Where have the seagulls gone?

After a real flurry of Meds at the turn of the month, the numbers of gulls today were pitiful, after a thorough search by Gav and Ian on Saturday produced only 7 Meds and the Lune estuary, the spring tide displacement location for several Heysham birds, drew a blank for Ian this weekend.  Could not find any today at low tide and just after high tide - not the best time.  Maybe word has got round that Lancashire is bad news for seagulls at the moment

A few odds and ends in the mist nets next to the office, totalling about twenty five, including most of the common non-wetland warbler species

One relatively decent moth in the trap - the range-expanding homoeosoma sinuella

Swift Exit

Just a quick look at Middleton Nature Reserve this morning.
12 swift feeding over model boat pond at 10:15, down to 2 by 11:00. Presumably rest heading south.
Two female gadwall with 2 & 3 well advanced young.
5 visiting mallard.
Temporary truce between mute leaving, pair with 1 (underdeveloped) cygnet on model boat pond and pair with 2 (well developed) cygnet on "no swimming" pond
(MD)

Marsh tit mega

First record this century with the last one ringed in 1998.   One heard calling then ended up in mist net Heysham nr this am (with long tailed tit flock)

Ringing took place at both Heysham and Middleton, with a total of 85 birds, with the highest catches being 19 Willow Warblers and 18 Whitethroats.

Only seven meds for the top gull team of gav and Ian - shame.   Four ad, two 3cy and a juv.   Also whimbrel and bar-tailed Godwit

Tidal misjudgement

Too late for the tide today with many of the gulls displaced put of the area in the moderate westerly.

Med gull
8 ad
2 3cy

Whimbrel
One heard

Some Sandwiches

In a change from Med Gull news:
Two adult Sandwich Tern crossing Heysham skeer channels to north about 4pm.(MD)

But now back to Med Gulls:
A whistle stop visit saw 12 Meds loafing on the dry sand at Ocean Edge this morning
A more leisurely visit to the outfalls this afternoon produced 5 adult Meds and 2 x 3CYs on Heysham 1 outfall and 1 adult on Heysham 2 outfall. 

8 Swifts flew over the reserve at 14:30

JR

Med Gull update

Ocean Edge
The Med Gulls were loafing on the sand again:
10 adults
2 x 3CY
4 x 2CY

Also in the roost :
Common Gull 1
Herring Gull 15
Lesser Black-backed Gull 31
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Nearby:
Whimbrel 1
Curlew 12
Bar-tailed Godwit in sum plum 1
Oystercatcher 9

Red Nab:
Eider - 1 female
Little Egret - 1
Curlew - 120
Redshank - 6
Oystercatcher- 47
BH Gull - 60
LBB Gull - 5

Middleton NR
2 juv Cetti's Warblers ringed
Tufted Duck 1 male

Medfest increases, including early juvenile

An amazing roost today with reduced numbers of Black-headed Gull and increased numbers of Med Gull giving only a 4:1 ratio in favour of BHG at high tide!

Med Gull
16 x adults (one with 'pale' darvic and black letters)
3 x 3CY
6 x 2CY
1 x juvenile

There was no sign however of yesterdays distinctive red darvic-ringed 2CY or indeed the white darvic bird of a few days ago - must be quite a turnover, even this early in the 'autumn'

See how many you can find on here - all the above ages represented:

Mute Swan - unringed adult male in saltmarsh channel
Whimbrel - one heard
Curlew - 87 Red Nab

Meds increase

Disappointingly no feedback over the weekend on gulls but today saw a great heap of meds but all rather frustrating for ageing eyesight

Med gulls
11x ad, 3x 3cy, 5 x 2cy

One of the 2cy had a four charactered red darvic with white lettering on the right, metal below tarsus on left and would have been a doddle to read if I had either remembered to bring my mobile or had a zoom!   It was an odd bird with a 'completely adult' summer plumages head and bill

Only four of the above were on red nab at high tide, the rest were on the uncovered mudflats just south of ocean edge salt marsh

Whimbrel - first of autumn
Common sandpiper - 1-2
Redshank - 21
Curlew - 97

Model boat pond MNR
Little Grebe - quite mature chick diving with adult

Ringed med at last

Thanks to pete woodruff for comprehensive coverage of the late afternoon tide

Med gull - 9 adult, one 3cy, four 2cy (one with white darvic)

Sand martin - two adults flew south over heysham nr in a purposeful manner - first southbound vis of the "autumn"?

Gulls head to the wet fields?

Male red-backed shrike recently reported flying across the car park and landing on top of a bush before flying off again.  At least the black tail and chestnut wing patches were seen.  Any more info on this please get in touch,  Thanks

Real lack of gulls on the outfalls today with bhg down by 80 per cent and only 4 meds ( 3 ads and a 3cy)

Nothing else of note other than a second brood early thorn - very early!