Friday 19 February 2010

Low tide for ducks, high tide for snipe

Heysham Obs
The Black-tailed Godwit with Icelandic colour-rings/flag seen recently here was at Cockersands today (per Pete Woodruff). Full details should be available soon (thanks Richard)

North harbour wall at low tide on flat calm sea, then over the tide
Scaup - male and three females in 'second' channel
Eider - 96 within view, more than usual directly offshore
Great-crested Grebe - 10
Purple Sandpiper - one under wooden jetty
Red-breasted Merganser - 6
Med Gull - 2 adults
Twite - 14 on seed pm

Ocean Edge/Red Nab area
Jack Snipe - 2-3 Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Common Snipe - an impressive 52 OE saltmarsh high tide
Grey Plover - 3 OE saltmarsh
Rock Pipit - one OE saltmarsh - uncommon in February
Wigeon - 60 outfalls

Mammals
Grey Seal off north wall

Elsewhere
Smew still at Freemans Pool