<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society Newsletter Sightings mid-March to mid June
Newsletter of the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society
Sightings mid-March to mid June
Summer 2001
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The more regular seabirds are the subject of a separate article later in the Newsletter and have been excluded from here.  It was not possible to search the fell tops (mainly Ward's Stone) for Dotterel but we were lucky in that most other activities were possible or the sites at least monitored by a handful of individuals (e.g. Leighton Moss Public Hide)

March

An unusual start to the period was a very Glaucous Gull-like 1st winter hybrid on the Lune by Lancaster Tip (16th).  A 1st summer sinensis Cormorant was seen at Dockacres (17th) and an adult Mediterranean Gull paid a few visits to the Borwick Lane Pit colony before transferring to Leighton Moss and eventually the Eric Morecambe Pool (EM Pool subsequently).  A darvic-ringed adult was at Borwick Lane (18th) whilst the Stone Jetty adult remained all month. 

An early Osprey flew through Leighton (19th) and Meadow Pipit and Wheatear passage commenced in earnest (20th).  A female Stonechat commenced a thrre-day stay at Heysham (18th).

A Little Ringed Plover at Hare Tarn (22nd) was early.   The last sighting of the Heaton Greenland White-fronted Goose coincided with a huge Meadow Pipit movement (23rd) and the following day also saw the departure of the lingering redhead Smew from Pine Lake.  Dockacres saw the appearance of  three Common Scoter and a short visit from the formerly regular Yellow-legged Gull (24th), the same day saw a 'thrush day' at Heysham with six species including a male Ring Ouzel. 

The first female Marsh Harrier appeared at Leighton Moss (25th), two were there (26th) and a male appeared (28th).  The bird of the month eluded most people in the form of a White Stork tracked from outside our area at Preesall, over Pilling Lane Ends, then flying north-east over Beaumont (north Lancaster) (27th).  A Short-eared Owl began a series of evening visits to Middleton Industrial Estate (from 28th).  In the absence of winter gales, the first Little Gull of the year was a 1st summer on Pine Lake (from 29th), joined by an adult (from 30th).  White Wagtails started to appear during the final two weeks of the month.

April

A flock of nine dark-bellied Brent Geese headed south off Heysham (1st) and a 2nd summer Little Gull flew south there (3rd).  The second "inland" Common Scoter of the spring were a pair on Glasson Basin (4th).  The (5th) saw the arrival of the most well-watched  Iceland Gull, a 1st summer, ever seen in this area which commuted between Heysham Harbour and Middleton sewage works (to 12th).  Three Little Gulls briefly graced Heysham outfalls.  An adult summer Yellow-legged Gull was photographed on Lancaster Tip (6th) and up to 8 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin appeared on Carnforth outer Marsh for much of the month.    An elusive Black Redstart as at Red Nab/Ocean Edge (afternoon of 9th) and another was belatedly reported from Old Hutton, on the northern boundary of our area, mid-month.

At least one Avocet (or perhaps a separate singleton from subsequent events) was in Cockersands caravan park creek (11th), the same day an Osprey was seen at Leighton Moss and the only 1st summer Med. Gull of the spring was seen at Heysham. 

Most unexpected was a 1st summer Bewick's Swan accompanying Mute Swans in a Cockersands field (and driven past twice by the Editor!) (12th-25th).  Where did it go after departure - back to Siberia on its own? Also unexpected was a dark-bellied Brent Goose at Dockacres (12th).   A Serin was casually reported accompanying Meadow Pipits at Heysham but relocation fell foul of Bank Holidays at their worst and who knows?  Anyone out there who saw it?   A 1st summer Little Gull was on Heysham outfalls and a passage (or lingering?) Purple Sandpiper at Morecambe Stone Jetty (14th) whilst the (15th) produced yet another dark-bellied Brent Goose south at Heysham.   Phase two of the spring Avocet saga commenced (18th) but this was totally eclipsed (J) by a very welcome 2nd summer Glaucous Gull on a two day stay by Lancaster Tip (19th-20th).  The Leighton Moss Marsh Harrier situation was resolving as two males and three females and a few extra passage birds and Black-tailed Godwits there topped the 100 mark (from 23rd).  Four Little Gulls flew north together at Jenny Brown's Point (subsequently JBP) (24th) and arguably the most welcome birds of the month comprised up to three Corn Buntings (including two singing males) by a Cockersands stubble field (from 25th).  The (28th) produced the areas only truly twitchable Pomarine Skuas with two light morphs lingering off JBP from 1420-1600hrs, following an earlier (morning) individual past Heysham.  The last week saw a good series of singing Grasshopper Warblers at Heysham with perhaps up to seven involved.

May   

A Little Egret appeared at Sunderland (1st-2nd), then a flock of four (the largest ever recorded in Lancashire) flew in-off at Carnforth Marsh, up Leighton Moss and disappearing north, never to be seen again (3rd).   An Osprey was a major feature at Leighton Moss (week commencing 2nd) and another was present (8th).  A passage Purple Sandpiper graced Heysham (4th) and an early adult male Honey Buzzard flew in-off over Middleton Industrial Estate before spending 20+ minutes getting higher and higher until lost from view to the south-east (6th).  The same bird may have headed high to the north a few minutes later.   Garganey appeared at last, predictably at Leighton Moss (drake from 4th) and similarly belated were a pair of Common Terns at Sunderland (9th).   A Little Egret was at Hest Bank (9th) and the (10th) saw a huge northward passage of Common Swift.  Borwick Lane Pit hosted a pair of Garganey (12th) and the only Black Tern of the year so far flew north at Heysham (13th) in association with a sizeable Arctic Tern passage. 

Cockersands produced two summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint (14th) with at least one Curlew Sandpiper remaining to (15th).  The (16th) produced the highlight of the spring in the form of a very obliging Tawny Pipit which stayed at the south end of Heysham Power Stations non-operational land from 1100hrs until almost 2000hrs.  This coincided with the largest ever fall of Sedge Warblers at Heysham where (even without the Red Nab nets being set) 55 were trapped including two French and two British "controls"= birds ringed elsewhere.   The (17th) saw the seabird rarity of the spring in the form of a Puffin which fortunately lingered until the following morning (as many of the auks seemed to be doing).  Seawatching also produced an in-off Osprey at JBP (18th).  A pair of Garganey began a short stay on the EM Pools (19th).   A (the??) Little Egret visited Leighton Moss (24th-26th).

tawny pipit

June:

.....was much quieter with three scattered northbound Ospreys and a drake Garganey at leighton Moss.  Up to 18 1st summer Black-tailed Godwits remained on the Allen Pool.   Breeding highlights included two pairs of Water Rail at Heysham




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