Grasshoppers arrive, and another Osprey sighting, (although perhaps "sighting" is pushing it a bit!)

 A fresh NW wind with just the odd light shower.

South shore

Janet was first to check this morning.

Nine Pale-bellied Brent geese on Red Nab

Rock pipit near the lighthouse 

Grey seal 1 between the outflows.

It then decided to do its baby elephant impersonation 

The "elephant's ears" are just the waves it displaced as it dived.

Brimstone butterfly in the Nature Park 

I checked a little later (Malcolm)

Linnet a pair on the saltmarsh 

Female Linnet with nest lining material 

Whimbrel 2 - one on the saltmarsh and this one feeding on the foreshore grass.

Whimbrel 

It had already dug up this grub, but decided to have a good look around before eating it.

Warblers in the Nature Park

Two each, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler and Blackcap

Lesser Whitethroat 1 (one of ten Lesser Whitethroat covered in today's post)

Imperial Rd

Just the briefest of stop offs to check the field to NE of the roundabout 

Little Egret 8

Lesser Whitethroat 3 heard from the roundabout 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Another brief check of the central marsh located 7 warbler species in the morning (Malcolm)

Cetti's warbler 5

Sedge Warbler 1

Reed Warbler 2

Blackcap 2

Willow Warbler 4

Chiffchaff 3

Lesser Whitethroat 6 at least, including 3 along the access road.

But by this afternoon at least one Grasshopper warbler was reeling - Rosie Briggs

So, we're up to 8 warbler species now.

Reed Bunting 1

Common Snipe 1

Pheasant 1 male calling

Heysham skear - low water 16:40

I walked out with some trepidation after yesterday's washout (Malcolm). But it turned out to an enjoyable walk, largely in sunshine.

Little Egret 6

Eider 34

Great Crested Grebe 1

Shag 1 adult resting on conger rock.

Shag

Sandwich Tern 2

Initially they were both resting on a rock.

Sandwich Terns

Then one flew off and began fishing

Normally, when one remains behind its a female and she expects to be fed, but that didn't 
happen today. Perhaps the other wasn't catching anything or perhaps it just hadn't got the message.
Either way they both ended fishing along the north side of the skear

Osprey 1 very distant to the north. Fortunately, they and the effect they have on gulls are very distinctive!

Osprey with a cloud of gulls in tow. Its laboured flight suggests that it was carrying a fish.
 It was flying NW at 15:30, heading for Foulshaw?

Waders pretty much as recent, except no Whimbrel seen or heard. This is a nice clip of a Curlew feeding with Oystercatcher and Knot.

Bar-Tailed Godwit just 6

Swallow 1 north

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

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.