No.2 outflow back in operation

No.2 outflow has only been a trickle for the past six weeks. Today it was back to full flow, and seeming to be providing plenty of feeding opportunity for the gulls.

Thanks for the picture Kevin - let's hope this activity attracts passage birds.

Reports from the outer bay of Sandwich Terns, unfortunately we didn't have any observers in the right place at the right time to see if they came this far (I know Pete was chaffing at the bit, but he is abiding by the lockdown requirements).

The beach out from the Red Nab area was deserted except for one small group of Dunlin and Grey Plover, some turning to summer plumage.

I do like it when a bird makes an effort to identify itself (MD)

Middleton Nature Reserve - late morning
Everything was much more subdued today, the honking Canada Geese were absent, only one each Cetti's and Sedge warbler heard singing. Still plenty of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap about, but not quite so many and no territorial squabbling.
Tufted - just the male showing today........

Little grebe:
There was again just one each feeding on the main pond and the "no swimming" pond. Then a second bird came out from below the bushes on water line of the "no swimming" pond. The feeding bird immediately flew over to it, and appeared to "chastise" it. The second bird then returned to whence it came - looks promising

Back to winter plumage

Today's title refers to the observers, not the observed. A very cold NE wind meant  digging out the woolly hats and gloves that had been stored away for summer.

A 'guest appearance' from out in the sticks by Pete.  Thanks to people who have the Obs area within their daily exercise range - Shaun, Malcolm, Kevin and Janet.  Thanks very much to Malcolm for coordinating daily sightings.  If the CNC and Harbour police are reading this, please go easy on any birders who might be (safely) stopping and staring at the sea during their exercise period - the big spring seabird passage is coming up - see for example the daily log for 10th May last year.  Thanks.

Two interesting recent ringing recoveries:

Grey Wagtail 
Ringed:   Middleton NR as a juv on the rather late passage date of 7/10/14
Seen:  Warton saltmarsh, River Ribble estuary     25/1 and 22/2/15
Seen: as a female of a pair      Blackpool North Shore    4/4/20

Has this been in the Fylde all the time since ringing and recorded wintering by Ian Walker and latterly with potential local breeding status by Stephen Dunstan?    A long gap of 'invisibility' between the last two sightings!

Knot 

JL	Ringed	Altcar, Merseyside	22/09/2017
SR77260	Seen	Leighton Moss	14/4-18/4/18
	Seen	Griend, NETHERLANDS	02/08/2018
	Seen	Heysham old Heliport	3/2-4/2/19
	Seen	Heysham old Heliport	08/02/2020
	Photo	Heysham old Heliport	07/03/2020
	Photo	Heysham old Heliport	09/03/2020
	Seen	Heysham old Heliport	11/03/2020
	Seen	Heysham old Heliport	21/03/2020
	Seen	Terschelling, NETHERLANDS  53 22N 5 17E	11/04/2020

			0

 
It was quite probably ringed as a 1CY in 2019 which might have explained the Leighton Moss sightings whence it presumably didn't go via Holland to Greenland!   What its doing this spring may be a 'dog leg' migration via Holland, Porsanger (NW Norway) and then Greenland.  In this respect, no history of Icelandic sightings - favoured as the more direct route stop-over

Only records so far are from my (MD) stroll along the low water tide line out from Half-Moon Bay this morning.
Eider 25
Great-Crested Grebe 5
Red-Breasted Merganser 15
Sandwich Tern - 2 in 11:30

Middleton noisy!

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Lots of warblers were singing, calling and squabbling this morning. Two observers took their exercise  here (SC and MD). Records were not aggregated unless obviously different birds, so totals represent minimum number).

Cetti's warbler - Shaun again located all 5 singing males.

Sedge warbler - 2 together in central marsh, one singing. Later, 1 singing (likely same male) from east end of fence pond.

Willow warbler 20

Chiffchaff 7

Blackcap 7

Swallow 5 north

Buzzard 1 west

Wildfowl

Mute 2 pairs

Canada Goose 2 (again on main pond and significantly adding to the noise!)

Moorhen 8

Coot 2 plus only 2 chicks seen today

Tufted 2

Mallard 2

Little grebe 2 (hopefully the missing 2 sitting)

Red Nab area

Wheatear 2

Little change

Knot - the rings read yesterday of the influx of 16,500 birds all proved to be new. Confirning, what their behaviour suggested (many  sitting not standing), i.e. they had just stopped for a rest in their migration.
No reports received yet of how many roosted today. Any opportunity to check for colour rings by local exercise walkers would be helpful.
When - while the tides are still high (till Monday, perhaps Tuesday).
Time - about an hour before high water
Location - Near Naze,  the heliport surface and seawall.
Check for - Either yellow with code, orange with code (most regular) or four different colours two on each leg with an additional flag on one leg - just need the order and name of colours and which leg is which.
Method - Scope or camera needed
Thanks, if you give it a go. Even if no rings seen or read, an estimate of roosting numbers would be helpful.

Visible migration
Still a trickle of Meadow pipits c20/hr, Alba Wagtails c10/hr and Swallow 10 seen/reported during day.

Middleton Nature Reserve
Willow warblers and Chiffchaff are still plentiful, but Blackcap numbers reduced only 2 seen/heard. The only other warblers were the Cetti's, at least 2 heard.
Water Rail - I heard, hopefully indicating breeding.
Pheasant - there seems to be at least 3 males on territory

Low water channels
Pretty much as yesterday, but Shag was not seen/reported
Black-Tailed godwit 2 north plus this 2cy on beach

A good variety, but nothing new

Heysham skeer - low water 08:20
Shag 1 feeding on noth side
Great-Crested Grebe 6
Red-Breasted Merganser 16

These are part of a feeding group of 9 Mergansers on north side, there was a similar group of 7 on south side.

