Time And Tide.

I got the timing right at Heysham yesterday and got there three hours before high tide to take up the challenge and find 15 Mediterranean Gull on Red Nab and Stage 2 outfall, they were seen as 9 adult, 2 1st summer, a 2nd summer, and 3 juvenile. A juvenile Black Tern was at the seaward end of Stage 2 outfall.

Mediterranean Gulls. Red Nab. August 24. Pete Woodruff.

In the image above there are three adult birds on Red Nab in this shot. For bigger pictures 'clik the pic's'.

Little Gull. Red Nab. August 24. Pete Woodruff.

A sub-adult Little Gull obliged me again - as one had done on a visit 8 July - by showing well close in on Red Nab around an hour before the high tide. 

Earlier I had been to take a look over Conder Pool and the Lune Estuary, a rather fruitless affair really, although after the customary multi-counts I eventually peaked at 10 Little Grebe, up and down like yoyo's taking small fry by the dozen. A Common Sandpiper was on the back terrace, and I noted 2 Little Egret, 3 Pied Wagtail a single female Teal and drake Wigeon.

The Lune Estuary was also rather fruitless, but up to 300 Golden Plover were camouflaged on the weedy stones at low tide, and a dread of unknown origin revealed several hundred waders mainly Lapwing in the air....All a bit short, but sweet as ever.