It's mainly about Brent

A cold and freshening SE to E wind. Dry but mainly overcast 

First a few shots taken whilst on the road yesterday (Malcolm)

Kestrel at Imperial Rd. Also 2 Little Egrets. No sign of the Stonechats

There were over 60 Rook feeding in fields by Heaton Rd. This is actually just beyond the recording area, but presumably these are Rooks belonging to the two relatively recently established Rookeries. One just east of Imperial Rd and one within the recording area at its southern boundary. These fields are between each Rookery, but closer to the bypass one. There was no bickering.

Just a few of the Rooks in what looks to be a recently harrowed field

Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:00 - 14:30 today

This was my first chance to get out on the shore for almost a week. But I didn't think I was missing much and today's check bore that out. The offshore winds continue which keeps the small shrimps in deeper water, so not attracting the birds that would feed on them. Observations this winter suggests that some birds, e.g. Knot can anticipate the availability of shrimps by wind direction alone. Whereas the Black-Headed gulls seem to need to physically look, but they do not hang around when there are no shrimps. I suspect the difference is because Knot are birds that flock together, and therefore follow when the more experienced birds sense a new opportunity.

Oystercatcher 1000

Curlew 25

Redshank 10

Knot 150 in total flew south across the skear in small groups. None were seen feeding.

Turnstone 40

No Eider seen

Red-breasted Merganser pair quite a way out

Great Crested Grebe 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 25 minimum. These 22 arrived from the south

Brent geese with an out of focus Great Crested grebe behind

This shot is focused on the grebe, but it is quite a way out

This one found a rock with gutweed just as the incoming tide was lifting the filaments off the rock, allowing for easier grazing.

At least 20 went to feed very close to the promenade, they didn't go anywhere 
near as close as this last year when the weed was more plentiful elsewhere.

This Herring gull was having a rest after, so far, failing to open the mussel
by dropping it onto the skear. I had no doubt that it would eventually succeed 

Gales tomorrow, but still from the east!

Adult Shag and StenaLine pushes out the boat.....with help from the wind.

Pete checked some key areas this morning 

Adult shag harbour 

What should have been simple phone shot through a scope, hampered due to
all the additional faffing around required since latest iphone "upgrade"!
This image was the best managed before it swam out of sight.

34 Pale-bellied Brent geese off Knowlys.  

9 tufted Middleton main pond (5 male). 

No stonechat seen at Imperial Rd

The latest high tech Stena freight ferry was in the harbour today.
It uses state of the art sailing technology and uses a combination of
eco friendly fuels. It was an impressive sight and should be a regular
visitor at it's going to operate between Heysham and Belfast - Kevin Eaves

An opportunity to have your say

These from Mark Jones today

Some of the 32 Pale-bellied Bret geese out from the play area at midday 

Knot leaving Red Nab

Grey Plover and Knot

Grey Plover

Curlew to the south of the saltmarsh 

Since the injury by a dog to the resident male Mute Swan on the main pond at Middleton Nature Reserve last autumn, it has been sealed off to prevent access to all areas except the feeding area. There is no doubt that the waterfowl, and likely other less obvious species, have greatly benefited this winter. There is now a formal proposal to make this permanent with just restricted access.

The below has been posted on facebook by Lancaster city council as a public consultation on fencing around the main pond at Middleton.

We welcome the public’s opinions on proposed measures to help protect wildlife

Please follow the link below to complete a short survey to give your feedback:

https://arcg.is/1rOyjX2

The deadline for responses is Sunday 1st March.

I have already completed my positive response (Malcolm). But I do recognise that responsible dog exercising is a valid use of some areas of the Reserve. Many dog walkers have historically used the main pond to allow their dogs to cool off on hot summer days. So I have suggested that creating a permanent small pond where several seasonal ones currently are, close to the main pond, might provide the opportunity for the dogs to cool down in a less sensitive area. Let's hope we can all work together to allow wildlife to thrive and still allow naturalists and dog walkers alike to take pleasure from this Nature Reserve.

Thursday catchup

The Red Kite seen on Tuesday was actually just beyond the recording area boundary on the bypass to the east of Imperial Rd.

A red kite flew low in front of a Travel Care bus, seen clearly by the driver. On the bypass between the White Lund and Heysham, being harried by half a dozen crows at 2.30pm Tuesday 

North shore -David Kaye

Some oystercatchers have taken to 
feeding on the Horse field off Knowleys Road even when the skear is 
exposed presumably on earthworms
They have been joined at high tide by some turnstones and curlew

Oystercatcher 

Turnstone

Curkew

Snipe numbers on the north shore have increased since the recent cold 
weather though you can't see them on the beach until they are flushed by 
the tide.

Also some brent geese which were closer in as the wet weather reduced 
disturbance by dogs. They are not black and white photos it was just 
very dull.

Common Snipe

Pale-bellied Brent geese

Red Kite around yesterday

There are reports of a Red Kite seen at Heysham yesterday. Hopefully more details to follow.

North shore - David Kaye 10.00 - 10. 40

28 pale bellied Brent geese off play area 

50 ringed plover 

1 lapwing plus usuals

No other reports received today and I didn't manage to check anywhere (Malcolm).

I may not get out as much as I have been for a while, but I will still post any records forwarded to me. See side bar for email address.

Crow tops the bill again!

A sunny start then overcast later, but it remained dry. A SE wind became quite fresh in the afternoon.

Heysham skear - Malcolm 08:30 - 10:00

The inner skear was almost covered as I started, and a patrolling Peregrine Falcon meant that it was clear of all small waders apart from a handful of Turnstone close to the promenade.

Oystercatcher 3000 

Curlew 15

A barren skear!

