grey wagtail still in residence

Every so often one of our 'migrant' grey wagtails caught on autumn passage stays local, despite the norm being to tower off to the south east to continue an epic migration!

One ringed last autumn was seen on middleton in early January and the same bird was confirmed today by Malcolm with a few long range glimpses in the meantime.

 Not much else today in what has been a very quiet storm blown seabird free winter

Birdless Doris

Did the rounds this morning which included checking for wind blown seagulls as its main theme and this failed spectacularly with nothing found and not a single bird on the outfalls despite on one reactor off on each for the outage.  Even the pochard had given it a miss

More signs of spring

Middleton NR
 Model Boat Pond
Mallard 2 prs
Mute Swan 1pr
Tufted Duck 4males 2 femaales
Gadwall 4 prs
Oystercatcher. 1 pr
Pochard 1 male
Herring Gull 18, Lesser Black-backed Gull 9, Black-headed Gull 16

NoSwimming Pond
Little Grebe 1 (IOY)
Moorhen 1
Mute Swan 1 pr
 Fence Pond
Moorhen 1pr
Water Rail 1

Tim Butler
 Pond
Moorhen 2
Teal 1 pr
Mute Swan  1pr
Mallard 1pr

Blackbird 2,
Magpie 3
Wren 2
Robin 6
BlueTit 1
Great Tit 2
Carrion Crow 4

NHW
Linnet 12
Goldfinch 1

Canada 2 - Pochard 1

Middleton Nature Reserve (late am)
Two Canada Geese this morning again on model boat pond and again flew off (without any obvious disturbance) in SE direction. Only one male Pochard today, presumably the long staying bird from 2016.

6 Mute
2 Canada Geese
3 Moorhen
11 Gadwall
7 Mallard
1 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
3 Meadow pipit (one displaying)

A couple of images below from model boat pond. Not to Janet's excellent standard, but they do show a reasonable selection of ducks etc.
MD

20th Feb. Glodcrest

Checked out Middleton Nature Reserve again this morning, trying to relocate colour ringed Grey Wagtail. No luck.
The wildfowl status was as per yesterday, but no Canada Goose.

At least one Goldcrest with mixed tit flock on western boundary with golf course.
MD

Czech-ringed Med Gull north harbour wall today (perhaps last sighting?)  (JM)

19th Feb. Canada 1 - Pochard 2

Middleton Nature Reserve (late am)
The four immature mute have now departed. Leaving three adult pairs.
Also:
1 Canada Goose (model boat pond then flew to SE)
2 Pochard (male)
9 Gadwall
4 Tufted Duck
7 Mallard
2 Teal

Colour ringed Grey Wagtail was to west of Tim Butler pond. Could only manage a few glimpses of rings and failed to confirm the colour bof top ring on right leg. Peter has "details"
MD

Then there were two drake pochard

But not a lot else on a quick circuit - offshore visibility too poor for a low tide check.

Much The Same

North Harbour Wall
Czech ringed adult Med Gull
Snipe x 20+ below heliport

Middleton Nature Reserve
Gadwall x 7
Pochard x 1
Tufted x 2
Teal x 2

JM

Hardly anything

A quick spin round the area in a vain search for white-winged gulls on the incoming tide couldn't even produce a diving duck on the model boat pond - lots of bread and swimming dogs and its got to produce a decent seagull this spring if they carry on the good(?) work with the bread

7 Gadwall model boat pond
2 Little Egret Red Nab

Scandinavian Herring Gull

Scandinavian Herring Gull on fishers roof
A great big 4th winter seagull seemed to fit this form on size, mantle tone, primary mirrors - very long range record shot showing it dwarfing argenteus Herring and indeed appearing bigger than a nearby Great black-backed Gull

Czech ringed adult Med Gull patrolling North Harbour Wall

60+ Snipe below Heliport with Oystercatchers

Middleton Nature Reserve

Usual 7 Gadwall plus single male Pochard and three Tufted on model boat pond.