Monday 25 August 2008

Storm Petrel an unexpected highlight

Heysham Obs
Probably should have been here a bit earlier in the morning - most of the stuff in the first half hour of seawatching. A very narrow window in the afternoon before the first band of rain sent the wind critically just south of south-west and any seabirds dried up/were too far out to sea

North harbour wall 0715-0915 minus 0815-0835
Shag - juv on wooden jetty for short period
Kittiwake - 1st summer patrolling the north wall
Gannet - 17 out - all before 0745hrs
Manx Shearwater - 16 out in one straggling group 0730hrs
Arctic Skua - dark morph out 0810hrs
Sandwich Tern - 2 in
Eider - 2 females in harbour then along NHW
Whimbrel - one disturbed from the seawall whilst unlocking gate
Wheatear - one

Ocean Edge/outfalls 0820-0830
Little Gull - the usual 3
Med. Gull - one adult & also one juvenile on quick check at 1030hrs (& 2 juv Common Gull around)
Common Tern - one juv
Mute Swan - two have been on Red Nab the last three days
Wheatear - 3

North harbour wall 1400-1630
Storm Petrel - one into the Bay about 1430ish just after a ferry and the tide starting to move
Arctic Skua - light and dark morph adults out together 1415hrs
Manx Shearwater - 3 out together 1410hrs
Gannet - 1 in c1620
Sandwich Tern - 2 out

Elsewhere
2 Greenshank Sunderland tidal road.