I was just heading back when 2500 Knot arrived from the north.

Some began settling on the Sunnyslopes groyne, but soon moved on

They ended up amongst the stones below Heysham Village slipway.
I didn't have much time today, or I would have checked Heysham Head rocks later

Pale-bellied Brent geese 36. They were feeding along the outer rocks from the play area, but there is very little  gutweed here now.

They don't touch the dark wrack, just the green filaments of gutweed 

This section close to the promenade was covered in gutweed a few years ago,
just wrack here this year.

Eider just 1 male drifted in with the tide

Red-breasted Merganser 2 quite a way out.

This Carrion Crow has an Oyster, presumably with still some flesh attached as the Crow wasn't for letting it go.

Male House Sparrow on the Sunnyslopes groyne. Plenty of gutweed here.

Eider changing their tune

A dull day but it remained dry. Calm in the morning then a light east breeze.

Red Nab to saltmarsh - Malcolm 10:00 - 10:30

Pale-bellied Brent goose at least 16 feeding on Red Nab rocks

Wigeon 50

Brent geese and wigeon

Shelduck 29

Shelduck 

Little Egret 1

Reed Bunting 3 around the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting

Long-Tailed Tits 8 in the Nature Park

Imperial Rd - Malcolm 11:00

Teal 3

Moorhen 2

Water Rail 1 calling

Kestrel 1

No sign of the Stonechats 

Howard checked the high water roosts for Knot. None around the Heliport. A few knot visible on outside of sunnyslope, nothing on the groynes through Morecambe or teal bay. 

Later c2000 knot arrived on broadway groyne then down to feed as tide dropped, another c500 knot on park street groyne and feeding before being flushed by dog walkers.

Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:30 - 16:00

Pale-bellied Brent goose 48 - groups of 10, 22, 12 and 4 flew north to a line of rocks out from the Grosvenor fishing platform.

Some of the Brent landing

They all ended up on the line of rocks mid picture 

Later as the light faded, they flew back to the freshwater runoffs on the 
skear to freshen up for the night.

Eider 208 around the skear, others seen flying north. They were making a funny sound today. Normally the air is full of the males almost comic cooing. But today it seemed that the females were making most of the noise, a clucking sound. I took this clip, but disappointingly, you can't really hear them until towards the end.

Knot 300 - 250 and 50. I hung around to see if one of the large flocks turned up for a bath before bedtime, but they didn't today.

The Carrion Crows make me smile, they strut around calling, clearly thinking that the skear belongs to them. How arrogant! They should know better, it clearly belongs to me 😊

A bit of a flirt!

The rain started about 09:00 and never really stopped again all day. A light SE wind

South shore - Malcolm 09:00 - 09:30

Just a walk from Red Nab to the saltmarsh again, but a little earlier in the rising tide today.

Pink-Footed goose 100+ north as I arrived

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10 arrived. Same number as seen feeding here yesterday, so possibly additional to the 34 on the north side yesterday. It's not an elephant in the background, just activity in the Power Station.

Wigeon 60 but more were arriving all the time

Wigeon

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female.

You could see where she was feeding by the bubbles on the surface, she makes short work of a shore crab here

Female Red-breasted Merganser

Shelduck 6 around Red Nab plus 16 out from the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 2 around the saltmarsh 

Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Malcolm 10:00

As I arrived six Mute Swans were shaping to land on the pond, but changed their minds and continued south. I assumed that it was the six cygnets flying around, but no they were already on the pond, plus two adults. Then another adult came in and landed, the adult male immediately flew over to investigate. The new bird must have been a female as the male immediately began bonding. 

It didn't last long! The other adult, clearly regarded herself as his mate, flew over and chased the other female off, but not away, she stayed on the pond.

Tufted Duck 6

Mallard 20+

Cormorant 1 

Immature Cormorant 

One of the cygnets is still confined to the peninsula 

Lots of Knot in the Bay, but they are not feeding here. Plus a dummy duck!

A dry day with a SE wind

South shore 

Pete from Ocean Edge

Duck decoy drifting past the outfalls

Shag 1 sub adult

Malcolm 09:30 - 10:00

Just a check from Red Nab to the saltmarsh towards high water

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10

Brent Geese and Oystercatcher on Red Nab

Shelduck 15

Wigeon 120

Wigeon, Shelduck and Cormorants 

Eider 1 male

Eider 

Little Egret 1

Seven flocks of Knot flew SE towards the River Lune estuary, well over 3000 total number

One of seven Knot flocks, clearly there are plenty still in the bay

There was nothing along the foreshore or around the saltmarsh edges.

Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:15 - 15:45

Pale-bellied Brent goose at least 34, likely including this morning's birds.

Two flew south as I was walking out, there were none close in at first then 32 arrived from the north and fed along the edge of the innermost rocks.

Brent geese landing. That's Oakley Rd in the background 

An hour later they flew out to feed in the SE skear corner

They landed on the sea then swam back to the skear corner, I do like it when they swim towards me.

Eider 139

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Great Crested Grebe 3

Great Crested Grebe

Little Egret 3

Oystercatcher 1500

Curlew 4

Redshank 200

Turnstone 40

Dunlin 30

Knot 2000+ briefly. For most of the time there was just one small feeding group of 100. Then, just as the light was fading at least 500 arrived from somewhere and landed on the south side to freshen up in the brackish water there. By the time I reached them the light was fading quickly, I just began checking them for flags when at least another 1500 landed around them. No chance of seeing any flags now. The closer birds were in the water and the ones behind too densely packed. But it hardly mattered, no sooner had they landed when they all took flight again and headed off to the south.

Knot heading off to the south

Dunlin