Osprey, best of the day. Although unlikely to be the view of its fish!

A freshening NE breeze till lunchtime when it swung to NE. A dry day with sunny spells till late evening showers began.

First, this from Kevin Singleton from yesterday.

Whimbrel 7 out from Whinnysty Lane.

Kevin also enjoyed the spectacle of the Knot on the heliport 

A few Bar-Tailed Godwits with them

When they settled they formed a perfect circle.

Although spectacular to watch, absolutely no good if you are hoping to see ringed birds. Pete advises that about 90 minutes before high water is best for that, before they settle in such tight formation.

Seawatch this morning wasn't as impressive as yesterday - Pete

15 Sandwich Tern blogging skeer area but no passage

5 Whimbrel north 

Middleton Nature Reserve

Ringing report by Alan:

There was a heavy grass frost and clear sky early this morning and it was an unpromising start to my ringing session from 06.15.  However, things livened a little and 30 birds were caught in total.

 

Dunnock  1

Robin  1 retrap

Blackbird   1 retrap

Cetti's Warbler  1 retrap

Lesser Whitethroat   1 retrap

Blackcap  2

Chiffchaff  1 retrap

Willow Warbler   6

Long-tailed Tit  2

Blue Tit  1 retrap

Great Tit  2 retraps

Lesser Redpoll  9

Bullfinch   1

Reed Bunting  1 retrap

 

A further five Lesser Redpolls came down to the nets but were not trapped.  A small number of lone Swallows passed through northwards during the morning.

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked the waders along the waterline on the rising tide at lunchtime.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 320 were the only species, except for the odd Oystercatcher 

Shelduck 2

Whimbrel 1 on Red Nab

Wheatear 8

Wheatear

Osprey 1 - it had caught a large flatfish, probably almost as heavy as itself. It couldn't gain height with it. The gulls chased it along the foreshore then across the saltmarsh. It barely made it over the eastern shore and into the caravan park. Even carrying such weight it was flying quickly and was difficult to see against the foreshore rocks. Perhaps one to watch in slow motion.

Not a great shot of the Osprey, but it does give an idea of the size of its catch.

North shore (Malcolm)

I walked out quite early in the ebbing tide this evening, before the skear was exposed. There were a few Knot on the waterline so I went out beyond the waterline to check them out. The shore birds never seem to view you as a threat if you are in the water, particularly if you are still. And that proved to be the case today as c2,000 Knot came in and landed along the waterline all around me!

They immediately started feeding and were finding small molluscs, you can see one towards the end of this clip swallowing a relatively large bivalve.

The tide was ebbing quickly (we're back to spring tides now) and both myself and the birds were soon out of the water, I scanned them all and couldn't find a single ringed bird. By this time the skear was beginning to become exposed and they flew to there.

Other smaller groups also flew to the skear directly from further south. Surprisingly when I was on the skear I did manage to find one group of 50 Knot that included two orange flagged Knot over a pale blue ring (last year's hatchlings). Fortunately I managed to read them - details awaited. This is one.

Knot c2,500

Bar-Tailed Godwit 120

Dunlin c300

Oystercatcher 1,000+

Turnstone 50

Redshank 40

Curlew 2

Whimbrel 11 at least - there are three here with Knot and a Dunlin.

Eider c40

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Great Crested Grebe 2

Sandwich Tern 6 initially fishing, then resting.

Sandwich Tern

In this clip they were reacting to the calls of the other two who were still feeding.

Swallow three north

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still there 

Better than expected seawatch

A couple of very early morning showers then mainly overcast. A freshening NW wind.

Seawatch by Pete:

Low/turning tide seawatch from back of heysham harbour as yesterday: much better than expected in routine sampling in unfavourable NW wind:  

75-85 Sandwich tern but only 11 in Lancs!, 

Arctic skua 1 dark morph low up Kent channel line, briefly chasing Sandwich Terns

Pink-Footed goose 19

30 bar tailed godwit

6 whimbrel

15 swallow.  

Most unexpected in nw winds was a group of 5 Arctic tern heading in.  

Went completely dead as wind got up and sandbanks covering with just 6 swallow and 5 sand tern in after 0830 and nothing 0840-0900 when left

Heysham skear - low water 07:30 (Malcolm)

Eider 45

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 6

Sandwich Tern 29 minimum, some were feeding but it was quite choppy as the wind increased and many passed straight through. These are additional to Pete's, most of whose were distant.

This is a sample of life on the skear this morning. Oystercatcher and Herring gulls foraging on the shore, Great Crested Grebe on the sea and a Sandwich Tern fishing.

Whimbrel 16, I didn't see any come in today, these were already scattered around the skear at low water, so again additional to Pete's

Bar-Tailed godwit 150+

These are 12 coming in, including one summer plumage male.

