Mutually-exclusive seabirds!

..........but not the black seaduck that we all wanted. A feature of today was that seawatching from Knott End, Heysham and JB Point all recorded different birds from each other! There is no way that the two Heysham observers would have missed flocks of 4+2 dark-morph Arctic Skuas passing between 1030-1130 and subsequently recorded at flying into the Bay at JBP (then 4 up the Kent estuary/2 over Leighton Moss). This has happened before and one common denominator could be the faster flowing sea on the increasingly 'spring' tides could possibly encourage these skuas to remain sitting on the sea 'going with the significant flow' in the right direction. They would be too far offshore to be picked up in this mode off Heysham. Perhaps similarly, the birds which were picked up in flight off Heysham were intent on gaining height and overlanding before reaching the inner Bay, hence unrecorded at JBP! Any thoughts when this posting is reproduced on the LDBWS site later tonight?

Heysham Obs
Sea/vis 0900-1200
Arctic Skua - lm and dm about 300m behind each other heading NE about 0930. 2 lm in close inshore together at c1035. One very distant pale morph skua at 0950 was presumably Arctic but looked a bit 'lightweight'
Bonxie - one very distantly in
Kittiwake - a rarity this spring was a flock of 33 in at c1030hrs
Linnet - 2 late birds north
Swallow - c30 north
Whimbrel - flock of 12 north

No terns seen!

Inshore
Shag - 2 juvs on wooden jetty after feeding along NHW

Insects
Setaceous Hebrew Character new for the year

Mammals
Grey Seal off NHW

Elsewhere
JBP seabirds: 1+4+2 Arctic Skua 'in' - ALL dark morph! See above for comment. Osprey seen from JBP heading out towards Heysham but not 'picked up' there (despite being alerted) & presumably headed inland over Morecambe. Pair Garganey still on Barrow Scout. Two Spoonbill still at Leighton Mos but a bit elusive. No sign of the escaped Night Heron at Lancaster Uni during brief check.

A tale of two matching two-hour vigils!

Heysham Obs & other seawatching sites
.........both producing a single Arctic Skua and a few Swallows.............but there the similarity ends - one was 'science', the other was pure desperation as the Black Scoter failed to emerge from the depths of the inner Bay (see below)

Sea: Heysham north wall 0730-0930
Arctic Skua - light morph in - already flying quite high - at 0828hrs. DM in around lunchtime
Swallow - a substantial passage in a clear slot between the rain - 291 NE, mainly 0825-0855hrs. This movement included 3 Sand and 4 House Martins

Inshore
3 juv Shag
2 Common and 11 Arctic Tern around the outfalls

JBP seabird observations when Heysham was not covered
Arctic Skua: 2 dark morph in together about 1130hrs and a light morph in at c1410hrs - all seen flying into the Bay from long range and all flying up the Kent Estuary
Guillemot - one seen over the tide

Stone jetty c1530-1730
Arctic Skua - one flew out at long range before presumably the same headed in at about 1640hrs and was last seen gaining height flying in the direction of the Kent Estuary. Conditions were seemingly not very suitable for overlanding with rain and low cloud. This individual supports the impression that migrating skuas do not really care whether there is water or mud beneath them and low tide mud/seawatching could be productive from JBP or the slagtips! In this respect many birds have been seen entering the Bay from Heysham this spring at or near low tide.

Elsewhere
A drake Black Scoter was finally identified as it was found on the railway line near the Eric Morecambe Hide and taken to a vet, before being released whilst there was still some tidal water off JBP. Great disappointment when this bird did not float out past the Stone Jetty.
Thanks to observers for prompt release of the news once the identity was determined. NNEW on the escaped Night Heron but the ring is of identical design to a Spoonbill in captivity at Dalton-in-Furness wildlife park. Two Spoonbill stll at Leighton Moss and the pair of Garganey still on Barrow Scout

Some half-decent early morning calm-weather seawatching

Heysham Obs
Sea/vis 0630-0930
Arctic Skua - SIX singly 'in'/to the NE - all but one pre 0900hrs (5 dark, 1 light)
Bonxie - One 'in' and then over an hour later perhaps the same 'out', before landing far offshore "near" the turbines
Arctic Tern - 2 + 27 'in'
Kittiwake - 3 'in'
Common Scoter - 4
Canada Goose - 2 north during a quick visit at 1022hrs!
Mute swan 'in' on tide 0900 hrs
Shelduck 4 'in' 3 'out'

Swallow - c150 north
Swift - 4 north

Grounded
Unfortunately no time to check OE foreshore/Red Nab, although the 'mound' area did not hold any Wheatear & only 2 could be seen at Middleton (c/f Aldcliffe posting below)

Inshore
Shag - 2 juvs
Common Tern - 3 blogging
No Turnstone left on the wooden jetty at high tide

Mammals
Harbour Porpoise close inshore for a short time

Insects
A very low-key addition to the moth year list, as was also the case with Walney, was Small Square Spot (& there were two more rather early Poplar Hawk-moth). Just two 4-spotted Chaser seen during a quick check of Middleton IE ponds

