Ringing window closed

The two Purple Sandpipers taken in foul weather conditions this afternoon on the north harbour wall.  Thanks for this, Janet

Heysham Obs
A possible ringing window as I left home in calm frosty conditions became a shower-laden F3 wind on arrival at Heysham, no good for a Twite session or the anticipated feeder ringing session where new Goldfinches and Greenfinches have been trickling in (observation of unringed birds).  Shame as there were plenty of birds around the office feeder and the Twite situation was more interesting than it seems to have been of late.....and there are not many calm possibilities on the horizon!

North harbour wall 0900-0930
The plan B (or C) was actually quite productive:
Kittiwake - flock of 5 1CY headed distantly into the bay
Red-throated Diver - one on the sea, one flying out
Med Gull - adult on beach
Purple Sandpiper - two flushed from below the north wall by the gate by tackle scavenger and headed towards the harbour mouth.  Later present on the north harbour wall (see pic)
Robin - unringed bird on feeder
Meadow Pipit - 2 (unringed) in sandworks
Twite - flock of 17 with 2 unringed birds were joined by another flock of 9 where 7 were unringed and one sported 2011 Machrihanish-ringed sequence.  Then everything was spooked and the Twite flew to the south towards the mast in two separate flocks
Goldfinch - 2 unringed birds

Coastal blanket

Heysham Obs
Work-related wall-to-wall, apart from the harbour mouth/wooden jetty area, coverage of the coastal areas produced a slightly meagre fare (e.g. behind IOM ferry), other than the Whoopers and three 'large dark distant wildfowl' flying out in very bad light which were quite possibly Brent Geese!

Whooper Swan - 3 off Heysham Head, flew low to the south at 1155hrs
Kittiwake - 1CY behind the IOM ferry at midday, then flew rapidly out
Med Gull - the 'pelagic' adult followed the ferry in to No 8 buoy before flying back south down the shipping lane (regular habit).  Usual two adults inshore early morning
Twite - not searched for early morning - post-lunch check revealed just 5
Goldfinch - 2
Song Thrush - 1 mound area
Knot - c14,000 off Ocean Edge
Wigeon - 102 Red Nab area
Definitely no sign of any Little Gulls, despite strong winds and incoming tide watch
No targeted search for Purple Sandpiper as outside survey area (see above)

Peewit invasion

Heysham Obs
Ocean Edge/Red Nab low tide
Med Gull - adult behind departing ferry
Lapwing - very high count for here of 675, comprising 390 on Red Nab and 285 on the mudflats by Ocean Edge saltmarsh

North harbour wall
Twite - 17
Goldfinch - 3

Bits and pieces in unpleasant weather

Heysham Obs
Southerly gales and pretty useless sort of weather for birding

Ocean Edge and area
Little Gull - adult outfalls incoming tide, then disappeared offshore

North harbour wall
Med Gull - 2 adult
Twite - max of 8-10
Rock Pipit - one
Meadow Pipit - at least 2
Cormorant - now down to 40 on the wooden jetty at high tide
Ringed Plover - 25

Moth
Mottled Beauty in the trap

Normal service resumed with the usual suspects

This Purple sandpiper allowed a very close approach on the north harbour wall. Thanks Janet

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall area
Med Gull - two adults, one Czech-ringed
Purple Sandpiper - 1
Twite - c20
Goldfinch - 1
Rock Pipit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 3

Red Nab/Ocean Edge at high tide
Linnet - c26
Twite - c18

Ouch

Heysham Obs
The first ever Sunday since this site was started without any known coverage.  Sorry.

A couple of quick breaks from work

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall
Twite - 17 (4 unringed)
Linnet - 2
Meadow Pipit - 2
Med Gull - adult
Little Gull - adult offshore in very brief scan

Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Linnet - a flock of small finches on OE saltmarsh saw all 26 visible birds surprisingly this species

Sporadic seawatch mode

1CY Little Gull north harbour wall this afternoon.  Thanks Janet

Heysham Obs
Very sporadic - work to do!

IOM ferry lunchtime
Kittiwake - minimum of 27 following

Outfalls
Little Gull - wide-ranging adult

North harbour wall
Twite - ONE buffeted around on the seed (unringed)
Med Gull - one adult
Purple Sandpiper - 2 along the north wall dodging the waves
Little Gull - 1CY mid-afternoon

Moth
Wind back in the west so..........one Mottled Umber!

A lone Meadow Pipit checks the weather charts

Heysham Obs
A bit of a time warp as I arrived at Heysham Nature  reserve with a squeak from up above and a "typical vis mig mode flying at an angle to the wind and the right height and right direction" Meadow Pipit heading south-east.  There have been some late birds on the north harbour wall but this was the first in 'vis' mode for a bit

North wall area
It only took a handful of thoughtless (off-lead) dog walkers heading along the ex-heliport seawall at or just after high tide, to displace almost 6,000 Oystercatchers from their roost.  One of them was spoken to and amazingly "had not noticed the birds"!  I think the end of this roost is nigh; already the more skittish Knot seem to have given up the ghost.  A shame as it was a very good site for excellent close views, with the birds tolerating any amount of parked vehicles along the road and the usual industrial activities.   Time to address the whole issue of dogs and intertidal protocol, I guess - maybe in the Visitor  column

Purple Sandpiper - 2 at the far end of the seawall, presumably one of these photographed on its own near the red gate later on
Pink-footed Goose - 72(ish) high to NW - the flock may/appeared to also contain two Whitefronts but they couldnt be clinched
Cormorant - 109 on wooden jetty
Meadow Pipit - 4 mound
Twite - 12 mound
Linnet - 2 mound
Dunnock - one mound & one on Twite seed
Med Gull - adult in harbour

Thanks to Pete and Janet respectively, presumably two, not three birds (see above)

Ocean Edge saltmarsh was surprisingly 'dead' with no small passerines noted
Wigeon - 102Outfalls/Red Nab

Local Twite Flock?

Heysham Obs
**Some photos added for the last few days

N Harbour Wall
Purple Sandpiper - 2 on harbour wall slope
Twite - 15, of which two only unringed.  This seems to be the local "resident" flock at present to the north of the harbour.
Goldfinch - 4 with twite.
Meadow Pipit - just a few around the mound area.

Hitching a ride or prey?  Thanks Janet

Ocean Edge area
Very brief visit and Red Nab not thoroughly searched
Med Gull - adult
Little Egret - one OE saltmarsh creek
Twinnet - 30+ - distant flight only over saltmarsh