As the incoming tide flushes the waders from the skear, many settle on the shoreline where freshwater drains into the sea. A wash and preen before heading for their high water roosts. These are Knot, Bar-Tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher (the yellow markers are to show where it isn't safe for the dinghy launching tractors to go)

Look how lush the gutweed is now out from the play area. No wonder the Brent were reluctant to leave.

A couple of shots by Janet, just to show how difficult it is to identify any ringed Knot roosting on the heliport.

Many Knot, but not many legs!

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least

Arctics and Swallows choose overland route, just north of the harbour

The light morning NE wind switched to NW after lunch. Dry with plenty of sunshine.

Pete managed a seawatch:

Sea from back of heysham harbour looking out through harbour mouth 0728-0930: all flying in unless stated otherwise: 

Osprey 1 fishing at distance (0755)

85 Arctic Tern in/overland (inc 20 distant where common not def ruled out)

63 sandwich tern In

9 common scoter

1 Red-Throated diver

1 Kittiwake

two seemingly migratory Bar tailed godwit flock high to north of 44 plus 24

12 whimbrel

6 Sanderling

Several Dunlin and knot flocks

187 Swallow

2 house Martin

5 Sand Martin

c60 small passerine.  

Porpoise 2 

Friday looks good and the event day on Sunday interesting forecast but wrap up well!

Heysham skear - low water 07:00

I was on the skear as Pete was seeing the Arctic and Swallows (Malcolm). No Artic Tern reached the skear and the only Swallow I saw was one close to the sea wall as I set out.

Eider c50

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 3

Sandwich Tern 12 at least at any one time, they were constantly around, but it wasn't obvious which ones moved through. This clip gives a sense of them feeding, they are a graceful bird, but their entry into the water has all the finesse of a kid throwing a brick in!

Sandwich Tern with Oystercatchers

Bar-Tailed Godwit 150+

Whimbrel 13. This clip begins with a Curlew and a Whimbrel, and ends on two more Whimbrel.

These four came in high from the south. They looked to have travelled some distance as they didn't move from where they landed till shifted by the tide 20 minutes later (you can hear the Sandwich Terns calling behind me)

Curlew 10

Oystercatcher 1500

Knot 2500

Dunlin 28

Redshank 40 (only south side of skear checked)

Turnstone 40

Herring gull c50 on the skear, the seed mussels haven't materialised yet, but it won't be long

One of several 2nd calendar year Common gulls milling around 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet took these excellent shots this morning

Grasshopper Warbler 

Lesser Whitethroat 

Chiffchaff 

Grey Heron

Gadwall drake

Peacck

Speckled Wood

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis there till mid afternoon at least

Have the Brent finally all gone?

A light, but cool, NE wind. A dry day with sunny periods.

Heysham skear - low water 06:30

An early start, but I wasn't the first visitor (Malcolm)

A fox was foraging between the honeycomb worm clumps on the south of the skear - just left of centre

The sun had just risen and was directly behind me, the fox was squinting to make me out

Eider only 40 close in but many more further out

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Great Crested Grebe 2

Sandwich Terns 14 at least, fishing, resting and passing through. It is difficult when you are close to tell which are moving through.

This one had been fishing then settled down and had a preen.

Sandwich Tern

Bar-Tailed Godwit 250+ heading north, but many stopped off for a quick meal and preen.

Bar-Tailed Godwits

Whimbrel 22 north, but again some stopping off briefly, most in ones and twos, but one flock of 14. These are some of them.

Whimbrel 

Pete did better scanning at distance:

Arctic Tern 14 north

Sandwich Tern c40

Red-Throated Diver 2 summer plumage birds in

South shore high water 12:00

I checked saltmarsh to Red Nab towards high water (Malcolm)

No sign of any Brent geese on Red Nab today.

Ringed Plover 8, with Dunlin 9 on the foreshore 

Ringed Plover

The Dunlin were at all stages of moult to summer plumage, the last two quite advanced.

Linnet 6 - 3 pairs one seen mating on the saltmarsh 

Wheatear 4 - these two were feeding on the foreshore grass.

Janet checked along the sea wall

Four Eider south

A distant Grey Seal, but earlier it had been seen closer in with a Bass

There are large numbers of Gorse weevils on the Gorse bushes on Heysham head - Alison Haywood 

Gorse weevil Exapion ulicis

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.

More Arctic Terns through

A light overnight south wind switched to NE early morning. Reasonably dry but with low cloud/drizzle early evening.

Pete and Jean checked the low tide channels from Knowlys Rd and the North sea wall early morning.

Goldeneye 1 drake

Pintail 2 - male and female 

Teal 2 female

Eider  185

Common Scoter 5

Red-breasted Merganser 6 

Great Crested Grebe 3

Sandwich Tern 2

Arctic Tern 6 in

Pale-bellied Brent goose 4 initially at the play area off Knowlys Rd, then flew to Red Nab.