Meadow pipit north c60 in an hour

Half Moon Bay shore
Wheatear 2
Rock pipit 3, at least 1 resident
Swallow 5 north

Old Heliport area
Knot - 16,500 gathered on mud out from Near Naze as the tide was rising. Unfortunately spooked by someone walking along the heliport wall. At least 4,000 returned to south
Meadow pipit 30 in an hour
Alba wagtail 10 in an hour (both Pied and White)

Red Nab area
Mediterranean gull 1. 2cy with common gull on tideline off red nab - a really poor ‘mask’ and not obvious

Middleton Nature Reserve
Cetti's warbler - Shaun located all 5 singing males Mid morning (see yesterday's post). Plus:
Blackcap  8 singing + 2male & 1 female
WIllow warbler 7
Chiffchaff 4
No sign of yesterday's Sedge warbler. By the evening only one Cetti's singing.

Little grebe 2 each on main pond and no swimming pond
Coot the no swimming pond now have three chicks.

A face only a mother could love!

Sedge warbler singing

 Another warm sunny day, relatively calm early on but east breeze increased late morning.

Swallows - first one seen through Heysham 07:00, numbers increased during morning. A total of at least 18 seen/reported by 12:00.

Thanks for picture Janet

Heysham Nature Reserve

Willow Warbler, Chiichaff and Blackcap singing.

Water Rail calling
Speckled wood butterfly- in wooded area near Red Nab. Janet had one on HNR 6/4

Thanks Kevin

Red Nab area

Wheatear 1

Rock pipit 1

Middleton Nature Reserve

Covered by three observers taking their exercise here (Shaun, Janet and Malcolm), fortunately spread from early to late morning.

Early on there were just Willow Warbler, Chiichaff and Blackcap singing.

One of Willow Warbler singing - thanks Janet

By mid morning at least one Cetti's warbler was also singing. By 11:45 there were 5:

Western marsh

Central marsh - fence pond

Central marsh - north side, near brick building

No swimming pond

Tim Butler pond

Also by 11:45 there was a Sedge warbler singing at "no swimming" pond. This area was checked by both earlier observers.

Buzzard 1 blogging on eastern boundary

Kestrel 1 very high west

Gadwall 2 pairs

Tufted 1 pair

Coot 2

Not much, but not bad!

Another warm sunny day with light breeze from varying directions

Arctic Skua 1 light morph in at 12:25
Whimbrel 1 in then out (first of year)
Both above from Shaun

Osprey 1 in - seen from Half Moon Bay 09:40.

In the time honoured tradition of this blog - suitably grainy record shots. The originals are slightly better resolution (MD)

Some sea movement

As the new government guidelines permit some travel to local exercise areas, we will resume including some resident sightings in areas of relatively easy access.

Most of this morning's records from Shaun's cycle circuit of the area.
Heysham Harbour
Artic Skua dark morph in at 11:15.
Common Scoters 2 male feeding near wooden jetty then flew into the bay.
Red-Throated Diver 2 drifted in on the tide.
Sandwich Tern 1
Rock Pipit pair + single

Thanks for picture Kevin

Heysham Nature Reserve
Chiffchaff  7
Blackcap 3
WIllow warbler 2
All above singing.
Great SpottedWoodpecker drumming
Sparrowhawk 1 female.
Jay pair

First Orange Tip of year - thanks Janet

Middleton Nature Reserve
Chiffchaff  4
Blackcap 3
WIllow warbler 5
Cetti's warbler 3
All above singing

Red Nab area
Rock pipits 2
Linnet 4

Picture from Kevin

Heysham skeer - low waterf
Shag 1. First record for some while and almost missed it.

Great Crested grebe 6
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Eider 50+

This Herring gull has just grabbed a starfish. They only peck out the guts and leave the body and legs.

And, finally, for those of you who think you have to watch Blue Planet to see unusual fish. This is an angler fish. They settle into the mud leaving only the eyes and open gape showing. They then grab anything unfortunate enough to wander within range. This one haa been caught out by the high speed the water goes out on these spring tides. It was barely alive, I returned it, but didn't fancy its chances.

Hoist by its own petard!

A good day considering the restrictions

The wind started SSW then moved further west as the day progressed. Unfortunately, sea watching was confined to Shaun's early morning cycle, plus limited observations later in the morning.

Sandwich Tern 1 - 06:30 (first of year)
Kittiwake 30 in - 07:15 plus another 5 later in the morning
Red-Throated Diver - high flock of 6 in, plus 2, 1 and 1 (mid morning)
Arctic Skua - 1 dark morph distant 10:45
Knot c6,000 on old heliport wall, only two ringed birds found

Marsh Harrier - 1 female/immature north

Middleton Nature Reserve
Swallow 2 (1 + 1)
A lot of warblers grounded
Chiffchaffs everwhere
Willow warbler  - 1 singing male plus at least one more seen only.
Blackcap none heard, but at least two males seen

Not all of today's arrivals were welcomed!

Willow Warbler and Blackcap arrive!

Early SSE breeze stffened and shifted more to east. Quite a warm day.

Heysham Nature Reserve 10:00 - 11:30
Chiffchaff 8
Willow Warbler 1 (first of year)
Blackcap 1 (first arrival of year)
All singing males

Swallow 4 (first of year)
Sand Martin 2
House Martin 1 (first of year)
All flying NE
Above records from Shaun.


Meadow pipits at 09:30 13 flew north over Red Nab, but they quickly slowed, only 28 in an hour.
Rock pipits 3 - probably not migrants
Wheatear 1

Both the Knot and Turnstone are starting to moult into summer plumage.

Butterflies (morning only)
Brimstone 2
Peacock 4
Small Tortoiseshell 2