Kittiwake are elegant sea-loving gulls with silvery-grey colouring above, and white below, with a white head and black wingtips. Young birds have a black 'W' across their wings and back, a black neck-collar and a black band on their tail.
Named after their 'kittiwake' call, they have been spotted swooping over Heysham and enjoying the peace and quiet over Christmas.
Kittiwake flying by Janet Packham
Kittiwake. Photo by Janet Packham
A fishing kittiwake. Photo by Janet Packham
At the outfalls. A beautiful head on shot. Photo by Janet Packham
Cormorants are expert fishers and nest on low cliffs around the coasts, or in colonies in trees on lakes and flooded gravel pits. Their feathers are not waterproof, however, so they perch on rocks to spread their magnificent wings to dry them out. These two cormorants were sighted having a chat together on the rocks, and drying out their impressive black wings after going fishing.
Cormorant flying over the water. Photo by Janet Packham
Two cormorants having a chat. Photo by Janet Packham
A cormorant drying out it's wings at Heysham outfalls. Photo by Janet Packham
Guillemots are brave birds, living their life on the cliff edge. They nest tightly packed together on steep ledges to protect themselves from predators. At just 3 weeks old, their chicks fledge and jump straight into the sea, ready for action! They usually take this first jump with their father.
Guillemots are chocolate brown above, and white below, but in winter they sport white faces. They dine on fish, crabs and molluscs, diving down into the sea and using their wings to swim after their prey.
A splashing in the water. Photo by Janet Packham
A guillemot on the water. Photo by Janet Packham
A gliding guillemot Photo by Janet Packham
Perhaps the most exciting spot shared with us this month is a grey seal! Janet's eagle-eye spied this beautiful seal bobbing around at Heysham. With their big eyes and curious nature, they are a delight to see in our waters.
How to tell the difference between the grey and common seal?
The grey seal can be distinguished from the common seal by its larger size and longer head with a sloping 'roman nose' profile. Looking straight on, their nostrils are parallel, rather than v-shaped as in common seals. Mainly grey in colour, the unique pattern of darker blotches and spots can be used to identify individuals.
Grey seal by Janet Packham
A grey seal bobbing in the water by Janet Packham
Grey seal by Janet Packham
Grey seal by Janet Packham
Wigeons are a 'dabbling duck', meaning that they upend themselves, tail feathers in the air, to surface feed on plants in shallow waters.
They are beautifully coloured ducks. Males are grey with a pink breast, orange head, yellow forehead and obvious white wing patches that can be seen when they fly.
Females are similar to mallard females, but with rusty brown plumage and a pointed tail.
Wigeons are a winter visitor, and are classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021).
A flock of wigeon ducks by Janet Packham
A wigeon about to land by Janet Packham
This photo of a tree creeper on our Brockholes reserve shows just how well they can camouflage into the bark of a tree. They are called treecreepers because of the behaviour of climbing upwards on a trunk and spiralling around the tree as they go.
When they reach the top, they fly to the bottom of a new tree and start again. It's thought this could be an adaptation to save energy, as flying from a high point to a low point takes less effort than level flight. It's a fascinating behaviour to watch!
Treecreeper at Brockholes by Trevor James Southward
A well camouflaged tree creeper at Brockholes by Trevor James Southward
Have you seen some wonderful wildlife at one of reserves recently? Share with us on Facebook, X or Instagram!
Don't have social media? You can email your snaps to us at comms@lancswt.org.uk.
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