Next to nothing.........new

There are plenty of birds around, just nothing new today.

Middleton Nature Reserve 
The regular nine warblers all present, including 3 Cetti's and 1 Grasshopper warbler.
Stock dove 2
Little grebe, heard on both main and "no swimming" ponds,  but none seen.
Gadwall, just 1 male.
Mute swans - there were 17 "interlopers" on the main pond plus the resident 2. Unfortunately not on nest, hopefully only temporary. There is another pair on "no swimming" pond, but the reed growth makes it impossible to see if the fence pond pair are still nesting.

The new birds consist of both adult plus 2nd calendar year birds. 

Rock Pipits
The pair below high cliffs are still very active and territorial. Only one sighting of bird near lighthouse, hopefully nesting is still underway.

Wednesday - (hopefully) provisional

Well, the first day of being encouraged to spend more time outdoors and, so far, no reports from any observers. For now just the meagre fare from my brief checks (MD).
Plus:
This is the second year running this Grey Wagtail has bred at Crawshawbooth East Lancs. See last year’s Heysham report for ringing details.  Photo today with fledged young.  Thanks Craig

Hopefully more later.

Heysham skeer low water 11:00

Great Crested grebe 3

Ringed Plover 1

Whimbrel 3

Curlew 1

Heysham Head high cliffs

Rock Pipits - the two territorial birds very active

Lighthouse area high water 16:40

Whimbrel 2 in

Dunlin 2 in

Knot 17 in

The Dunlin and Knot stopped for a rest on rocks before continuing in.

Something you might fancy checking if you walk along the water line at low water.

At this time of year, as the water starts to warm, the crabs start to shed their shells. Bear in mind that it not just the carapace that is shed, but the whole outer skeleton, including legs, claws etc.  The new shells, although soft for a couple of days, harden into a larger size, giving the crab room to grow in to, until they are ready to shed to the next size.

But things are different for hermit crabs.

These crabs have soft bodies with only a hard outer skeleton protecting the head, legs and claws. These have to be shed periodically. The ideal scenario for a hermit crab is to find a larger shell before they shed their protection. A large shell allows them to retreat right inside, out of sight, when threatened.

Unfortunately a larger shell is more cumbersome,  and they regularly end up stranded, but safe on the water's edge. There were several this morning:

The opening size shell is a periwinkle. 

If you pick this up the crab totally disappears

They then move on to dog whelk shells

This crab is quite small for this shell but it will last it for at least two sheddings

And finally a common whelk

This was not actually one of today's crabs. This one was stranded by the spring tides last week. At this size they cannot fully retreat into the shell. But the claws act as a very effective seal.

Of course all three of these shells come in various sizes. The three above are about as large as each gets. If you find any of these shells "empty" at low water line, the chances are a hermit crab will be inside. Place it on the mud hole side up, and the crab will reveal itself. But please return it to water or turn it over before you leave.

Bit of a mixed bag

Several observers in the recording area today, no one had a lot, but everyone saw something of interest.

Skeer at low water (10:10)
Great-crested grebe 6
The only waders, apart from Oystercatchers, were a single Curlew and a Turnstone.

The Turnstone, in summer plumage and demonstrating just how effective it is as camouflage in this terrain.

Middleton Nature Reserve
An influx of 10 Mute Swan meant that the total on the main pond was 13.

Heysham Nature Reserve 
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Red Nab area high water (15:45)
Curlew:
Flock of 52 birds originally on Red Nab then moved to mud out from the saltmarsh, before heading off towards Pott's Corner.
Plus 2 on saltmarsh
Whimbrel:
3 on Red Nab were joined by 2 from the saltmarh before flying off high, and noisy, to NW
Rock pipit 1

Sea watching - various times
Arctic Skua 1 dark morph off Heyshsm Head blogging, early afternoon.
Common Scoter 20 in
Mediterranean gull 1 2nd calendar year in

And finally this Little Egret doing a fine impression of Bobby Charlton! (MD)

Gulls

There were 188 Common Gull and 18 Lesser Black- Backed feeding on and around No.1 outflow as the tide started to flood.

The LBB favour the sea wall end whereas the Common prefer the sea end

Mediterranean Gull one 2nd calendar year briefly on No.1 outflow slightly later in tide.

