Nice day and a nice cosmopolitan mix of sightings

Another dry sunny day. Almost still till lunchtime, then an east breeze developed.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan:

Nets set from just around dawn this morning.  Three Grey Wagtails caught very quickly were the only ones caught or seen.  Three Swallows passing through just after nine o'clock were the only hirundines seen.  One Meadow Pipit came to the walk in trap.  Two large flocks of Goldfinches were roaming about during the morning.

 

Meadow Pipit  1

Grey Wagtail  3

Wren  2

Cetti's Warbler  1 retrap

Sedge Warbler  2

Reed Warbler  1

Lesser Whitethroat  2

Blackcap  3

Chiffchaff  3

Blue Tit  2

Great Tit  1 retrap ex Heysham nestbox from this year.

Goldfinch  15

Reed Bunting  1

These shots from Rosemary Silvester

Emperor 

Common Darters

Common Blue Damselfly

Speckled Wood 

The Mute family looking good

Heysham Head (David Yates)

At least 4 wheatear

1 Rock pipit 

2 Sandwich terns  

1 Kingfisher

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide again.

After their refusal to leave the mud spit at the southern edge of the recording area yesterday. Today the spit was deserted and the large flock of waders were further to the south.

Just a couple of gulls on the previously favoured mud spit

There were some waders within the recording area.

Curlew 150

Whimbrel 3

Oystercatcher 200

Grey Plover 45

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 flew south

Knot 42

Redshank 2 

Dunlin 81 - 30 along waterline 17 resting on mud and 34 higher up the beach feeding with....

Ringed Plover 50 

Sanderling 2 - this short clip shows the location of the Sanderling as they lead a small feeding party of Dunlin.

Sanderling 

Knot, Grey Plover and a Redshank 

These are some of the Dunlin that just rested on the mud. They didn't move
when I walked quite closely past them. Although they were keeping an eye on me!

One, briefly showed its impressive bill.

Some of the waders flying south when moved on by the tide.

Some of the Ringed Plover and Dunlin feeding higher up the beach

Grey Seal 1 drifted in with the tide along the shipping lane.

Shaun had a look along the sea wall this evening:

Heysham Outfalls 17:15-1845.

Med Gull  79 - Adult/3cy 72, single 2cy and a minimum of 6 1cy. 

Lots of gulls roosting on the beaches at the outfalls. These were then joined by a group from Red Nab, and then another group from the Middleton area (due to disturbance). Made the counting quite easy!

Ringed Plover 9 on the beach south side of Red Nab.

Wheatear 2 Harbour entrance.