More evidence/hints of nesting

Another dry sunny day with a variable breeze. Not quite as warm today, peaking at 13°C

Heysham Nature Reserve - Alan

It was a very different session today with only singles of Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Coal Tit caught. The feeder finches too were in much smaller numbers and a high proportion of retraps.  I had to take the nets down around midday although there more birds beginning to come to the feeder area at that time.  Perhaps an early afternoon session will be worth a try.

The total catch:

Coal Tit  1

Chiffchaff  1

Goldcrest  1

Wren  1 retrap

Goldfinch  7 + 5 retraps

Robin 2 retraps

Blue tit  1 + 5 retraps

Great Tit  2

Greenfinch  3

Four Jays were arguing noisily opposite the office building and a Cetti's Warbler called all morning nearby.

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

Shoveler pair

A lone male Gadwall

Female Mute Swan

A Buzzard had just left this spot with its kill/carrion
Lots of white feathers, possibly a gull?

It returned shortly afterwards with empty talons, it must have taken
the kill to its mate, presumably on the nest. This was in the southern 
section of the reserve.

Jay

Cetti's warbler 

Small Tortoiseshell 

Ocean Edge foreshore - Janet

Male Wheatear

It's not often a Wren stays still enough for a shot

North shore - Malcolm

I was heading out to the skear 08:00. Still quite early on the flood tide, but 2000 Knot decided to leave the skear and feed on the mud out from Heysham Head. There is some very treacherous mud here at this stage of the tide. Be very careful if you head this way, particularly on these spring tides which don't allow you any time to make a mistake. I was fine, I know where the dangerous areas are, but it just meant that I couldn't get as close as I like and couldn't follow them as they moved further south.

As well as the Knot there were 18 Bar-Tailed Godwit feeding and the ubiquitous Oystercatcher.

Bar-Tailed Godwit showing its barred tail

One of five Red-breasted Merganser 

I returned to the skear on the ebb tide at 14:00

Eider 70+

There were at least 2500 feeding Knot, but they soon moved off to the north, but not before a few flagged birds were seen.

Cormorant in breeding plumage 

It was hazy, resulting in the sun turning everything shades of silver and black

Red-necked grebe off Rossall at low tide this am - perhaps one to look out for?