Saturday 25 August 2007

Black Guillemot return....but which one if either...

Heysham Obs
A Black Guillemot was fishing between Red Nab and the wooden jetty this morning and was last seen 'near the jetty'. This was a bit alarming as there are large numbers of monofilament nets in this area, all apparently legal. It is also a habit that, as far as I know, was never recorded during the tenancy of the pair. These invariably fed for a short period in the harbour mouth but otherwise flew offshore. We'll see what happens in the next day or so.

Red Nab/Ocean Edge/ Harbour/ north wall
Different adult Med Gulls along the north wall (Czech-ringed bird) and on the sandflats off Ocean Edge south shore. 2nd W Med Gulls in the harbour and on Red Nab. Adult Little Gull on the sea off Red Nab at high tide but rather surprsingly no Sandwich Tern

Offshore
A Gannet followed the dredger in and records from Rossall suggest a bit of systematic seawatching may have been productive

Insects
Not very good weather for searching for the Clouded Yellow and there were no reports. Some 'in-off' reports from the SE of England today (along with scattered Camberwell Beauty) but this does not explain why one was seen here yesterday. Rather late records the main theme in the moth trap with single Marbled Beauty and two Straw Underwing.

Elsewhere
Juvenile Garganey seen at Leighton Moss probably the best unless the numbers game = 21 Little Egret at Leighton Moss interests you. Black Tern (elusively or just few reports?) on the public mere at Leighton yesterday and at least 1245ish today. 3 Spoonbill still present on the Allen/EM Pool [why did I write 'spring and early summer visitor' in the revised fairly imminent WTWB in LCC - this is the first time they've done this!]. Adult Yellow-legged Gull visible rather distantly from Sunderland-Overton tidal road