Logic would have saved some legwork!

Just light showers after early morning rain. Overcast all day but the temperature rose significantly during the afternoon peaking at 16.5° C. A light south wind switched to SW mid morning.

Heysham skear - Malcolm 10:30 - 12:00

As I was walking out the tide was soon going to cover the outermost skear. Any waders there would be likely to move to the middle skear. Sanderlings favour the margins so would either head for the southern or northern edge of the skear. I reasoned that logically they should head for the southern edge as with the south wind that side would be more productive for feeding. But I decided to opt for the north side, as historically the Sanderlings have favoured the north side. Wrong decision!

As the outer skear was covered 2 Sanderling flew to the north side and disappeared behind a honeycomb worm reef. Then a flock of 50+ "small waders" flew along the southern side. So I had to cross over to try and locate them. It's only 400m across here, but rough terrain.

Looking from the northern to the southern edge of the skear

When I got there I found 10 Sanderling feeding along the waterline

You can see some of the Sanderling along the waterline with Oystercatcher 
Plus 3 Little Egret. That's the promenade just north of the play area

So, enough Sanderling to suggest that the flock seen were Sanderling, but not enough to account for the whole flock. So I went back to the north side and managed to locate another 50+. Making 60+ Sanderling in total. If I had started on the south side, as logic dictated, I would have seen the flock arrive and then presumably split. I would still have crossed to check the north side, but at least I would have only had to cross over once! There must be a moral in there somewhere.....

Very difficult spotting them when they are still. At least 12 Sanderling in this shot.

Fortunately they are rarely still

Sanderling 

Oystercatcher not counted 

Curlew 1

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Eider 5 (2 female)

Little Egret 6

Gulls, mainly Herring Gulls c150

South shore - Malcolm 14:15 - 16:00

Whimbrel 1 calling around the saltmarsh 

Common Sandpiper 1 along the foreshore, but very flighty.

Common Sandpiper 

Curlew 1 on Red Nab.

Little Egret 2 on the saltmarsh and 3 on Red Nab

Curlew,  Little Egret and a Lesser Black-Backed gull

Wheatear 2 along the foreshore 

Male Wheatear, the other only seen heading off, but looked to be female.

Rock Pipit 4 minimum. One each, foreshore, Red Nab, Lighthouse and waterfall.

I filmed the lighthouse Rock Pipit taking food to its nest again. This time from the opposite side and a wider angle to watch where the hole is. But I failed again, the nest hole must be directly below where I was standing.

It returned from the nest, stood next to me, and gave me a right ticking off!

Linnet 3 between the lighthouse and waterfall 

There was nothing feeding on the outfalls.

The Carrion Crow was not sitting on the nest and no adult visited it in the 15 minutes that it was in view. Abandoned?

Plenty of young rabbits between the lighthouse and waterfall 

When I (Malcolm) went to replenish my feeders last night, this Sparrowhawk had a male Blackbird pinned down. My distraction allowed the Blackbird to free itself and after a chase around several gardens eventually escape. I know feeding the small birds ultimately leads to feeding the predators. But it is usually the weak and sick who perish. My Blackbird was probably just off guard, as he has a young family in the nest to support.

Presumably, this male Sparrowhawk also has a young family to feed.