Elsewhere
The presumed escape Night Heron (assuming not an unconventional ring attached to a captured wild bird) has resurfaced on the pond at Lancaster University. Visiting the pond does not currently seem to be a problem, but parking on campus is! Miscellany from Leighton Moss this morning included an Osprey for a short period, female Red-crested Pochard, 2 Spoonbill and a partially leucistic Swift. Drake Garganey still on the 'YW Darter' pond at Aldcliffe this evening along with good numbers of Wheatear and a single Whinchat

No early morning coverage

Heysham Obs
Grounded
Good numbers of Wheatears (19 located mid-morning & non-op land not checked), extremely variable in size, and perhaps including Scandinavia-bound birds [e.g. yesterdays weather synopsis] as well as Iceland/Greenland. Single White Wagtail on Ocean Edge foreshore - late for this form here. A singing male Reed Warbler on the NR was probably a new arrival.

Sea 1345-1645
Arctic Skua - light morph 'in' at 1450hrs, seemed to go high and overland over Morecambe west end

Inshore
Common Tern - 2 outfalls
Arctic Tern - 6 outfalls
Shag - 3 juvs

Elsewhere
2 Spoonbill, pair of Garganey and a single Egyptian Goose in the Leighton Moss area with an Osprey through at 1300hrs. Last night's weather seems to have clobbered Lapwing chicks in Upper Hindburndale

Reasonable variety including first Cuckoo for about 10 years!

Wood Warbler ringed at Heysham this morning. Thanks Alan.

Heysham Obs
Todays sightings reminded me of those cricket pitches which are said to offer a little to both bowlers and batsmen but nothing extravagant. The seawatchers had their little bits and pieces and it was one of the better days for landbird arrivals this spring, but the rainbelt was unfortunately too far to the south at dawn for a major 'fall'. No doubt the Heysham N.R. working party and Leighton Moss Spring Fair organisers were grateful for this!

Heysham north wall 0630-1000, 1100-1135
Arctic Skua - 3 dark morph which were also picked up at JB Point whence two flew inland over Leighton Moss and one flew up the Kent Estuary
Little Gull - 1st summer which was presumably the bird also seen at Cockersands
Pink-footed Goose - late flock of 24 north-west
Gannet - 6
Sandwich Tern - 2
Common Scoter - 2

...............but please note the following posting from Walney!
"Morning observations over the tide (0800-0900 & 1050-1150) were highlighted by a single pale phase Pomarine Skua and 8 Arctic Skua (5 dark, 3 pale), all heading into Morecambe Bay".

Swallow and House Martin moving north in small numbers <20/hr>

Inshore
Shag - 2 juvs
Arctic Tern - 7 on outfalls

Middleton IE
It needs to be re-stressed that away from the formal footpaths, access to this site is not considered safe and is most certainly completely at your own risk. No-one unfamiliar with the site should leave the formal paths or concrete roads.

Wheatear - 5
Grasshopper Warbler - the males have stopped regular singing but one pair was silently active today
Garden Warbler - One, presumably a singing male, logged - they have not bred here for many years

Other grounded migrants
Unringed birds caught in the mist nets included: Wood Warbler along with 7 latish Willow Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, one Lesser Whitethroat.........and a Moorhen! Even better on recent status was a calling Cuckoo from the region of the tall anemometer at midday. The exact recent status of this species will be checked tomorrow when the old reports are accessed

2 Raven within sight of the recording area flying over the bypass at lunchtime

Mammals
2 Grey Seal offshore

Insects
A very irregular species in the form of Marbled Coronet was new for the year in the moth trap along with other more predictable year ticks in the form of Rustic Shoulder-knot, Flame Shoulder and Garden Carpet.
First 4-spotted Chaser of the year on Middleton

Elsewhere
Two Spoonbill still around Leighton Moss. Pair of Garganey transferring from Barrow Scout to Griesdale Mere at Leighton Moss - this pair have probably been in the area for 6-7 days. Summer plumaged Little Stint at Cockersands along with two Sanderling. Yellow Wagtail at Grab Lane just east of Lancaster.

More Arctic Skuas and the second Marsh Harrier of the spring

Heysham Obs
Seawatching north harbour 0630 until at least 1205
Arctic Skua - 10 sightings of dark morph involving at least 6 birds, plus one light morph. Summary: 0725 2 dark morph 'in' distantly, 0822 hrs 2 dark + 1 light morph 'out', 0925 dark morph 'in', 0940 3 dark morph 'in', 1205 2 dark morph in then circling high.
Marsh Harrier female 1000-1005 in from Walney direction rising up over Heysham 2.

Thanks to Nick Patel

Gannet - 2 'out'
Guillemot - 2 'in'
Red-throated Diver - 1 out
Common scoter - 1 out
Dunlin - two migrant flocks 'in' of c60 & c70
Common Tern - 2 'in'
Arctic Tern - no recorded movement - at least one on outfalls

Swallow 27
House martin 8
Swift 5

Inshore
Shag 2 juv wooden jetty

Middleton IE
Common Sandpiper 3
Grasshopper Warbler - none singing in the windy weather (all paired up?)
Swift 5
Mute Swan 4 including one breeding pair Tim Butler pond
Mallard 6

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'.