Monday 29 December 2008

Twite desert the north wall

Unfortunately a combination of at least one photographer lacking field craft, anglers, general walkers & nice-ish weather has led to the Twite deserting the north wall feeding station. Hopefully they will be back in the new year (no ringing has taken place recently).

Heysham Obs
North harbour wall, pre-tide & early dropping tide
Linnet - one
Red-throated Diver - 7 offshore in a quick sweep - all very distant
Shag - absolutely no sign of any - yesterdays report looks like it was not the regular remaining bird from the autumn influx, but a 'one-off'
Guillemot - no sign
Med Gull - 2 adults on the railings
Purple Sandpiper - no sign of any roosting on the wooden jetty

Ocean Edge area
Twite - 32 on the saltmarsh but elusive and wide-ranging (this is the usual number on here - the flock of 40-60 on the north wall, sometimes supplementing the OE birds has gone AWOL)
Wigeon - 131 again

Elsewhere
The Egyptian Goose has been seen regularly at Leighton Moss this last few days - mainly Lilian's, Jacksons or in the field by the level crossing. Tundra Bean and 2 Barnacle Geese off Pilling Lane Ends. 4 European White-fronted Geese still off Aldcliffe in the afternoon but very mobile in the morning (possibly just due to 3 roaming dogs?). Now SIX Scaup off north Morecambe.