Friday 15 August 2008

Gull grilling

Heysham Obs
During August, it is usually one or two juvenile Common Gull as the pitfall for the unwary amongst a small number of juvenile Med Gulls. This year it is currently the other way round with at least 6 juv Common Gull today and 2 juvenile Meds.

Ocean Edge/Red Nab/Stage 2 outfall 0820-0920
Common Gull - minimum of 6 juvenile, some looking quite 'contrasty'
Med. Gull - 2 juveniles but not possible to see whether ringed. 2 unringed adults (one small)
Little Gull - 2 1st S->2nd W
Gannet - just the one from 4 well-spaced offshore 'sweeps'

Coastal recording area WeBS highlights
Med. Gull - one of the juvs was on Red Nab and had a "whitish" ring which did not appear to be lettered, & probably therefore a metal, on the right leg during very brief view before it settled down. Ad Heliport
Sandwich Tern - 4 Red Nab
Turnstone - 182 on wooden jetty

Middleton IE
A ringing session again saw very few Whitethroat (2 ringed) but a reasonable catch included 6 House Martin and 5 Willow Warbler

Elsewhere
2 Little Egret Hest Bank