Saturday 28 February 2009

Report-writing priorities

Heysham Obs
Getting on with the 2008 Obs report was the priority today - not the least because the county and LDBWS report compilers were "after" the records in an easier form than on this website. Perhaps a good time to ask, with reference to the various report compilations, is there anything of great significance missing from the "public domain" from the Heysham area in 2008..........or anywhere else in Lancashire? You wont be 'named and shamed'!

North wall
Very brief visit saw the back end of some Twite (6+) and a single distant adult Med Gull. Please keep an eye open for the Czech-ringed adult - it will be leaving any day now and we need to inform the Czechs of the limital dates. We think of this bird as 'wintering' but it has been around since at least 18th July 2008 and usually seems to leave about the 6th March........but this spring has suddenly become a little "early" - e.g. three roding Woodcock in Roeburndale this evening - good last gasp "winter" atlas records! Thanks.

Middleton Industrial Est
4 mute
18 coot
5 moorhen
18 tufted
3 pochard
3 goldeneye
12 mallard
0 Teal!
2 little grebe
1 water rail (heard only)
1 snipe
1 heron

Elsewhere
Single Avocet reported Lune Estuary YESTERDAY. Three at Allen/EM Pools and one at Pilling Lane Ends today. Two Long-eared, single Short-eared, single Barn and two Tawny Owls Freeman's Wood/Pool area. The first three were feeding in late afternoon daylight - perhaps to avoid the later Tawny's? NO interesting geese actually reported in the LDBWS recording area but 3 x Tundra Bean in fields adjoining the seawall near Fluke Hall early morning