Spring trundles along and Iceland Gull lingers

Some good coverage by Janet and Malcolm today but unfortunately still struggling with logistics at Heysham NR and (eg as the visiting birder yesterday found) the office is still closed most of the time as there is only one key at present and regular migrant ringing and vis mig coverage has yet to get started

Ocean Edge afternoon

Just the one Wheatear seen today

Middleton am
22 Meadow pipits were grounded on/around field to east of Tim Butler. Drifted off north in three groups (8, 8 & 6).
1 burst of song from Cetti's in western scrape.
1 Buzzard
7 jackdaw (5 & 2) high to north
1 Gadwall
3 Tufted
2 Teal

Harbour
3CY Iceland Gull giving close views at last as it fed around the waterfall in the SW corner of the harbour this am.  This can actually be viewed with a telescope from the end of the 'Twite corridor', to save the long walk round, but best to check Fishers roof first

Decent mix

Iceland gull 3cy at waterfall early am then flew towards wooden jetty

Jack snipe - 3 oe foreshore

Chiffchaff - 2 middleton, one singing

Wheatear - male oe foreshore

Wheatear

Male Wheatear in the old sandworks

14 Snipe and single Jack Snipe Ocean Edge

No sign of Iceland Gull but gulls very unsettled

At least 7 Goldcrest HNR - definite migration

No evidence of overhead eg pipit passage in murky weather

Friday 10th March

Iceland Gull still present early am

8 Whooper Swan over Middleton and a further singleton seen from ferry (Malcolm & Stephen)

Iceland Gull and more Stonechat

The Iceland Gull was back asleep on Fishers roof this am (per Jean)

Three Stonechat were on Middleton western marsh this morning (one male) (per Malcolm)

Stonechat top the bill

Stonechat - male and female along recycling centre road
Iceland Gull - negative on two brief am checks
Cettis Warbler - singing central marsh
Thanks for the pics Janet:

tuesday : Iceland gull persists

Plenty of nice weather for it to call it a day but the Iceland gull was still asleep on fishers roof late morning

Singing male Cetti's warbler middleton fence pond

Other stuff not sent to me yet

Stonechat highlight

The Stonechat passage is getting going with some decent counts already south of here and today's is our second so far - another female, but this time on Heysham barrows

Iceland Gull - 3CY still Fisher's Roof
Red-throated Diver - one in wp quite close in feeding in a low tide riffle
Eider - c90
Stonechat - female Heysham barrows by old go kart track

Malcolm's email from Middleton (thanks)
Cetti's singing from western scrape this morning. I was really pleased! No other Cetti's singing from other areas, so perhaps this one has been having a reconnoiter and decided to return to its old haunt.
4 Reed Bunting, including one singing male.
Buzzard being mobbed by crows.
The pair of mute that claimed the "no swimming" pond, decided to oust the pair from the model boat pond last week. That leaves us with only two pairs and a vacated "no swimming" pond. I have gone down to the reed mace there a couple of times, but no sign of bittern.

Mute 2 pair
Coot 2
Moorhen 5
Little Grebe 1 ("no swimming" pond)
Gadwall 5
Tufted 3
Mallard 7
Teal 4
Water Rail 3
Common Snipe 6
Cetti's Warbler 1
Common Buzzard 1

Sunday sightings

Other than an invasion by Arctic mutts (husky club) at the excellent Half Moon Bay Café and a Cetti's warbler singing from possibly a new area/new bird at Middleton, routine stuff today

Iceland Gull - seen several times, roof area in the morning and flying about later in the afternoon

Siskin - flock of 5 by the office feeders

Eider - perfect viewing conditions offshore but a complete seaduck monoculture - just 104 Eider and no RBM at low tide

Meadow Pipit - 2 grounded north harbour wall

Cetti's Warbler - singing male by pumping station (but none in the usual area for a few days now)

Signs of migration

Middleton NR
Female Stonechat near Tim Butler Pond.
2 Skylark over.
Cetti's Warbler singing near the bridge over the dyke.

On the Model Boat Pond:
1pr Mute Swans
1pr Teal
3prs Gadwall
1pr Mallard
1pr Tufted Duck

Tim Butler Pond
1pr Mute Swan
1pr Teal
1pr Moorhen
1 Coot

Fence Pond
Water Rail - 2

Reedbed
Water Rail - 1 at least. Has been using the new pools as well.

Heysham Harbour
Iceland Gull still there

Low tide channel
56 Eider (36 males, 20 females)
1 Red-breasted Merganser

Heysham Head
3 Siskin over
3 Meadow Pipits over