Christmas Day goose

It was freezing again last night resulting in the ponds being 75% ice covered. Lightish wind during the day but starting to freshen from the west by evening, and set to continue increasing overnight.

Just time for a quick stroll around the skeer with a check of Middleton on the way home.

Heysham skeer low water 14:45

Pale-bellied Brent goose - at first I thought there were just 25 in the corner of the skeer. These comprised a group of 5 with the Canadian ringed birds, plus another group of 20 initially on the water, but later came ashore to feed. But still separate from the other 5.

These are the 25 birds, showing the location looking from the skeer

As I was walking off the skeer, all 25 were still there, then I inadvertently spooked another 6 that were on one of the inshore pools. Fortunately, they quickly joined the others and continued feeding.

So the new high for this winter has almost doubled from yesterday's 16 to 31.

Not sure about tomorrow, the tide height is good, but they are not as keen to come over in rough weather. 

Eider c80

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 2

Little Egret 4

Yesterday I mentioned a clip of an Oystercatcher opening a mussel. They normally fly away to open them, I always assumed it was a messy job and they risked being robbed. But, this bird decided to open a small mussel were it was found. It seemed remarkably easy and only produced a small morsel. 

Presumably larger mussels require more effort, but provide more reward.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Mute 2+1 adult and 3+1 juvenile on and around the main pond

Gadwall 24

Teal 3

Tufted 4

Mallard 6

c30 Black Headed gulls were resting on the main pond ice. No rings

7 of the BHG, there looks a lot more when every bird looks like two!

The Star(s) of Bethlehem

A cold north west wind, a ground frost overnight leaving the shallow pools and puddles with a thin covering of ice. The sun shone for most of the day, so very nice if you wrapped up.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 16.

Howard checked the skeer corner early in the ebbing tide (09:00). There were already 16 birds waiting for the weed beds to become available. The two Canadian ringed birds were with them. These three pictures from Howard - Thanks.

Note the Oystercatcher with a mussel on this picture,
the next quiet day (tomorrow?) I'll show you one opening a mussel.

I went down at low water (13:50), all 16 were still there.

Eider c60

The South Lake hills were snow covered, so I took a seasonal shot.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Gadwall 17

Mallard 2

Shoveller 4 (1 female)

Teal 2

Little Grebe 2

Woodcock 1

In hindsight, I should have taken a shot of a Robin.
But I like this shot of a male Bullfinch, so it will have to do.

Today's title refers to the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. They were closest on Tuesday, but today was the first clear evening. This alignment only occurs every 400 years (last one 1623), there would have been one around the birth of Christ, leading some scholars to speculate that this could have been the "Star of Bethlehem". I remain skeptical, the ancients may not have had optics or knew what planets actually were, but they knew every point of light in the night sky and the movement of the "wanderers" across them.

Even so it's worth a look.

This one is looking over the trees before Red Nab - the trees are just visible (trust me)

This is the "detail" - you can just make out Saturn's rings (the right hand blob).

They are visible, low in the SW as soon as it is dark enough after sunset, these were 17:00. But a bit further apart every day

Well, Christmas Eve! I would like to be able to wish you all a "merry" Christmas, but I'm afraid that merriment is not really practical this year. But it will be a happy Christmas for everyone, if we get through safely. So:

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Malcolm

A surprise guest

Fresh NE wind with heavy showers in the morning, the rain eased a little by the afternoon.

Pale-bellied Brent - just a quick check from the promenade with x10 binoculars located at least 5 in the skeer corner at 12:45

Middleton Nature Reserve early afternoon (MD)

Gadwall 15

Shoveller 2 (1 male, 1 female)

Tufted 1 (male)

Goosander 1 (male) I think this is the first ever record of one on the reserve ponds. Goosander are barely annual here, but there have been more sightings than usual this year.

