Friday 31 August 2007

Surreal seawatch

Heysham Obs
A 30 minute early afternoon Heysham seawatch produced:

Storm Petrel - 1 'blogging'
Med Gull - 2 juveniles out close inshore
Cormorant - 1 out

......and nothing else (apart from a possible coconut floating in), despite a fresh onshore wind! As oft-repeated, the location of the windfarm appears to be inhibiting 'routine' seabirds from entering the Bay, such as the half-dozen Fulmar which might have been expected.

Harbour/north wall pre-incoming tide
Med Gull - 5+ juvenile (BEWARE three juv Common Gull as well, affording excellent comparison), one (Czech-ringed) adult and 2 2nd W
Little Gull - one adult on seaward end of Heysham One outfall, visible through the gap in the wooden jetty

Red Nab/Heysham 2 outfall pre-tide
Additional adult Med Gull on Heysham 2 then Red Nab.

Heliport at high tide
All three of the 'north wall Meds' were roosting (Ad & 2 x 2nd W) plus two Sandwich Terns dropped in briefly.

Elsewhere
Pine Lake produced juvenile Little Gull and adult Common Tern late afternoon but the Little Gull appeared to leave high to the west during a clear slot. Great White Egret, 3 Spoonbill, 20+ Little Egret and adult and at least one juv Curlew Sandpiper on the Allen/EM Pools.
A Slavonian or Black-necked Grebe reported at the reed edge between the L Moss Public and Lower hides yesterday