The gale starts to provide and amazing Redstart double

Very strong SSW - SW winds all day. Very difficult conditions to watch in, but some interesting stuff around.  Most of the seawatching took place from the Stone Jetty with overall coverage from 0830 to 1400 (NG, TW, SC, PM, BC)

Arctic Skua two light morph
Manx Shearwater 4
Guillemot 5
Sandwich Tern 3
Little Tern 3, plus 1, plus 2
Gannet 28 in, c. 70 out distantly
Great crested grebe 9
Grey plover 25 flew south in 2 flocks
Fulmar close in,flying out at 09.40hrs

Med gull - 2z2cy with c180 2cy Common Gull Ocean Edge/Red Nab 

Lighthouse area (MD)
Nothing of note seen on sea.
A visit early afternoon provided two tantalising glimpses of a Redstart hopping into the Power Station grounds. The western boundary onto scrub near lighthouse.
The difficult conditions were such that it wasn't possible to confirm if it was a Common or Black (it was barely possible to stand).
So another visit early evening with the sole intention of identifying this bird, resulted in:

Common Redstart - 1 male briefly below fence on western boundary of Power Station (record shot)

Then a surprise, a second bird:
Black Redstart 1 female type - almost invisible amongst the rocks on the outside of the Power Station boundary  between the waterfall and lighhouse.

I'm not sure if the image resolution of the blog will allow you to see this bird - it is there. If you can't see it, open image "in another tab"

Wheatear 1
Rock Pipits 2 - one guarding nest the other taking food to young in nest. All three visits.

Another excellent record from Kevin's moth trap SD46A - a Broad-barred White

Just about annual in north Lancs!

The calm before the storm......hopefully

Very little variable wind today, but it's expected to change in the morning with strong SW winds forecast. Meanwhile, there wasn't much happening today.

Rock Pipits still feeding young near lighthouse

Swift 2 north over Heysham Head

The following pictures from Kevin

Large Red Damselfy from Heysham Nature Reserve

Azure Damselfy and mature male Broad-bodied Chaser from small pond on the way to Red Nab

Heysham skeer low water 18:15
Great Crested Grebe 9
Little Egret 8
Eider 28
Apart from the Oystercatchers, there was literally only a hadful of other waders (five). So I decided to photograph them all. (MD)
Knot 1

Ringed plover 2

I felt like I'd interrupted something!

Sanderling 2 in summer plumage

They are both on this picture

There doesn't look like much nutrition in this tit bit

Cygnet arrival is highlight!

Very little wind, particularly early on plus sun all day meant  the temperature soared. Lots of people out taking advantage of relaxed restrictions. But little else happening.
Two good  moth records from Kevin's trap thoug - Two pink Elephants!

Elephant Hawk moth

Small Elephant Hawk moth

Rock Pipits  - the lighthouse pair still taking food to nest hole.

Middleton Nature Reserve
Mute Swan - 24 on main pond including nesting pair. The new influx seem determined to stay despite dogs swimming and model motorboat.
The pair on the "no swimming" pond have at least four chicks hatched with at least one egg remaining.

Thanks for picture Janet

Warblers - 8 of the 9 known breeding species seen and/or heard. This includef 3 Cetti's Warblers. The "missing" species was the Grasshopper Warbler.

Dragonflies- Broad- bodied chaser 2, Four-spotted chaser 3

Butterflies - Brimstone, Small White, Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

Weasel 1

Orchids are starting to flower. I think these are Early Marsh, but I'm happy to be corrected (MD)

Some welcome recovery news

A couple of decent recoveries here - a late autumn passage Blackcap caught in Holland on spring passage - prob Scandinavian bird and a Greenfinch found dead at Sedbergh in the breeding season.   Several Greenfinch ringed on autumn passage in October have been subsequently found in NE England 

Blackcap
VE8996 1stWf  05/10/19 Middleton NR
Retrapped 06/04/20 Parnassiaweg (Noord-Holland) Netherlands 527 kmESE 184 days

Greenfinch
NY22596 1stWf 18/10/17 Heysham
Dead 12/05/20 Sedbergh 42 km NE 937 days

South shore high water 10:14
Rock Pipits 2 around nest site near lighthouse regular visits to nest with sizeable beakfulls.

Wheatear 1 plump bird, presumed to be Greenland bound

,

Curlew c50 on Red Nab.

Heysham skeer low water 17:10
Probably the most interest was what wasn't here. No Great Crested Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, whimbrel or Knot.
In fact the only waders other than the omnipresent Oystercatchers were 2 Ringed Plovers and 6 Curlew.
Eider 47
Little Egret 7

Middleton Nature Reserve early evening.
Just a quick look at the two main ponds to check how the Mute were doing
There are now 24 Mute on the main pond including the original nesting resident pair, still sitting. At least 10 of the new birds are 2nd calendar year.
In contrast, the only birds seen on the "no swimming"  pond were the resident pair of Mute, including the very aggressive male. Plus a single Little grebe.

