Thursday 4 April 2013

A few quality sightings but general migration still slow

Heysham Obs
A steady stream of Meadow Pipit and one or two Chiffchaff apart, not a lot happening migrant-wise today with the sea particularly disappointing.  However a flock of Waxwings flew noisily over Middleton NR and a Short-eared Owl caught a vole on the higher ground there before being driven off by gulls.  The Scaup flock was still in situ in the tide race and increased to 11 birds.

North wall 0744 onwards
Sandwich Tern - 2 together 'in'
Scaup - flock of 11 floating out on the tide (5 male)
Twite - 55 (possibly including one or two Linnet - in silhouette on the sea buckthorn)
Red-throated Diver - up to 5 off-passage on the sea

Vis mig
Meadow Pipit - c170 NE 0700-1030
alba Wagtail - 16 NE
Linnet - one NE
Waxwing - flock of 16 flew NW over Middleton at about 0800hrs

Middleton NR
Short-eared Owl - one quartering the high ground at Middleton early morning - caught a vole
Gadwall - pair

Office area
Chiffchaff - 2