An overnight frost followed by a nice sunny day with a very light NE breeze.
South shore (SC)
Red-throated Diver 2
Common Scoter 6
Eider 78
The above viewable from Heysham Harbour lighthouse (13:45-15:00).
Wigeon 424 around outfalls.
Heysham skear (MD) - low water 12:40
Pale-bellied Brent goose 23 some trying to feed the others just milling around the skear - later a largish flock was seen near the play area.
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| Pale- bellied Brent goose finding scraps of weed in this pool |
Eider would be Same birds as Shaun's above.
Wigeon 5
Common Scoter at least 3 but, again probably some of the above. They were on the south side which made seeing difficult with the low sun.
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| Female/immature Common Scoter with an Eider |
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Great Crested grebe 4
Waders:
Oystercatcher c500
Curlew 20
Knot c1,000
Redshank 20
Turnstone 60
This is one of the Knot clearly finding plenty to eat. Not certain what the larger morsel is.
Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Stock Dove 19 at least came in to roost in the same patch of trees. Three lots of two and this large flock of 13.
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| Stock Doves - another roost that requires further investigation |
Glossy Ibis 1 - Shaun and Alan Physick positioned themselves to best track the Ibis after it left the horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall (the Green Sandpiper was also present again today). They managed to watch it as far as the junction between Carr Lane and Middleton Rd, then they lost it as it banked towards the trees to the north.
I received my signal call from Shaun at it set off and just managed a couple of shots confirming that, on this occasion, it headed towards the trees.
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| Glossy Ibis banking north, plenty of trees and an industrial site that way. |
We have another cunning plan. Let's hope the Ibis hangs around long enough for it, and the next one, to be implemented.
