Thursday, 11th May 2017

A Marsh Harrier and an Osprey flying through were todays highlights.

Offshore

8 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 4 Manx Shearwaters west, 10 Gannets east, 1 Guillemot east, 4 Auk sp. east, 1 Little Tern east, 5 Sandwich Terns and 7 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration 

1 Marsh Harrier east, 1 Osprey - very high north late morning - nearly slipped through if it wasn't for alarm calling Gulls, 7 Whimbrels east, 14 Swifts north-east, 2 Sand Martins north-east, 123 Swallows north-east, 5 Tree Pipits north-east, 4 Redpolls east  and 5 Goldfinch east.

 Marsh Harrier

Grounded Migrants 

1 Garden Warbler, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 2 White Wagtails.

 Whinchat

 Spotted Flycatcher

Yellow Wagtail

Others 

155 Ringed Plovers, 6 Whimbrels, 11 Turnstones, 300 Sanderlings, 1000 Dunlins and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Wednesday, 10th May 2017

A Richard's Pipit found on the golf course this afternoon was an unexpected find. IG had returned to Rossall Point to check through the waders on the receding tide and heard the bird call from the golf course. It was sat on the fairway by the walkover style before being flushed by golfers and it landed briefly in some

'rough' before flying off SE. There was also another arrival of common migrants with good numbers of Whitethroats, Sedge & Reed Warblers and a Hobby was over the water meadows in the evening.

Richard's Pipit

Offshore

31 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Manx Shearwaters west, 7 Gannets east, 5 Auk sp. east, 6 Sandwich Terns and 4 Common Terns.

Visible Migration:

6 Whimbrels north, 17 Swifts north-east, 6 Sand Martins north-east, 255 Swallows north-east, 18 House Martins north-east, 4 Yellow Wagtails east, 12 Tree Pipits north-east and 4 Redpolls east.

Grounded Migrants

3 Willow Warblers, 3 Garden Warblers, 15 Whitethroats, 10 new Reed Warblers, 15 Sedge Warblers, 3 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Richard's Pipit.

 

 Richard's Pipit (right)

Whinchat

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Others

170 Ringed Plovers, 11 Whimbrels, 22 Turnstones, 350 Sanderlings, 1200 Dunlins, 30 Swifts, 1 Hobby and 4 Sand Martins.

Tuesday, 9th May 2017

A single Hooded Crow that flew north across the bay was the most notable bird today.

Hooded Crow

Offshore 

378 Common Scoters east, 7 Red-throated Divers east, 11 Manx Shearwaters east, 6 Gannets east, 2 Guillemots east, 4 Auk sp. east, 4 Sandwich Terns, 42 Arctic Terns east and 7 Kittiwakes east.

Visible Migration:

1 Whimbrel east, 1 Hooded Crow north, 8 Sand Martins north-east, 127 Swallows North-east, 2 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east and 4 Redpolls

east.

Grounded Migration

3 Willow Warblers, 1 Whitethroat and 4 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

160 Ringed Plovers, 6 Whimbrels, 16 Turnstones, 125 Sanderlings, 750 Dunlins and 2 Sand Martins.

Monday, 8th May 2017

An unprecedented count of 5 Puffins were seen this morning. The first two birds flew east shortly followed by two more accompanying four Razorbills, and a little later a single bird flew in. This species is just about annual here, but there seems to have been an influx with several sightings off the Lancashire coast during the month. There was also another good movement of Hirundines and the first Hobby of the year was recorded.

Offshore

46 Common Scoters east, 14 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Manx Shearwaters east, 17 Gannets east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 5 Puffins east - 2 in at 0625, 2 in at 0650 and a single in at 0705, 4 Razorbills east, 7 Guillemots east, 22 Auk sp. east, 2 Little Terns east, 7 Sandwich Terns and 11 Arctic Terns east.