Black-Headed Gull 117 feeding on small shrimps in the drain into the lake to north of the skeer as tide was ebbing.

When the drain emptied,  they headed off together north

Rock Pipits:
1 Red Nab
1 Visiting nest site near lighthouse
2 very territorial below high cliffs

Wheatear 1 Heysham Head

Skeer in evening
Eider 18 only 2 female
Great Crested Grebe 8
Knot, just 14 today

Is this them away?

Similarly with the 6 Dunlin

Another good moth from Kevin's trap SD46A

Miller moth

Just enough to maintain interest

Fresh NNE wind. Overcast and showers in morning brightening up by late afternoon

Sea/mud watch 0550-0650 
Arctic Skua 1 dark morph in
Gannet 1 adult U turning
Sandwich Tern 6 slowly heading out

Grey seal
Swallow - 4 NE

Low water out from Half Moon Bay to skeer
Great-crested grebe 1
Eider 52 mainly male
Little Egret 7
Ringed Plover 20 + 4
Knot 120

Only a small percentage turning to summer plumage

Lighthouse area 16:00 - 16:30 (MD)
Rock pipit 1 visiting nest site
Whinchat 1 male briefly 

Only managed a record shot

Common Redstart 1 male feeding on the scrub near lighthouse.

Eventually, managed a decent shot

Bank Holiday break

 Traditionally everyone flocks to the sea on a warm bank holiday weekend. Today, as far as I am awaare, none of the regular observers check the sea. 

Most of today's records came from Middleton Nature Reserve. Obviously ringing is not an option at the moment so warbler movement can only be inferred, but based on the volume of noise this morning there were more Common Whitethroat and Sedge warbler than of late.

Nine warbler species were all seen and heard, but only glimpses seen of the 3 Cetti's warbler and 2 Grasshopper warblers heard.

Wildfowl:

Mute swan 3 pairs nesting plus 1 2nd calendar year 

Greylag 2 - these are regular visitors, but not tolerated by the male Mute

Coot 3

Moorhen 6

Mallard 1 + still with at least 14 chicks

Gadwall 2 males plus this pair

Doing an impression of Hilda Ogden's ducks - thanks Janet

Little Grebe 2 single birds feeding, hopefully their mates are sitting

Insects:

All the regular damselfy species are suddenly everywhere

Four-spotted chaser 2

Broad-bodied chaser 3

Thanks Kevin

The only other records so far are from a quick check of lighthouse area late afternoon.

Rock pipit 1 visiting nest site, hopefully with food. Another bird, almost certainly not one of the breeding pair near waterfall.

Mother Shipton at least three in the scrub near lighthouse 

The one that got away - it's always the best one!

Low cloud early on with a gentle southerly breeze, later brightening up and the breeze switching to west.

Common Gull 368
Mediterranean Gull 1 2nd calendar year
Sandwich Tern 8
Red-throated Diver one on water
Common Scoter 15 in
Dunlin 45 north
Whimbrel 25
Pink-footed goose 4 north
Swan (sp)  26-28 north, unfortunately seen to late to allow identification

"The one that got away" refers to an Osprey. Two observers saw the waders on the shore spooked, but couldn't locate source, only to find that an Osprey had been reported heading towards the area. Later shortly after an observer left the Red Nab area, an Osprey was seen approaching Sunderland Point from Heysham - missed by minutes!

Grey seal 6
No sign of passerine migration or even swallows

Little Egret 8

These 7 together, plus the regular bird here is just out of frame. The waders flying above are Oystercatcher.

Kittiwake 76
08:40 A flock heard above Heysham Head. They were above the cloud line but as the approached the skeer they dropped below the cloud.

But still very high

They then circled high (right over my head MD)

Before heading off NW

Reserves
The late morning and afternoon sun brought the insects out

Butterflies:
All the early flyers are still around including: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma and Speckled wood
New for year
Common Blue on Heysham and Middleton

Jant took a leaf out of Pete's book and took these with here phone camera.

Small Heath just at Middleton, so far

Moths:
Burnet Companion, 3 at Heysham 1 at Middleton

Dragonflies:
Broad-bodied Chaser 3 Middleton
Four-Spotted Chaser 1 Middleton

Damselflies- Middleton
Large-red and Azure, plus new for year
Common Bluetail
Common Blue

Four Tern species!

