Thursday 8 September 2011

Sabine's Gull!



Thanks very much indeed for these Mike (Baron).  Latest info I have is that it was still there at least 1845hrs

Thanks for this Mario.  The answer to those earlier observers who commented it didnt seem to be eating anything.  This pic was taken at 1845hrs
Heysham Obs
Posted too early this morning!  As I was originally posting, having given up on the sea, an increase in wind and rain coincided with Tom Walkington and Pete Cook finding a close adult Sabine' Gull passing the north wall at 0930hrs.  After then being seen off Red Nab and seemingly heading out, it was lost, retrospectively sitting on the sea, as it then returned to the outfalls/harbour mouth area for the rest of the morning.  Other observers should now be keeping tabs.  It remained until at least 1845hrs with occasional forays out to sea.  Note the apparent foot injury with one foot protruding through the tail.  Anyone who was struggling with tern ageing/identification on the public mere at Leighton Moss yesterday could do worse than visit Heysham outfalls in the next few days. 

North harbour wall
0620-0650hrs
Brown Rat
0715-1200hrs
Black Tern - juv out, quite distant and didnt 'find' the outfalls by 0900hrs
Manx Shearwater - two
Fulmar - 3
Leach's Petrel - one off Ocean Edge in the main shpping channel heading out at c0955hrs
Gannet - 3 (one 1CY)
Sabine's Gull - adult (yellow tip to bill etc etc) just starting head moult 0930-at least 1845hrs - now remaining on the outfalls at lowish tide!  Will it stay overnight?
Kittiwake - 5 (2 1CY)

Terns on outfalls/off north harbour wall at various times incoming tide
Common Tern - minimum of 3 adult and 5 juvenile, many of these in one 'gang' and they seemed to disappear mid-morning.  I didnt check later in the day & no definite counts seem to have been offered.
Arctic Tern - minimum of two adult and 3 juvenile, later the number of juvs were reported to have increased to perhaps as many as 8
Sandwich Tern - three Red Nab/outfalls area

Outfalls/Red Nab other species
Little Gull - ad & 2CY (now well on the way to 2nd winter with P9 & 10 still to be moulted along with one or two covert feathers) and 1CY briefly mid-morning
Med Gull - up to 13 1CY (10 off the harbour!), 6 adult-type and 4 2CY. This may be a record count - certainly so of 1CY, but I need to check.
Wheatear - two
Knot - 47 on Red Nab near HT

Heysham Nature reserve
Willow Warbler and Goldcrest (2) by the office