Wednesday 27 March 2013

Wheatear still in the snow flurries

Heysham Obs
Still as you were migrant wise with a few Meadow Pipit prior to the route being blocked by east to west-moving snow cloud and poor visibility over the Fylde and not a lot else on the move

Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Ringed Plover - flock of 24 by Middleton Towers
Still 8,500 waders, mainly Knot and Dunlin but also significant numbers of Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit on the intertidal to the south of Ocean Edge and north of Potts Corner until flushed to the south by a Peregrine at c0930hrs
Wheatear - the pristine male still at Red Nab

North harbour wall/wooden jetty area
Purple Sandpiper - 1
Twite - 88, including at least 10 ringed prior to this winter and the usual Machrihanish bird.  Therefore no real evidence of departure e.g. by older birds familiar with the journey
Black-headed Gull - still 125, mainly s.p.adults on Fisher's roof at high tide
Red-throated Diver - flock of 4 flying into the Bay

Heysham NR office area
Meadow Pipit - c60 NE early on, then a complete block from at least 0900hrs
Robin - two  very heavy unringed birds which are presumably migrants putting on fat
Blue Tit - one unringed bird

Off Carr Lane
Stonechat - female in the area of reeds and damp field between the Middleton Towers complex and
the footpath leading from the cattery to the shore