It turned round again and went south!

Heysham Obs
"It" being a Caspian Tern seen heading into the Bay then independently located on the beach at Knott End. It unfortunately decided to fly back south just after 1500hrs, so wait and hope (as opposed to go and see it) was the wrong move!

Wooden jetty/offshore
Quick visits by people to see the Black Guillemots were the order of the day and all seemed successful, Justin describing them as "mutually preening etc. on the wooden jetty". A (or is it now finally 'the') juvenile Shag was on the wooden jetty in the morning. Three Gannet were seen heading out from the Stone Jetty.

Outfalls
Still very disappointing numbers of small gulls for this time of year and this is surely related to the flooded fields which regularly causes a reduction in numbers during the winter months. I cannot imagine it is due to flying ants, the usual mid/late summer explanation for low numbers! Not helped by Heysham One being on an 'outage'.

Waders
The roost contained: 1015 Oystercatcher, 35 Curlew with two associating Common Sandpiper

Insects
10 minutes sunshine and 17.5 degrees produced 3 male Red-veined Darter and about 10 Black-tailed Skimmer on the model boat pond. The sun came out properly yet again too late in the day for dragonflies!

Elsewhere
Two Avocets were feeding on the upper mudflats next to Glasson Marsh in the early evening [none left at Leighton, apparently]. The Lune floodwater looks pretty bad news for all the 2nd brood Sand Martins based on evidence along the Claughton-Caton section.

Displaced Sand Martins

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/sea
The pair of Black Guillemot were showing well early morning at least. The only other sighting reported from there was a single Gannet!

Middleton IE
A single Common Sandpiper was the first of the 'autumn'. More unusual were at least 5 Sand Martin flying around the model boatpond with other hirundines/swifts. This is very early for a species which currently breeds nowhere near (see under Elsewhere for possible reasons).

Elsewhere
Virtual complete lack of reports on the local websites and nothing worth mentioning. The evening return journey up the Lune valley via a lot of standing water also saw the river rather too high for most Sand Martin burrows. THE crucial birder contacted was neither in, nor able to receive the answerphone message in time, and this cost 'everyone' another tick (yesterday) in the form of a not so moribund Yellow-nosed Albatross (the previous occasion was when we were doing survey work none to far from a Siberian Rubythroat in Sunderland, as described in an article by Brian Unwin). How about all birders changing their recorded message to include "If you are ringing about a rare bird, please contact RBA at xxx or whatever"?

No sign...............

Heysham Obs
wooden jetty/harbour area
Black Guillemot: Two seen on at least two occasions during the day on the sea next to the wooden jetty
Shag: Juv at long range in the inner harbour
Gulls: One of the argenteus Herring Gulls feeding under the intake pipe had a sheen of an oily substance (c/f the Shag yesterday??) making the flight feathers look superficially darker grey...........

Insects
Yellow-tail, Grey Pug and Smoky Wainscot were new for the year in the trap. Four Double Dart reflects that this species is relatively common at Heysham, unlike anywhere else in the area or indeed national status. A worn Small Clouded Brindle was rather late. In general, numbers of common species are rather low but the number of species has been pretty good

Elsewhere
Unsurprisingly, proof of breeding of Little Ringed Plover on the new 'borrow pits' near Freemans Wood (one young seen). Otherwise pretty desperate with key observers unable to go on the prowl - three of us often use it as a working 'away day' due to clearer motorway etc. travel to and from sites. In relation to a recent posting about reduced Swift numbers [LDBWS site], contradicted at least by the Freehold breeding population, there were THREE on the whole of the Dockacres gravel pits in ideal Swift conditions this afternoon

Mysterious large gulls

Heysham Obs
A (very) routine day, with a missed opportunity for some reasonable early morning seawatching, was rudely interrupted by a late afternoon message concerning a 1st W American Herring Gull and (ad?) Yellow-legged Gull which were seen in Heysham Harbour about 1315hrs (the AHG flew towards the outfalls). This is a copy of what I have posted on the LDBWS site:

Before the speculation starts................
a) This bird was reported by person(s) unknown to a bird information source - lets choose the words carefully - which was not one of the usual ones used by inexperienced birders. The same report also included a Yellow-legged Gull

b) The immature large gulls around Heysham have not been checked thoroughly recently - they are also scattered all over on rooftops, mainly on the old Fishers corrugated roof

c) The first known check was some 2-3 hours after the report by which time the tide had dropped. This concentrated some gulls on the outfalls and Power Station intake - the bird was not with them - but also scattered many far and wide on distant skeers off Heysham etc.

d) Therefore I would not dismiss this record (or the YLG) out of hand

e) I personally have no time to properly search tomorrow = working day (or this evening after typing this - I had to be in High Bentham by 1830hrs, therefore had to leave the site).

Offshore
A 30 minute seawatch was carried out between 0925 and 0955 = too late as the weather cleared and a further short period from a visiting birder around lunchtime:

Gannet: c15 out
Fulmar: 1, possibly 2 out

Wooden jetty/harbour
Black Guillemot - two either on the water below or sitting on the middle section of the wooden jetty
Shag - a 1st W unable to lift itself properly off the water made its way out of the harbour and 'crawled' on to the lower stanchions of the wooden jetty to dry its wings. The secondaries appeared to be 'matted', hopefully not an encounter with a film of diesel or similar. Later it or the other recently seen 1st W was sat on the top tier of the jetty with the Cormorants

Elsewhere
Silent Wood Warbler still visible in treetops around Tower Lodge, Trough of Bowland. Cuckoo at Aldcliffe unusual

Black Guillemot connection at last!

