Thursday 6th June

Middleton Nature Reserve early afternoon
Went while sun was shining to check the dragonflies:
Black-tailed skimmer m & f on main pond
Four-spotted chaser at least 10, most on no swimming pond
Broad-bodied chaser 4 (1f) on new small ponds (west sise of western marsh)

Mute
The female from the main pond is now on the "no swimming" pond with 5 of the original 7 young.
The pair from the "no swimming" pond now occupy the main pond, but have acquired an additional chick, and now also have 5. The ousted male is still beside the main pond.

Gadwall 3

Cetti's warbler
None singing today, hopefully all busy. There have been four territories confirmed this year.


Harbour area - evening
Rock pipit - one adult still hanging around, but no evidence that any of the young survived.

No sign of long staying Guillemot, but it has gone awol before.

Wednesday 5th June

Low water channels early am
No sign of Great-crested grebe or Red-breasted merganser today.
Eider c40
Canada goose two lots flew north 4 + 8

Tuesday 4th June

Slim pickings and limited observers this week (MD)

Low water channels early am
Bar-tailed godwit 10 (not sp)
Dunlin 2
Red-breasted merganser 5
Great-crested grebe 6
Eider c50

North shore lunchtime
Rock pipit appears to be guarding territory

Middleton Nature Reserve
The dominant male mute which had nested on the "no swimming" pond has brought his family to main pond, and is attempting to oust the pair that nested there.

The Canada Goose mysteries

Over recent years the number of unusual summer records of Canada goose have been increasing. Today was no exception.
11:50 (30 minutes after high water) - These 14 flew low from the east, first seen between Pott's corner and Ocean Edge salt marsh. They settled on sea c600m out from Red Nab (MD).

This graph may explain the mystery.

Thanks to Pete Crooks for the following observations of low tide skeer:
Great-crested grebe 10
Red-breasted merganser 1
Bar-tailed godwit 30
Canada goose 10 north

Windy warm south-westerly

First of all a decent ringing recovery after Craig was alerted about a local colour ringed Grey Wagtail.  Fortunately that means on territory at this time of year and a few mealworms borrowed from an angler produced these excellent pics:

 
These are nesting at Crawshawbooth, Rossendale (SD8125) and this is the first time this adult male has used this territory which might be rather surprising, given its age.  One assumes it has been nesting at least nearby during the interim

Z835266   1stCYM  Middleton NR     0800      20/9/15
Breeding male: Crawshawbooth, Rossendale, Lancs SD810255 documented 29/5/19  51.7km SE

It might seem surprising that a bird first recorded on 1CY vis mig on a seeming NW to SE heading over Morecambe Bay should originate or subsequently breed to the east or south-east of Heysham/Middleton.  However, the only already-ringed bird was a Roeburndale pullus and subsequent breeding season territories have been in Upper Hindburndale, Marbury Country Park, Cheshire and now this  

Todays action on the sea didn't seem up to much to begin with given a lighter wind and more southerly direction than hoped for but it livened up as the wind went fractionally round to the SW and increased 
0730 on and off to 1030
Manx Shearwater - c31
Gannet - c15
Razorbill/Guillemot - 11
Arctic Skua - one dark morph in c1015
1240-1255
Manx Shearwater - 1
Gannet - 1
Razorbill - two flocks of four out in quick succession

Guillemot - long staying 2CY in harbour

Rock Pipit - end of the road as regards the nest-site and no sign of any surviving young with adult(s) not behaving territorially

Moths
Shaded Pug the best of a small catch


 

Wednesday

2CY Guillemot still in harbour

Tuesday

Sea 0730-0800
Common Scoter - 2
Sandwich Tern -1
Grey Seal - 2

Harbour -evening
Just one feeding visit of Rock pipit to nest. One adult just feeding itself. Things not looking good, but at least one young bird must still be in nest. It is a precarious fledgling flight.

Guillemot still present

Moths included Shaded Pug

Typical westerly hooley

Some rather inefficient seawatching due to periods of poor visibility and distant birds obscured by wave action suggesting Knowlys Road might have been better

Sea from back of harbour 0735-1000 (latterly joined by Alastair)
Manx Shearwater - 70 out (biggest flock 12)
Common Scoter - 3 in
Razorbill/Guillemot - at the very least 18 in
Guillemot - 5 in
Fulmar - one out
Gannet - 17 out, 14 in prob mainly different
Arctic Skua - lm east then out between showers
Kittiwake - adult plus flock of 16 adult in
Sanderling - flock of 18 in
Unidentified seabirds - c50; all bar two thought to be Manx or auks

Rock Pipit seen with food but not entering nest hole (people within view?)

Nicely timed!

Something resembling the cutting edge at last after being distracted by moth traps.  Setting off for Heysham in zero visibility and driving rain was all based on the rain alarm, suggesting some breaks after about 0745 and just about enough tide left to justify a visit.  An arrival at 0750 was only just in time! 

Sea 0750-0920
Pomarine Skua - three light morph adults, one seemed to have a 'broken spoon' or may not have been a full adult, headed in quite close inshore at 0758hrs.  These skuas appeared as the first short-lived clear slot appeared
Arctic Skua - at the same time as the above, two more distant skuas needed identification and they transpired to be a dark and light morph Arctic. 
Gannet - 5 out
Manx Shearwater - two out in the gloom
Sandwich tern - one in
Shag - a near adult flew out very close as the tide was dropping.  The same routine as the long-stayer but that hasn't been seen for ages.  A puzzle, no doubt resolved by any further sightings or otherwise


Harbour area 14:00
Both Rock pipits are taking loads of food to nest near lighthouse.

This bird with the more pronounced supercilium is presumed to be the female, as this was the one that collected the nesting material (MD)

N.B. They will not fly to nest entrance if they see anyone in the vicinity of nest. Best viewed at least 30m past steps towards waterfall, then look back towards lighthouse.

Guillemot still by waterfall, no sign of Shag.

Bits

Rock Pipit - a quick visit to the harbour saw a faecal sac being removed from the nest, the food had already been delivered before I raised the scope

Recent ringing recoveries
Chiffchaff
KTA420   1st W      27/9/18  Durlston Country Park, Dorset
Caught                     17/4/19   Heysham     389km NW

Lesser Redpoll
ADA3086  1st W     20/10/18 Whixhall and Fenn's Moss, Wrexham
Caught                     19/4/19   Heysham  125km N

Reed Bunting
S387264   1st W M  8/1/17  Chelmarsh Res, Bridgenorth, Shrops (winter roost)
Caught                     25/7/17 Middleton NR   174km N
Caught                     3/5/19   Middleton NR       
Clearly breeding near to ringing area