Wednesday 25 April 2012

Trickle of vis, a few grounded Wheatear and a gull-check

Heysham Obs
After going a bit Ainsdale yesterday (apart from diver species), the early morning saw very little on the sea but a mixture of Goldfinch-dominated vis rushing through ahead of the cloud edge.  A bit of grounded stuff, but no mist netting today as no time to cover the sheltered bits below the Obs Tower & the office net area was too windy.  Perhaps surprisingly, no Arctic Tern seen during albeit intermittent seawatching (apart from early morning)

Office/north wall vis
Tree Pipit - 2 NE
Siskin - 1 NE
Goldfinch - 25 NE
Meadow Pipit - 15 NE
Lesser Redpoll - 2 NE
Swallow - 6 NE
Kittiwake - flock of 9 the 'highlight' over the sea
Sandwich Tern much reduced c/p yesterday with c35 out

Grounded
Wheatear - 10 - 4 north wall, 6 Ocean Edge
Willow Warbler - at least 3 migrants by office

Ocean Edge high tide
Common Gull - 327
Black-headed Gull - 19
Med Gull - unringed 2CY with peppered rear crown & no obvious mask, very washed-out pale straw bill with dark tip
Kittiwake - 2CY, probably the one seen on and off recently
Whimbrel - one Red Nab