 

 Gannets

 

 Arctic Skua

Visible Migration 

31 Pink-footed Geese north, 12 Whimbrels east, 1 Wood Pigeon east, 5 Swifts north-east, 1 Hobby north, 17 Sand Martins north-east, 656 Swallows north-east, 96 House Martins north-east, 1 Willow Warbler in-off and landed on the embankment before departing inland, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 1 Alba Wagtail north-east, 4 Tree Pipits north-east, 1 Meadow Pipit north-east, 2 Linnets east, 11 Redpolls east, 10 Goldfinch east and 1 Siskin east.

Grounded Migrants 

2 Willow Warblers, 3 Whinchats and 5 Wheatears.

Others 

170 Ringed Plovers, 8 Whimbrels, 17 Turnstones, 130 Sanderlings, 700 Dunlins and 3 Common Sandpipers.

 

 Whimbrels

 

 Whitethroat

Sunday, 7th May 2017

Another excellent migration day, the highlight`s being four Pomarine Skuas offshore, 2 showy singing male Wood Warblers and the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year.

Wood Warbler

Offshore:

4 Shelducks east, 778 Common Scoters east, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 18 Red-throated Divers east, 26 Gannets east, 4 light morph Pomarine Skuas (2 singles NE early morning & 2 came in late morning and landed on the sea opposite the tower. These two birds drifted back out on the receding tide), 4 Arctic Skuas east/north-east, 9 Guillemots east, 10 Auk sp. east, 1 Little Tern east, 11 Sandwich Terns, 334 Arctic Terns east and 39 Kittiwakes east.

 

 Pomarine Skua

Visible Migration:

15 Whimbrels east, 11 Swifts north-east, 5 Sand Martins north-east, 270 Swallows north-east, 13 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 4 Tree Pipits north-east, 3 Meadow Pipits north-east, 6 Linnets east, 13 Redpolls east and 14 Goldfinch east.

Grounded Migrants 

1 Cuckoo, 2 Wood Warblers, 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Lesser Redpolls.

 

 Whinchat (above & below)

Wood Warbler

Others 

165 Ringed Plovers, 7 Whimbrels, 17 Turnstones, 130 Sanderlings, 800 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Ringing

2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Blackcap, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Robin and 1 Greenfinch.

 

 Sedge Warbler

Saturday, 6th May 2017

Offshore:

55 Common Scoters east & 27 west, 1 male Velvet Scoter west, 17 Red-throated Divers east, 8 Gannets east, 2 Razorbills east, 1 Guillemot, 11 Auk sp. east, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern east and 250 Arctic Terns - these spent much of the morning feeding in the mouth of the bay.

Visible Migration:

17 Whimbrels east, 44 Swifts north-east, 1 Rook east, 3 Sand Martins north-east, 122 Swallows north-east, 3 House Martins north-east, 5 Tree Pipits north-east, 1 Meadow Pipit north-east, 25 Redpolls east and 14 Goldfinch east.

 

 Swift

 

 Whimbrel

Grounded Migrants 

2 Wheatears.

Others 

150 Ringed Plovers, 17 Whimbrels, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Sanderlings, 700 Dunlins and 2 Common Sandpipers.

 

Atlantic Grey Seal

Friday, 5th May 2017

A Puffin flew east close inshore this morning giving superb views, the closest IG has ever seen off here. It sounds like Pete at Heysham saw the same bird later on, again giving excellent views.

Offshore:

47 Common Scoters east, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Red-throated Divers east, 4 Gannets east, 1 Puffin east, 1 Razorbill east, 6 Guillemots east, 18 Auk sp. east, 7 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and 21 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration

4 Whimbrels east, 22 Swifts north-east, 3 Sand Martins north-east, 95 Swallows north-east, 4 House Martins north-east, 1 Alba Wagtail north-east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east, 2 Meadow Pipits north-east, 3 Linnets east, 58 Redpolls east and 23 Goldfinch east.

 Swift

Grounded Migrants 

1 Whinchat and 2 Wheatears.

 Whinchat

Others

6 Grey Plovers, 110 Ringed Plovers, 14 Whimbrels, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 33 Turnstones, 60 Sanderlings and 750 Dunlins.

 Mistle Thrush