More ringed Knot

Thanks to Howard for this southport- rInged Knot - one of six read today.

Other sightings today included two northbound Skylark, two migrant song Thrush together and the wintering Chiffchaff still by Heysham NR office (no news on yesterday’s singing bird)

Chiffchaff singing

It was nice to hear a Chiffchaff singing near Heysham Nature Reserve marsh this lunchtime,  but other than that, sightings were a bit patchy.

Pale- bellied Brent goose. Just the group of 6 birds seen by PW late morning, but these flew off further north. None around at low water.
Eider 77

Small Tortoiseshell on dog walk path

Rock Pipit 2 on Red Nab

Hopefully more later

Signs of movement

Thursday provisional, hopefully more later.

Brent geese - there were at least 26 feeding in the corner of Heysham skeer at 13:00. Only checked from sea wall, but all appeared to be Pale-bellied

Middleton Nature Reserve
Little grebe now 3, one on main pond and two on "no swimming" pond
Redwing 6 feeding then flew off north - not regularly seen in spring passage.
Swan sp 3 honking birds very distant heading north, probably Whooper (MD)
Sparrowhawk 1 high north
Pinkfoot 7 NW
Cetti's warbler 1 singing from central marsh
Raven 1 in tree
Goldcrest at least 4

Stonechat 1 male along the road to the recycling centre (euphemistically signposted "Waste Technology Park" from the bypass). This is the eastern boundary of the recording area and proved to be a regular stop over for passing spring Stonechat last year.

Brent numbers increaing again

Once again the very low neap tides are restricting the feeding areas available to the Brent geese. This, combined with the easing winds, is likely to be the reason more are being tempted from the west side of the Bay. (MD)
Pale-bellied Brent goose
13:20. These 20 were waiting just west of, what little of the skeer that was exposed.

13:25. There was another group of 6 a little further north. This group of two adults with four juveniles is the same ratio as the regular Canadian ringed "family". But, there will be other family groups this size.

13:30. All 26 moved towards the SE corner of skeer, but there was no weed available so they fed off broken weed along the tide line.

13:55. The geese left the tide line and headed for the rocks, where there is some remaining gut weed. At this point they were joined by a further 11 flying in from the NW. So total then 37,

This picture is taken from the sea wall and shows the "stampede" from tide line to the inshore rocks.

16:45. A quick check out from children's play area found that the 11 must have moved on again, as only 26 were feeding. At this stage of the tide, in this location, they are finding plenty of gut weed. The tide heights start to rise again tomorrow.

One of the Knot out from the children's play area is one of the Dutch ringing scheme. Details awaited.

Tuesday

Pale-Bellied Brent goose - 10:30. there were 6 feeding in the SE corner of Heysham skeer. Conditions made it impossible to check if they were the Canadian ringed group.

Eider 47. Most for a while.

Hopefully more later

Cetti's sings

 Monday provisional, hopefully more later.

Middleton Nature Reserve - mid morning
Cetti's warbler 1. Fence pond male provideded the first burst of song reported so far this year.
No sign of any Gadwall or Teal. The only ducks were 4 Mallard.
Little grebe 2
Coot 3
Buzzard 1
Common snipe 9
Grey wagtail 1
Reed bunting 1 male singing quietly
Goldcrest at least 1 plus another seen later near boundary with Ocean Edge.

There were no Little gulls on outflows at lunchtime, but the two Bar-Tailed Godwit were feeding in the same area as yesterday. Kevin managed some sharper images.

Little gull - by high water there was one 1st winter, plus the adult with the damaged primaries on No.2 outflow.
Kittiwake 1 adult was also on outflow

Chiffchaff shows itself

A probable Chiffchaff was heard giving single calls on two occasions last week (per JR) and this morning saw it giving a series of calls and showing itself by Heysham NR office

Little Gull - ad with damaged wing on outfalls this am (MD) and a 1st W was heading south along the tideline off Knowlys Road late am (PC). By high water both of yesterday's adult and a 1st W were on No.2 outflow (MD)

The midday IOM ferry managed to miss the north roundhead as it struggled round the corner and behind it were a welcome adult Med Gull and eight adult Kittiwake, five of which continued into the Bay

A Great Skua flew into the Bay as seen from Morecambe Stone Jetty at 0805 (Juvenile Pomarine Skua off Ocean Edge on 23/2)

Stonechat 1 on Ocean Edge saltmarsh

These two Bar-Tailed Godwit had been feeding in the soft mud between the wooden jetty and No.1 outflow, till overtaken by the tide. Probably not visible on the blog resolution, but if you open this image in "a new tab". You'll see the bird on the left appearing to fire a water jet from its bill. Having a mouth wash, or just having "fun" - it certainly looks fun! (MD)

Little gulls in a sorry state

Little gull - There were three feeding on No.2 outflow at high water.
A first winter waife

This adult with damaged primaries

And this adult with some form of growth on right wing

All this watched by a grey seal

Which in turn was being followed by the large gulls

Still no sign of the Brent geese on north or south side.

Bit and bob

 Just in the singular for time being. I'm (MD) only aware of two records, hopefully more later.

There was no sign of any Brent geese on the skeer in the morning or later on Red Nab.

Little gull 1 1st winter on No.2 outflow 12:45

Jack snipe 1 flushed off saltmarsh by tide 13:15

Brent "family" return

 Thursday provisional, hopefully more later

Pale-bellied Brent goose - 09:15 the two Canadian ringed birds were feeding in the SE corner of sheer, again accompanied by 4 juvenile birds. They are certainly behaving like a family group (MD).

Another two were feeding further along the skeer edge.

There is no growing weed here, the birds seemed to be eating the broken weed on the incoming tide line.

All 8 got together in the corner when the areas they had been feeding on were covered by the tide.

Presumably after that they moved to the children's play area then on to Red Nab to feed. But no reports from these areas as yet.

15:30 8 (presumably same birds) flew back to north side past the south wall roundhead on the ebb tide

Little gull 1st winter bird still feeding on No.2 outflow
Kittiwake 1st winter also on No.2 outflow

Just a glimpse of the number of birds feeding on the flood tide on the beach south of skeer.