South shore

I checked along the sea wall towards high water (Malcolm)

The Brent geese were still on Red Nab. Note their relaxed feeding method now compared to the frantic grazing over winter.

Wheatear 4

Linnet 2 at lighthouse and 4 on saltmarsh 

Pied Wagtail 1

Rock Pipit 1 by lighthouse 

Female Speckled Wood in the scrub behind Red Nab - first this year

Janet took these nice shots along the sea wall yesterday.

Rock Pipit flying to the top of the lighthouse
for a better vantage point to watch Janet from.

A second calendar year Cormorant 

A mature Cormorant 

In the Nature Park

Male Blackcap

Chiffchaff 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet checked this morning

Grasshopper Warbler 2 reeling - 1 in the central marsh and 1 where the old brick weighbridge building used to be.

Also singing from the main path, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat 

Coot - walking (ok, running) on water

Goldfinch collecting nesting material from the Reedmace seed heads

Orange Tip butterfly 2

Shieldbug (gorse?)

Closer to home Janet leaves a feeder filled with dog hair for her local residents.

Blue Tit

Female House Sparrow

Heysham skear

A quick early evening check (in the only rain of the day Malcolm)

Eider, Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers not counted but similar to this morning's counts. Still 2 Sandwich Terns.

Shag 1 adult feeding on the south side.

Whimbrel 3

Bar-Tailed Godwit 107 - the last two on the right here both catch a lugworm. The mud they are feeding on has been fluidised by the draining water, making it very soft. This allows them to probe deeper and makes the extraction of the worm easier.

Knot c2,550

Peregrine Falcon 1

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.

Spoonbill passes over and Whitethroat arrive

A light SE breeze switched to NW in the afternoon. Dry with sunny spells.

Report by Nick Godden (part of a more detailed report on  Lancaster and District BW society web page https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/forums/forum/bird-insect-sightings/ -  or use link on sidebar). 

Seen from the Stone Jetty, any birds to the south are within the recording area, those flying north have flown through the area.

7:00-8:50

Red-throated diver 3
Shelduck 8 in
Teal 6 in
Common scoter 1f
Arctic tern 11 in
Osprey caught a fish near the end of the Jetty then flew NW
Spoonbill adult flew N 8.01
Whimbrel 8
Swallow 31N
Sand martin 4N
Redpoll 4 N
Siskin 2 N

Report from Pete Crooks (also copied from LDBWS webpage)

Heysham North Harbour Wall (7.10 – 9.30 am) – with Jean Roberts, Mark Prestwood and Pete Marsh
1 Merlin – female flew into the Bay low over the sea at 9.15 am
7 Common Scoter
2 Sandwich Tern – mostly resting on buoy
60 Swallow – steady northerly movement in groups of up to 8
1 Harbour Porpoise

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Shaun made an early morning circuit 06:30-08:45. 

Reed Warbler 1

Common Whitethroat 1 (first one this year bringing the warbler species tally up to 9)

Lesser Whitethroat 6

Blackcap 7

Willow Warbler 7

Chiffchaff 5

Cetti's Warbler at least 7 singing (probably 8) and an extra 2 singing in southern section of the reserve. 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan:

Three nets set in the rides by the office.  Very slow start again from 06.15 but then a trickle of birds until 11.30 with just 15 captures in all.

Dunock  1 + 1 retrap

Lesser Whitethroat  1

Blackcap  2

Chiffchaff  2

Long-tailed Tit  1

Great Tit  2 retraps

Jay  1

Chaffinch  1

Goldfinch  1

Lesser Redpoll  2

South shore

I just checked waders on the waterline out from Ocean Edge (Malcolm)

No Brent geese on Red Nab today.

Pink-Footed goose a single bird flew high to the east - fortunately calling

Shelduck 3

Waders:

Whimbel 2 - 1 flew from the saltmarsh plus 1 heard heading north

Redshank 30 close to the saltmarsh 

Along the waterline 

Oystercatcher 90

Curlew 3

Bar-Tailed Godwit 180

Grey Plover 1

Knot 250

Dunlin 160

Some of the godwits are starting to move to breeding plumage 

Bar-Tailed Godwit, Knot, Dunlin and a single Grey Plover in partial breeding plumage

The waders were very flighty, no sgn of any raptors attacking while I was there, but presumably there had been earlier. One Peregrine was flying around Red Nab

Cetti's warbler 1 singing from the western edge of the old Pontins grounds. I could hear it 300m out through the clamour of the waders!

Wheatear 12

Four Wheatears

White Wagtail 1 on the edge of the saltmarsh, before continuing north - sorry about the shaky nature of this clip, but I was precariously balanced

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.

Another singing Cetti's warbler at Middleton Towers area off Carr Lane Middleton - Janet

 Not the one heard from the shore. So 11 probably 12 males singing in and just outside the recording area today