This is on the "no swimming" pond

It didn't dive at all, but kept dipping its head in the water as though drinking. Hopefully it had been fishing and was washing one down, there are plenty of small Perch in this pond. It does look like it's trying to digest something.

First seen 13:15 and still on the pond at 14:15, but I saw it flying north as I drove away. Probably just a quick stop off after the morning's heavy rain, but hopefully it may return, the red headed Goosander seen on Saturday was flying from the direction of this pond.

Finally, I'm not a botanist, but I'm pretty sure that December is early for these Hazel catkins 

My (albeit elderly) reference book says:
"A sure sign of spring"!

A more clinical approach

A light east breeze with some warm sunshine made it quite pleasant.

Heysham Skeer - low water 11:30 (MD)

Eider c60

Great Crested Grebe 2

Knot c2000

Pale-belled Brent goose 14. 

The Brent hadn't arrived when I went down, so I took the opportunity to check out what they are feeding on.

"Sea lettuce" in the corner of the skeer.

I think this is sea lettuce, I'd be happy to be corrected if anyone knows differently. Either way, it looks more appetising than the gut weed available out from the children's play area.

Gut weed on shore out from the play area.

The Brent arrived about 10:30. I also parked briefly on Knowlys Road at 15:20 and could see all 14 on the water just out from the children's play area. I would expect them to be around for most of the day again tomorrow.

Today's title refers to a more clinical and effective Peregrine attack. 

The Knot were feeding on the skeer when a low flying Peregrine flushed them. The Peregrine shot up and I lost it, but knew where it would be heading next. The Knot knew too, you can see wave after wave ripple through the flock as each bird tried to be in the middle. Twelve seconds into this video clip the Peregrine comes in from the top, just left of centre. In real time it looked like it had missed, but I knew it had got one, as there were no further attacks and the Knot quickly settled back to feeding - they knew it was over, for now at least.

This still from the video shows the point just before the kill. The arrow is pointing to the fated bird, which presumably had either weaker instincts or muscles than the others. You can also see the Peregrine's tail and wings spread to brake its speed to match the Knot 

This is typical of Peregrine strikes on Knot here. Suggesting that it is either an experienced adult or the juvenile are learning quickly.

The winter solstice arrives

Very light breeze, initially from the east but variable by evening. Overcast all day with some showers.

Heysham Skeer - low water 10:30 (MD)

Eider c60

Great Crested grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c200

Pale-bellied Brent goose 12

Almost certainly the same 12 as yesterday, the Canadian ringed birds were with them. At 10:00 they were in the SE corner of the skeer, but quite a distance up the brackish drain that feeds into the corner. This shot is just to show the location at that time. The Stone Jetty and the Midland Hotel can be seen in the background. 

I've been looking at the weed here and it isn't gut weed, I think it's sea lettuce. It certainly looks more appetising than the gut weed out from the children's play area.

Another quick look at 14:00 and all 12 were on the water in between the skeer and the children's play area. They were swimming towards the play area but turned back as a dog got too close. As I was walking away I looked back and they were flying, I thought they were off, but they came back and landed closer.

The background noise towards the end of this clip is actually their wing beats, indicating just how close they came towards me.

By the time I'd got to Heysham Head at 14:30 there was no sign of them. I suspect they need to be hungrier to tackle the weed near the play area.

The "rock balancer" has been busy. I have seen a lady doing this a few times. I don't know if she did these. They are below the high cliffs at Heysham Head. Many are well above the reach of any tide till the middle of January.

I've no idea why they are created. I hope it's to make people smile, they always make me smile.

The Norwegian ringed Oystercatcher is still feeding on the cricket field - ref Howard

Looking at the state of its bill, the worms must be getting deeper!

Well, here we are, the shortest day of the year. After today, the laws of physics guarantee that the days will get longer and brighter. Lets hope that the laws of nature also allows life to get brighter for everyone.

Brent numbers increase.....incrementally

The wind had moved round to SW. Some sunshine and heavy showers.