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/harbour/seawatch
Pair of Black Guillemot all day around the wooden jetty and nearby water. When on the jetty, they tend to sit on the middle section near "No 9". Juv Shag on the jetty afternoon only.

Sea 0850-0920
Flock of 5 Gannet and 2-3 Manx Shearwater, none of which were troubling Lancashire airspace! Closer inshore, a single adult Kittiwake flew into the Bay
Remaining longer into the evening/incoming tide stood a good chance of Storm Petrel - anyone there?

Outfalls
Two Arctic Tern in late afternoon were the first of the day, reflecting the demise of the Lune colonies. No Meds seen and rather low numbers of Black-headed Gull at high tide (c156)

Insects
The rather local Broad-barred White made its second appearance of the year in the trap. A couple of Dog's Tooth in recent days - this species is very common on local saltmarshes

Elsewhere
Two Spoonbill again at Leighton Moss & area along with the adult summer Spotted Redshank on the EM Pools

seabirds missed?

Heysham Obs
If anyone managed to do any seawatching on the morning tide, results gratefully received. Thanks

One Gannet flew out of the Bay past the Stone Jetty this morning during a short pre-work seawatch, otherwise the only sighting was 'at least one Black Guillemot by the wooden jetty' around lunchtime

First Green Sand of the autumn

Heysham Obs
This was a day where a few bits and bobs could be 'squeezed out' notably location of rather lethargic dragonflies in sunny conditions, but barely 14C! It was the authors fifth unsuccessful attempt to see the pair of Black Guillemot - exclusively late afternoon!

Wooden jetty/harbour area
The pair of Black Guillemot were seen in the morning at c1030 but could not be located late afternoon. One juv Shag was on the jetty late afternoon

Heysham NR
A Green Sandpiper flew from the NR marsh towards the (ex)Obs Tower pond late afternoon. At least three singing male Lesser Whitethroat on British Energy property.

Insects
3 mature male and a probable sluggish female rather than teneral Red-veined Darter along the western shore of the model boat pond. One male spent a very short time over the water. At least 7 similarly sluggish Black-tailed Skimmer including two 'in cop'. The first Brown Hawker of the year was along the sheltered Moneyclose Lane

Mammals
Grey Seal harbour entrance late afternoon

Elsewhere
A non-singing Wood Warbler seen at Tower Lodge (three singing males this week at Outhwaite Wood). Long-eared Owls were notable up the Leck Fell road this evening with at least 4 young in the top plantation [2 showing along the eastern side, viewed from the road about 300m beyond/above the end of the plantation] and at least three in the lower [one seen briefly] and a sighting of two adults, one from each plantation

They are still here.....

Heysham Obs
Two Black Guillemot and at least one juv Shag reorted by visitors around the harbour entrance/wooden jetty. Thanks.

Only had time to check outfalls on dropping tide and that is the worst time with gulls scattered far and wide. Anyone time to check for the ringed Med & read it this evening? Thanks.

Elsewhere
TWO Spoonbill on the pager for EM Pool. Returning Green Sandpiper Aldcliffe

Darvic ringed Med new in

Heysham Obs
Early morning visit
harbour/wooden jetty
Black Guillemot - 2 showing well
Shag - 2 juvs

offshore
Sandwich Tern - 3

Evening visit
Red Nab
Mediterranean gull 2nd summer - full black hood and red bill, white mirrors on black primaries, only seen at rest. Ringed LL metal RL white with black digits, lower leg. PLEASE try and read this - the 'black on white' darvics are the easiest. I'll have a go tomorrow but a good idea to have a 50 x with you when visiting this site in the next month as the Meds build up

Black-headed gull 265 at roost
Red-breasted merganser 2
Shelduck 5
Curlew 37

Harbour
Black guillemot 2
Shag juv
Sandwich tern min. 10 blogging
Gannet 7 blogging - very unusual in the evening - fish shoal? Most probably as the Sandwich tern and c40 large gulls were active there in a relatively small area.
Turnstone 1 wooden jetty

Misc
Blackcap female/immature in bush at gate 38!

Elsewhere
Spoonbill Allen/Em Pools.

Heysham obs

Heysham Obs
Evening visit foreshore areas
Black guillemot - 1 on sea below wooden jetty (3 reported on the pager in the morning)
Shag 2 juv on wooden jetty
Black-headed gull 312 roosting off Ocean Edge.
Redshank 1 wooden jetty

Insects
Broad-bodied Chaser and an identified teneral darter, possibly Red-veined, at Middleton during unhelpful weather

Elsewhere
Spotted Redshank still at Conder, Spoonbill EM Pool (also seen yesterday and decribed as 'imm'). Short-eared Owl as well as at least two ad Long-eared Owl seen on Leck Fell from c2140hrs, but young not cooperative, mainly calling from the centre/far side of the plantations (4+).