A combined effort from 20 of us led to 71 species being seen in the Heysham and Middleton area today.
SEA highlights:
Sandwich Tern 6 – mainly blogging
Arctic Tern – 23 low over the water then rising high in the sky to go overland
Guillemot – 1 whirring in quickly seen only by PJM
Gannet -1 distantly, seen only by PJM
Common Scoter – 10 seen distantly only by PJM
Whimbrel – at least one
Whooper Swan – 6 late ones heading north.
Eider – not counted but plentiful around the skear
Red-breasted Merganser – 3 pairs
Great-crested Grebe – 2 pairs
LAND highlights:
Rock Pipit on the cliffs
A surprise Grasshopper Warbler moved through, heard but not seen
Whitethroats galore on Middleton NR
Lesser Whitethroats not quite as galore on MNR
Reed Warbler – 2 at MNR
Sedge Warbler – several at MNR
Cetti’s Warbler – heard by a few
Willow Warblers,Chiffchaff and Blackcaps singing.
Just Garden Warbler missing from the Middleton warbler-fest.
A vivid red male Bullfinch was a joy to behold even if its song was a bit pathetic!
SKY highlights aka “vis”:
Pink-footed Goose – 35
Tree Pipit – at least 2 heard by those with exceptional hearing
Lesser Redpoll – at least 5
Siskin – at least 2
Swallow – 53 (if we count the 40 seen by PJM from the North Wall)
House Martin – at least 2
Sand Martin – at least 1
Meadow Pipit – 2
Others may have different highlights.
Let’s see if tomorrow’s watchers manage to do better……You know the target to beat!
