The bulk of the day was like yesterday, but with more rain. It did brighten up a bit later in the afternoon. A NE breeze
Middleton Nature Reserve - Malcolm
I just checked the two large ponds
Main pond
Mute Swan pair
Mallard 3
Coot 2
Moorhen 2
Little Grebe 1 in summer plumage
Grey Heron 1
"no swimming" pond
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 3 (2 males and a female)
Gadwall 3 (2 males and a female)
Tufted Duck 1 female
Coot 1
Little Grebe 1
 |
| Tufted Duck covered with raindrops |
 |
| Male Gadwall |
 |
| Little Grebe. Summer plumage fading |
 |
| Tufted Duck and Little Grebe |
South shore - Malcolm 13:45 - 15:30
It was still raining as I walked through the caravan park. Something had scattered all the Linnet they were flying in all directions around the caravans in small to large groups. Plus there was a group in the air as I reached the saltmarsh. Impossible to be confident of total numbers, but definitely more than 150.
 |
| Linnet over the saltmarsh |
 |
| Wheatear |
2 Pied and a White Wagtail along the sea wall
 |
| White Wagtail |
Shelduck 23
 |
| Shelduck |
Wigeon 16 by No.2 outfall
 |
| Wigeon |
 |
| Plenty of Black-Headed gulls on both outfalls, but nothing else |
 |
| More gulls feeding on the waterfall that we have seen for some while |
There were no Mediterranean Gulls on the beach by the wooden jetty
Pink-Footed goose 43 south
 |
| Pink-Footed geese |
No butterflies seen but 2 Common Darters were resting on the wooden gate.
 |
| Common Darters |
The woodchip pile by the small anemometer has seen a variety of fungi over the year. But now there is a newcomer, and not a particularly handsome one! And not even a fungus. Kevin took these shots and both he and Alison believe that it is probably Dog Vomit Slime Mould
Janet had this flock of geese over to the south on Heysham Head. And again it wasn't obvious which species
 |
| Dog Vomit Slime Mould (its name flatters it!) - probably |
 |
| Geese sp |
Just out of the recording area - Heaton marsh
The three Glossy Ibis are still there