Thanks for picture Janet - this one was on the main pond

Without going any further than the track between the two ponds, the following warblers were heard. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler (2), Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Blackcap.
Swift 2 over to north

Still some decent stuff on the sea

A bit slower today, but still a few decent birds around. There shouldn't be much overlap in these records as most of these were around the high tide mark at 0930
Sea 0800-1000 Heysham harbour: (PM & JR)
Arctic skua 1 probable dark morph very distant, possibly one of SJ birds; light morph in at c0930
Red- throated diver 3
Gannet 5
Manx Shearwater 1
Razorbill 1
Guillemot, 5
Kittiwakes 37 in two flocks
Fulmar 1
Common Scoter 1

Stone jetty looking south  06:00 - 08:45 (Nick and Shaun)
Pomarine skua 5 flew out of the Bay (4 at 6:38, 1 about 7:15) 
Arctic skua 3 or 4 flew out 
Fulmar 2 out 
Auk sp 3 in 
Sandwich tern 1 
Whimbrel 2

Lighthouse area 07:00 - 08:00 (MD)
Mediterranean gull 1 -  2nd calendar year out
Fulmar 1 out - likely one of the two seen from jetty.

This bird must have flown low along the north harbour wall. It suddeny appeared low in harbour mouth.

Gained a little height

Then cut across the south harbour wall roundhead - all over in 5 seconds!

Rock pipit 1 seen taking food to nest hole in harbour wall near lighthouse

Four well spaced seawatchers looking in slightly different directions at different heights above sea level

The first time this has ever happened here!   Sorting the records out was not easy as the skuas were obviously not heading overland and indeed most would have been missed by all observers had they done so as they obviously went in prior to start of play.  I think this is fair assessment:

Pomarine Skua - two LM ads heading out wave-hugging at 0740 and seemingly heading for Walney.  Distant LM in low as other observers watching a close Arctic at 0810!  LM picked up in the sky circling between the wooden jetty and Piel Castle, then it dropped and flew low out.  Presumably four different birds 
Arctic Skua - at least eight 6 light, 2 dark as often seems to be the ratio in second half of May
Gannet - 13-14
Manx Shearwater - 2
Common Scoter - probably about 150 in then out (assuming some of the same not doing the hokey cokey)
Kittiwake - 156 out including flock of 124 - most unusual this late in the spring
Raz/Guille - c145
Guillemot - 17
Razorbill - 4
Sandwich Tern - c25
Red-throated Diver - 8
Diver spp (distant) - 1

Decent coverage

Seawatch 6-9am - ref Nick Godden curtesy on LDBWS website 

Red-throated diver 2 
Common scoter 60 plus hundreds more distantly in Cumbria 
Goosander 5 (4m) in 
Arctic tern 17 in (2,1,14) 
Sandwich tern 12 
Arctic skua 3 (6.15, 2 at 8.05) 
Gannet 24 
Auk sp 30 
Kittiwake 16 in, 8 went back out 
Black-headed gull 6 in 
Whimbrel 2 
Rock pipit 2 
Swallow 5 N

South shore am
Pomarine skua - 1 reported, details awaited

Decent flock of mixed waders:
320 knot,
280 Dunlin,
6 grey Plover

2nd calendar year gulls
287 Common gull
2 Mediterranean gull

Heysham Nature Reserve late am
Small Copper - first of year

Mother Shipton

Roe Deer 2 - Janet almost tranpled in a "stampede" as she crouched stealthily to get the above pictures. The deer obviously hadn't seen her till they "shot out of the trees" next to her.

North shore low water 14:40
Dunlin 4 on mud 1 on skeer
Curlew 2
Whimbrel 3
Oystercatcher c700
Little Egret 8
Eider 12
Great Crested grebe 4
Shelduck- flock of 13 out

Better!

Swift 3 seen by Janet flying north - a bit late, but first reported record this year.

Middleton Nature Reserve - mid afternoon
Mute Swan - the additional 17 birds are still on the main pond, fortunately the resident female is back on the nest.
Coot 3
Gadwall 1 male plus 1 pair
Little Grebe - 1 adult heard on both the main pond and the "no swimming" pond. 1 adult with 3 chicks on the Tim Butler pond.

The adult Little grebe with three chicks in the margins - the chick on the right looks like it's going to be a tearaway! (MD)

Green Sandpiper 1 flew from the Tim Butler pond towards Heysham Moss.

Dragonflies:

Four- spotted chaser - just this one

Broad- bodied chaser 3

This male looks to be mature from the side view

But back view shows it to be not quite mature 

Sea watch on incoming tide early evening - Bill Martin
Pomarine Skua 2 high flying
Arctic Skua 1 low

No 2 outflow - early evening

This pale/clean underwinged bird proved too difficult for me to confirm identity (MD). But expert (not me) analysis of this and other images has confirmed that it is a Mediterranean Gull, but one with no discernible face mask. One to watch out for.

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.