Barbondale & Morecambe Little Gull

Photos:

Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Dipper and Wheatear at Barbondale

12^th May 

Back at the van this weekend and after eventually crawling out of bed this morning I took Bill and headed off to Barbondale. The weather wasn’t great – it was windy all the time which partially masked birds calling and singing and it alternated frequently between bright sun (very warm) and overcast conditions (cold). 

Down by the beck I spotted a Dipper and then a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young. Going through the first gates I first picked up a Wheatear perched on the dry stone wall and then a male Whinchat. The latter later spent 20 minutes playing in the beck. I wandered slowly along watching birds flitting back and forth. There was plenty to see, however there was also a restless edgy feel to the morning and no birds would sit still for long. I eventually spotted 10 Redstarts – nearly all males, 3 Pied Flycatchers (a pair plus a single male) and 3 Tree Pipits. A Cuckoo also called briefly. The only warbler species picked up was Willow – at least 15 of these were seen. I’ve had better days here, however it was still a very pleasant way to spend a morning. 

Back at the van late afternoon two Ravens flew over and headed in the general direction of Clougha. 

13^th May 

I got up early for a change today and headed over to Heysham. I met Pete Marsh there and was met with the “best morning’s sea watching for some time”. Pete later posted in his blog that the bird activity had almost died a death by 06:45, five minutes before I turned up! 

I did stick around for a couple of hours and a dark morph Arctic Skua blasting through was some reward. I also had 2 Kittiwakes, 9 Gannets, 11 close in Razorbills flying line astern and another 10 or so unidentified auks. 5 Whimbrel also flew past. 

Next I headed over to Morecambe. It was around 2 hours after high tide by now and there was plenty of exposed mud. Around Town Hall groyne lots of waders were feeding including a mixed flock of 107 Ringed Plovers and 95 Dunlin. A Peregrine suddenly appeared, spooking the waders as it streaked over the mud. It missed and turned its attention to the local Pigeons – it was last seen disappearing over back yards in the town! I carried on scanning thinking there might be something interesting out there and I eventually found it – a first summer Little Gull perched up with some Common Gulls on a sand bar. It eventually flew closer and flitted up and down the shoreline for 20 minutes or so before disappearing. A lone Whimbrel was also observed here.