Osprey and Short-Eared Owl the best of the day

A clear start with sunshine till it clouded over after lunch. Calm early on then a fresh variable breeze.

This is part of Nick Godden's report from the stone jetty. His full report and others can be seen on the LDBWS website. https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/forums/topic/stone-jetty-17/

6:50-8:30

Shelduck 5 N

Osprey 1 N at 8:23

Herring gull 640

Gannet 2

Sandwich tern 6

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by Alan:

I set two nets at Middleton from just after dawn this morning.  It was calm and clear with some high cloud coming in from the West at around 09.30 and a southerly breeze increasing. The only overhead movement noted were a  couple of single figure groups of Meadow Pipits that flew NE mid morning and just one Swallow flying high in the same direction.  A Kestrel drifted high over the reserve to the SW.  A Short-eared Owl flew low over the far western marsh.

 

Ringing captures:

Willow Warbler  7

Singles of Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch and Song Thrush

Single retraps of Reed Bunting, Wren, Robin and Cetti's Warbler

Janet checked later:

Blue Tit with a face full of pollen

Willow warbler

Linnet

Female Kestrel 

Male Orange Tip

Peacock

Heysham skear (Malcolm)

I did two short checks, one in the morning as the skear was being covered and in the evening as it was being exposed again. Totals below are highest count, unless stated otherwise.

No Brent geese seen

Eider 22

Common Scoter 5 out 08:40

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Sandwich Tern 5 feeding on the north side of the skear this morning

Sandwich Tern

Oystercatcher 800 on the skear this morning joined others resting along the waterline to the south.

Oystercatchers to the south of the skear

Curlew 3

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 this evening. This is a nice clip comparing its and a Redshank's feeding technique. The clip starts and ends with the godwit eating a lugworm.

Redshank 350

Knot 0

Turnstone just 20 this morning but 300+ this evening, most heading off towards the wooden jetty.

Turnstones just showing hints of summer plumage 

Large gull numbers are starting to increase, mainly Herring, but an odd
Lesser Black-backed (centre). There were c60 today. It won't be long before
 the seed mussels start developing, then the gull numbers increase significantly