Bye bye babies

Heysham Obs
The adult Mute Swans were in the process of chasing the young away from the model boat pond feeding grounds today - about a week later than last year

Harbour
Shag - 2CY on the lowest tier of the platform by the waterfall
Med Gull - Ad north wall
Eider - at least 180 offshore but choppy

Grilled shag

The shag was feeding by the grills near the power station intake this lunchtime and the only other spark of interest was the Czech ringed med gull on the north harbour wall

Repeat: where are the Little Gulls?

Heysham Obs
There don't seem to be any/many Little Gulls around Shell Flat this winter judging by the lack of influxes into the Bay in what would normally be 'perfect displacement conditions'.  The same goes for Kittiwakes, but these are often more limited to big flocks rather than a steady drip feed and easily missed on todays short sea-watches as determined by the workload

Todays efforts saw:
Little Gull - one adult between Heysham one and two late afternoon
Kittiwake - 1 2CY as above & possibly an adult seen really briefly in difficult conditions

Another observer covered the area earlier in the day but did not report anything worthy of note

39 finches on the north wall with 17 Linnet, rest Goldfinch & no Twite

Extra med

Heysham obs
Ad med gulls were by red nab and as usual along the north harbour wall today

The 1cy shag was in the harbour along with the great crested grebe

Fewer finches on the north wall and no twite seen

85 wigeon outfalls

Adult little gull off seaward end of Heysham two outfall then appeared to sit on the sea

Woodcock influx

Heysham Obs
Three Woodcock were seen on Middleton Nature reserve today including two together.  The pale blue over yellow CR Grey Wagtail was also present there

The north wall feeder area held c40 finches including 4 ringed Twite - two quite old birds seen previously this winter

Ad Med Gull also soaring along the north wall

Thanks to John and Justine for these

Where are the Little Gulls?

Heysham Obs
Some lengthy observation by Ian Walker failed to register any of the usual gale-blown staple diet after the turn of the year - a chunk of the north Irish Sea Little Gull population.  Thanks for the records Ian.

Coastal areas late morning
Shag - 1CY in harbour
Med Gull - ad Fishers roof
Kittiwake - ad in harbour - 3 ad offshore
Eider - c120

Late news yesterday included an adult Kittiwake along the north wall and a flock of 50 which were blown into the bay off Carnforth Marsh

What will the wind blow in?

Nothing yet.

An adult Mediterranean Gull flew round the harbour.

7 Tufted Duck on the Model Boat Pond at Middleton Nature Reserve.

Customers at the feeding station on the North Wall:  a feral pigeon, 12 Goldfinches (some flew off as the picture was being taken) and a Dunnock -just about sums up today.

 

 

Purple sandpiper joins the year list

Heysham obs
Presumably "The" often elusive purple sandpiper was fortunately on the edge of a compact flock on the heliport seawall at high tide.

Only other bird of note during very limited observation was the adult med gull above what must be record numbers of anglers for a weekday.

I wonder if the sw to west winds are going to be sustained enough to produce the goods without wholesale  cancellation of a good source of birds - incoming ferries. We'll see but little gull and kittiwake have been really scarce despite some fairly promising days this winter

Dead wet

Heysham Obs
A trawl round revealed:
Med Gull - ad Fishers roof
Tufted Duck - 4 Middleton MP pond
Oystercatcher - one on spit Middleton MB pond
Mallard - 6 MBP, 2 Ocean Edge

....................and a guy on a two-way journey along the Heliport seawall who had absolutely no comprehension about disturbing the wader roost - he "just wanted to walk his dog and hadn't noticed anything else".  Completely displaced were: 4200 Oystercatcher, 1950 Knot, 220 Redshank, 13 Turnstone, two Bar-tailed Godwit and 18 Ringed Plover.  This guy has two Basset Hounds dressed in jackets.  Familiar anyone?

6th January 2014

Heysham Obs

Two year ticks today:
Pintail - flock of four flew out of the bay

Mottled Umber - kicked off the mothing year at Heysham - a single

Bluebottle still HNR office