All today's records, and picture, so far from Pete (M). All sea records before 09:30.

Goosander 1 drake flew in,
Arctic Tern 10 in at mid range then 31 in at close range.
Little Tern - one ‘following’ the first Arctic Tern flock but getting left further and further behind as it hovered to feed several times.
Sandwich Tern - all on the move this am totalling 17
Common Tern - two roosting red nab then flushed

Impressive picture of in flight Common Tern, considering by phone camera through scope!

Didn’t check gulls carefully, c200 plus Common gull, no obvious Mediterranean gull.
Whimbrel just 3 Red Nab
Dunlin 86 Red Nab
Knot 2100 on mud off north wall, then  c1600 flew south leaving 493 mainly 2nd calendar year and by near naze (all unringed)
Swallow 36 north,
Carrion Crow one very high north
Tree pipit 3 plus 1 north north wall then one flew inland near Red Nab

A quick check of Heysham Nature Reserve from entrance barrier found
Spotted Flycatcher - one probably two very active around dipping pond and roadside trees,

Moths
Silver Y north wall

Hopefully more to come

Common Gull influx

Notable of sorts this morning was a significant increase in 2cy Common Gulls bringing an extra Med with them

Sea 0730-0830
Pink footed Goose - flock of 40 north
Arctic Skua - dark morph on sea then circled up and flew inland over the seawall
Arctic Tern - flock of 6 in
Common Scoter - loose flock c30 - v distant
Sandwich Tern - 10 including flock of 6 in
Flava Wagtail -one NE
Whinchat - female on north wall
Knot - flock of 82 on sand then north - all non breeding plumage
Rock Pipit - one giving quiet parachute display calls on seawall Plus one above nest site near lighthouse

Ocean edge 0835-0905
Whimbrel - 5
Bar tailed Godwit - two in sp
Med gull - 2 - additional ‘black headed’ bird
Common Gull - min 318
Wheatear - one football pitch
Carrion Crow - three together high in-off heading NE

 Not a single hirundine seen!

Middleton Nature Reserve- late morning
Couldn't locate a Garden warbler, but all 9 other warblers seen and or heard including:
Cetti's warbler 3 heard singing
Grasshopper warbler seen (glimpsed) only
Lesser Whitethroat, 3 seen but none singing today
No hirundine seen here either

The Mallard with 15 chicks still has them all, but is back on the "no swimming" pond and is still being "moved along"  by the male Mute

Dragonflies:
Four-spotted chaser 1
Broad-bodied chaser 5
Large Red Damselfly 4
Azure Blue Damselfly 1 female - first record this year

Waders on the move

Evening update
A further 7 Whimbrel and 3 Dunlin to add to the tallies below, plus Rock Pipits feeding young. Here’s Dad keeping an eye out for approaching humans and other potential predators:

Seabirds, waders and gulls:
Arctic Tern - 17 +15 +10 in
Sandwich Tern 6 in, 2 on the buoys and 1 chased by a skua (see below)
Red-throated Diver - 3 in
Guillemot - 1 out
Razorbill - 1 out
Auk sp - 2 in
Arctic Skua - 1 dark-morph at 0918hrs chasing a Sandwich Tern
Common Scoter - 1 floating in
Dunlin - 281 plus others distantly
Golden Plover - 3
Grey Plover 21
Ringed Plover 13 on Ocean Edge saltmarsh
Bar tailed Godwit  -2
Mediterranean Gull - 1 2cy
Common Gull - 181
Leucistic Common Gull pretending to be an Iceland Gull. The photos, although not good because they are heavily cropped, show a white Gull but closer inspection shows that the wing tips are actually grey.

 

Vis:
Swallow - 8
House Martin - 3 over Ocean Edge, 5 over Heysham Moss and 1 over Middleton NR
Tree Pipit - 1
Linnet (may be resident?) - 2

Grounded:
Greenland Wheatear - 2
Whimbrel - 29 on Red Nab

One of the two Wheatears. Presumed ‘Greenland’ type as it was larger than the ones that passed through last month.