Another Grey Wagtail recovery - see scheme details on side bar to the right.

ALL7481         

Ringed  1st W          Middleton NR, nr Heysham, Lancs   10/09/2020

Photo. Priorslee Flash, Telford, Shropshire SJ7110  20/12/2020  153km SSE

Thanks to Edwin Wilson for this picture and Martin Grant for facilitating the report

Kittiwake 2 adult behind the afternoon ferry.

Heysham Skeer - low water 09:40

No Knot today, presumably the Peregrine got there before I did.

Eider c40

Great Crested Grebe 2

Pale-bellied Brent 12 (previous high count this winter was 11) Feeding in the SE corner of skeer at low water. I don't know if they moved up to the children's play area with the tide, but they didn't get as far as Red Nab.

This shot shows all 12, including the Canadian ringed birds

This is a close up of the ringed birds

Red V Blue T = VTRB plus VDRB

As I was leaving there was a rainbow. I got all arty again (I think the social isolation is finally getting to me! (MD))

All 12 Brent feeding in a rainbow's reflection 

Middleton Nature Reserve - early afternoon 

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond

Wildfowl as yesterday except now 2 male Tufted and 5 Shoveller (4 male)

All seems amicable in the Shoveller society today.

Oystercatchers with attitude

The wind continues from the south, quite pleasant in the morning sunshine, but showers began by lunchtime.

Heysham skeer - low water 08:50 (MD)

Eider only 17 seen

Shelduck 3 - not regular here

Pink-Footed goose 105 west 08:40

Great Crested grebe 2

Knot c2000

Peregrine 2 - at least one, probably both juveniles. They quickly flushed all the Knot away, without catching any. So one juvenile tried its hand with the Oystercatchers.

I'm sorry about the quality of this video, but it's good enough to tell the story of what happened.:

The experienced Oystercatchers stay on the skeer/water. A Peregrine won't risk hitting something on the ground as it would risk injury to itself, whether this is learned or instinctive for the Oystercatchers, I don't know.

It eventually managed to persuade a few to take flight by coming in more slowly, then set after them, resulting in two having an early bath, but none caught.

The full sequence was almost a minute and a half, it then landed for a rest. The Oystercatchers seemed to realise that the risk was over, and ignored it.

The Peregrine is arrowed

Even when it took off, the Oystercatcher were comfortable, some even landed close to it, when it landed again.

Middleton Nature Reserve - mid afternoon (between showers)

Mute 3 adult (one skulking away on Tim Butler pond) 3+1 juvenile 

Coot 6

Moorhen 16 (8 on the field to the east of Tim Butler)

Gadwall 32

Shoveller 4 (3m 1f)

Mallard 2

Tufted 1 male

Teal 7 on Tim Butler pond 

Little Grebe 2

Water Rail 3 squealing

Goosander 1 redhead west. They are normally a rare visitor to the recording area, but this year there have been six sightings and a total of 12 birds.

Not a great shot, but just good enough to confirm species.

Jack Snipe still abundant

The wind was mainly SSE. Light rain on and off all day.

Jack Snipe at least 5 on foreshore between Red Nab and the saltmarsh. Long before high water (ref Pete).

Heysham Skeer - low water 08:10

Eider 28 close in, more further out

Wigeon 1 - not regular here

Great Crested grebe 6

Red-breasted Merganser 1

Little Egret 4

Knot c2,500

The Brent Geese did not come over to feed in the corner today - perhaps tomorrow 

The honeycomb worm colonies that formed this year, when the skeer was stripped of its seed mussels by the early summer storms, are now eroding. The low beds are now providing opportunities for the waders to feed, in the diminished crevices.

 This picture shows a portion of the new low beds.

A more mature colony can be seen top right.

