Wednesday 21 March 2012

Distant Osprey highlights some excellent coverage

Heysham Obs
Work-related coverage added some bits and bobs today, as is inevitable during the migration period.  Mid-afternoon saw an Osprey circling high then heading north being mobbed by a black-backed gull as viewed in the direction of Grange from Heysham heliport area

Grounded migrants
Still no Chiffchaff on HNR or dog-walk strip!
Goldcrest - 20+ (13 ringed)
Wheatear - 4 OE foreshore

Vis mig
Meadow Pipit - trickle with about 70 north during the morning
Chaffinch - 10 north first thing
Carrion Crow - 2 north
Goldfinch - 1 north

North wall
Twite - c7 with at least 3 unringed
Linnet - 7
Shag - one 2CY in the harbour

South of the harbour
Med Gull - 2CY on the tideline by the sewage pipe at c1400hrs
Little Gull - adult flying into the Bay about 1410hrs
Knot - 18,000 between Ocean Edge and Lune Estuary late afternoon, then 16,000 of these flew across the Bay towards Barrow!

Moths
Diurnea fagella was new for the year - 3 of them, also a Shoulder Stripe of note.  Plenty of bumblebees prowling around today looking for nest sites