where are they this spring?


Heysham wooden (partial) jetty as viewed from the Stone Jetty. Thanks John

Stone Jetty
0830-1015 hrs
Arctic tern c90 around the Stone Jetty area - moving very slowly & flock of 29 flew into the Bay at 1230
Sandwich tern 4
Kittiwake 9 floating in on tide
Whimbrel 9 'in'
Swallow 7 North
Bar-tailed godwit 2 on shore + 1 'in'
Dunlin 9 'in'

Mammals

Grey Seal off NHW & another off the Stone Jetty

Insects

Muslin Moth, Pebble Hook-tip and Shuttle-shaped Dart all new for the year as the lack of east winds at last allowed some moths through the window!

Elsewhere

Kite, almost certainly Red dstantly over Thrushgill plantation in very poor light in the evening, also 2 Short-eared Owl Botton Head road junction. Spoonbill on the flood late pm along with 1st S Little Gull

Even larger passage of Arctic Tern than yesterday prior to midday

Heysham Obs
Reasonable coverage this morning with excellent views of Arctic Tern from both the vantage points at the Stone Jetty & North harbour wall. However, the presence of 430 off the NHW on arrival does make you wonder what passed through earlier. The sad thing was that only 3 observers were there to appreciate this spectacular event

Sea/vis 0740-1200 North Harbour wall
GARGANEY: A seawatching first for Heysham in the form of two males flying into the Bay approximately 500m out at c0800hrs. The identification process as they were initially picked up some distance away suggests a crash course on distant i.d. of this species is required!
Arctic Tern: 1,426 north-east, possibly over-conservative in avoiding duplication when some birds backtracked for a short time. Some were undoubtedly missed as they arrived from the SE behind us or over our heads!
Arctic Skua: At c1100 a dark morph was picked up far out into the Bay flying NW to SE. It then 'picked up' a light morph off the sea and both birds changed direction, headed for the wooden jetty then started climbing and circling upwards just south of the Power Stations. They then appeared to head NE at great height. A more conventional sighting of a dark morph heading up the centre of the Bay at 1145hrs
Black Tern: One flew in at 0909 with Arctics. Another was located on the seaward end of Heysham PS at 0930 but it, and the gang of Arctics it was with, did not pass the north wall - presumably went inland to the south of the jetty
Gannet: 1
Common Tern: 2
Sandwich Tern: 2
Manx Shearwater: 1
Auk spp.: 1
Kittiwake: 2
Red-throated Diver: 1
Swallow: c26 in
Linnet: 1 in
alba Wagtail: 1 in

Stone jetty


Arctic Tern - counting stopped as I was rendered disabled for a time by the sheer beauty of these birds as they came within yards of the end of the Stone Jetty.
0830-0900 hrs 219 'in'
0925-1005 hrs 261 'in'

Little tern 1 'in' 0906 hrs + 1 'in' 0928 hrs

Black Tern 1 'in' 1000 hrs this appeared to be fly catching from the sea surface close inshore in the company of c30 Arctic tern doing the same thing over the same area without making any inward progress for about 15 mins.

Sandwich tern 6 'in'

Whimbrel 17 'in'

Sand martin 1 north
Swallow 7 north
Great crested grebe 'in' summer plumage
Shelduck 4 'out' 1 'in'
Red-breasted merganser pair 'in'

Inshore
2 juvenile Shag

Grounded
5 Wheatear OE foreshore but not checked until 1210hrs, and 2 early morning on the NHW. I do not think any ringing was attempted and we obviously desperately need some help in this area

Insects
Loads of miscellany on the north wall including just one Red Admiral, queen wasp out to sea, several Large and Small White.

Elsewhere
Unfortunately, JBP still in the 'shadow' with the east winds sending the terns and skuas overland before within visual range of there. Just 21 Arctic Tern reported by 1130hrs and no evidence even the 'central Bay' Arctic Skua made it. Their turn should come in next week's weather. Female Yellow Wagtail following the horse around the paddock next to my house at High Tatham from at least 1530-1730hrs.