This clip shows Knot coming in to feed on these low beds

Unfortunately, unless this first season growth is stripped by winter storms, the colony will consolidate next year. The only birds that regularly feed on the mature colonies appear to be Carrion Crow

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Not actually checked today. This video is from yesterday, it demonstrates the change in behaviour of the three male Shoveller, with the arrival of a female. The dominant male was keeping the other males well away from the female (she enters stage left).

The background noise is the rain!

The Norwegian ringed Oystercatcher is still being regularly seen on the cricket field (ref Janet)

Brent on half day return....

The wind varied from SSW to SSE, sunshine in the morning but turning to rain by mid afternoon.

It was a nice morning for a stroll along the south wall, but at one level, there wasn't much to see. Although in reality there were lots of birds around. 

Janet took these pictures of all the birds that can almost always be seen. It's normally best about 2 hours either before or after high water, when the birds are nearer the sea wall.

All today's pictures are best viewed by opening them.

Some of the 150+ Wigeon waiting for the tide to reach
their feeding areas on Red Nab

A nice shot of some of the Wigeon flying to Red Nab

Redshank and Turnstone roosting on No.1 outflow. 
If the tide covers the outflow they move on to the sloping sea wall

Curlew and Oystercatcher near the outflow
but both these can be seen everywhere!

Grey Heron - this one routinely feeds in the channels by No.1 outflow.
It then roosts on Red Nab, as here.

Also today:

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Mistle Thrush 1 on foreshore.

Saltmarsh 

Report from David Talbot

Jack Snipe 6, possibly 7

Common Snipe several flushed early by the tide

Heliport 

Knot ring reading was disrupted with the arrival of this male Sparrowhawk 

Stunning picture by Howard 

A Peregrine was also doing the rounds

North shore 3 hr before high water

This is what today's title refers to. The previous three visits by Brent geese this winter I described them as "day trippers". Today they had been and gone by 10:15.

Pale- bellied Brent 6 were on the water between the corner of the skeer and the children's play area at 10:00. Presumably they had been been feeding in the corner before the tide moved them on. I expected them to drift along till they reached the gut weed out from the children's play area (as previous years), but instead they took flight and disappeared to the west.

Fortunately I took this short video before they flew. I was a long way away and was expecting better views, but it's not too bad.

Middleton Nature Reserve - mid afternoon 

Gadwall 31

Shoveller 4 (3m+1f)

Tufted 2 m

Mallard 2

Common Snipe 10 flushed from the marsh areas. This is in contrast to yesterday when none were flushed, but today's visit was at a time when the tide was still covering the saltmarsh.

Woodpecker, a belated FOY!

Strong SE winds. Rain for most of the day, easing off by "evening"

South shore mid to late morning

Rock Pipits 1 on saltmarsh, 1 on Red Nab, 3 along the sea wall.

Nothing of note on the sea

A walk past the saltmarsh when it was about 75% covered

Jack Snipe at least 4

Common Snipe - none lifted from the marsh, but a flock of 12 came from the north tried to land on the marsh, before eventually heading towards Middleton Nature Reserve.

Reed Bunting 4

Heliport area

Knot ring reading - from Pete - Four Sefton coast birds (one new one), two Icelandic (one new) and two Dutch Knot flags/crs read today

Middleton Nature Reserve 

A decent walk around, in what turned out to be the best part of the day, weather wise.

Mute 2 adult plus 3+1 juvenile 

Coot 6

Moorhen 10

Gadwalls 26

Shoveller 2

Tufted 1

Mallard 2

Water Rail 1 squealing 

Common Snipe - surprisingly none flushed despite trudging through some likely terrain. But as darkness decended (16:10!) a flock of 22 circled several times over the central marsh before decending.

Green Woodpecker 1 flew south from the golf course area. This is the first record in the recording area since 30/04/19, so a very belated first of year (FOY)

It had not been a good day for photography, I managed some Jack snipe shots, but nothing like the quality of David's yesterday. So as the clouds started to clear, just as the sun was setting, I went all arty! (MD)

Sunset over Middleton Nature Reserve - 16:00!