Shovelers on the move

Mild SW wind and a largely sunny day meant it was ideal for walking. Also ideal for flying, any paserines passing over must have continued as none were reported today.

Not quite true - late news: Stonechat 1 on old heliport - ref Howard.

South shore - high water 10:05

Pale-bellied Brent goose 15 arrived at Red Nab 09:00 and flew north at 11:40.

Some of the Brent, nibbling the bowling green quality gut weed growth.
Picture by Kevin

Heysham skeer 2hr before low water

Pale-bellied Brent goose 19 (15+4)

They were waiting on the water until the few remaining pockets of weed came within reach. This video is to show the feeding technique, but also the wealth of bird life. As well as the Brent there are: Red-breasted Merganser (not obvious in the strong contrasting light), Oystercatcher, Redshank, Turnstone and Knot. Not to mention the gulls.

Eider 80+

Great Crested Grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 1

Turnstone - there were a lot again today, apart from typical numbers feeding on the skeer, c30. This flock came from the south and continued north over the skeer.

This is about 75% of the flock and there are 150 in this frame.
You'll have to open the image to see any detail.

Shoveler - at least 8

These 2 male and 3 female were squabbling in the SE corner before flying off north.

A check at distance found three more with the Brent geese, but these had also gone by the time I was close enough to check the detail, but they looked like 3 female.

10 minutes later a male with two female flew from the middle of the bay and landed near the green marker post. Probably three of the earlier birds, but possibly an additional three.

Not a great picture, and you'll have to take my word for it, but I like the context.
That's 3 PB Brent in the middle on the water, with a male and 2 female Shoveler
flying above them, in front of Heysham Head.
Pete confirmed that this is "duck migration time".

Anemones are common in the shallow inner skeer pools throughout summer, but this is the first one I've noticed for a while. I don't think they stop feeding in winter, I just think the shallow pools are too cold for them in the winter and they don't open when the tide is out. But this one is just opening, you can see the tips of its tentacles emerging. 

A sign of spring?

Territorial dogfight

Very heavy and continuous overnight rain eased, but never quite stopped, this morning. Light SW winds and varying degrees of rain all day.

South shore high water 09:20

Pale-bellied Brent 7. This is the first record of them on Red Nab this winter. This picture shows five of them, these were not ringed. Unfortunately, the other two's legs were obscured, but it is very likely that they would be the experienced red/blue ringed Canadian birds.

There is lots of weed on the rocks, but perhaps the Wigeon are keeping it too
close cropped for the Brent. They flew north at 10:45.

Rock Pipit 7 (1 on saltmarsh, 2 Red Nab, 2 near lighthouse and 2 near the waterfall)

Janet took this shot of the lighthouse bird with the distinctive white feathers. Even wet they are discernible.

Let's hope that it stays identifiable and that it stays as a breeding bird.
This is an exceptional shot if you open it and see the detail.

The two birds from the waterfall area, must have moved too close towards the lighthouse male's breeding territory. So it confronted them, at a point roughly halfway between the lighthouse and the waterfall. This is what today's title refers to. I expect the bird which largely stays on the wall is the female. The "dogfight" is fast, even viewing it frame by frame they are difficult to see. (MD)

Eventually the waterfall male settled far enough back along the wall to satisfy the lighthouse bird. Later, as they made their way back towards the waterfall the male did a couple of short display flights.

Stonechat 2. A male and female bird were quickly moved along Red Nab by the Rock pipits.

Just a record shot of the male Stonechat 

A selection of the birds that you can always expect to see here at this time of year, by Janet:

A Dunnock singing its heart out! In trees before Red Nab.

Wigeon, responsible for keeping the Red Nab gut weed short cropped.

Turnstone - stone turning 

These two mature Cormorants in breeding plumage, were accompanied by two younger birds. You can only speculate about the relationship, if any.

North shore - low water 16:10

Pale-bellied Brent 22 (two groups 15 & 7)

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Eider 80+

Goldeneye 1 male

This male Blackbird was taking advantage of the waterlogged ground. It has a nice juicy Lob worm. Perhaps not one to watch if you're planning spaghetti.

More Stonechats

Strong southerly wind. The rain held off till lunchtime, after that the showers became heavier and more prolonged.

So far the only records are from the south shore in the morning.

Rock Pipits 7:

1 on west side of the saltmarsh flew over to the rocky outcrop on the east side 

1 feeding along the foreshore. No sign of any hostility today. I realised that the area that they have been squabbling in, is a territory that has been held by a Robin over winter, perhaps the Robin's section was acting as a buffer zone between two lots of Rock Pipits, or perhaps another Rock pipit tried to fill the now vacated Robin territory. Either way, it would seem the Robin moving out was the cause of the conflicts (MD).

1 feeding on Red Nab

1 on sea wall between the outflows

2 near lighthouse 

1 near the waterfall 

These two shots by Janet are one of the lighthouse birds. It has white flank feathers showing on the edge of each wing, it was like this the last time it was seen. It was windy today, but this was the only bird of the 7 to have flank feathers showing like this. Probably just a coincidence, but it would be nice to have a distinguishing feature on one of the birds (or just wishful thinking? MD)

If you open these images, you can see the feather detail

Meadow Pipit 3 near Red Nab

Meadow Pipit having a brief rest before moving inshore

Stonechat 3 - all came in off Red Nab. 1 female 10:20 plus 1 male and female 11:20. Who knows if/what in between. Moving quickly inland.

Male Stonechat

It didn't hang around

Grey Wagtail 1 - again inland quickly from Red Nab

Song Thrush 1 resting out of the wind in the inner harbour

Raven 1 over the trees behind Red Nab, quickly moved on by the resident Carrion Crow

Raven flying over Red Nab trees, didn't see which way it came from

This shot by Janet shows the detail of the Cormorant's breeding plumage 

Nothing new, but still plenty of good stuff to see and hear

The low cloud in the morning continued getting lower until it became a mist by lunchtime, after that the sun broke through making it feel very warm in the afternoon. Light winds mainly SSW.

Foreshore east of Red Nab

Rock Pipit 3 - there appears to be a territorial boundary about 50m west of the slipway. With 2 confronting 1 several times here today as well as a couple of occasions yesterday (MD).

This clip is during a lull in hostilities. The Rock Pipit catches a small White Ragworm (Nephthys honbergii). In the clip it appears to drop it, but watched in slow motion you can see that it was eaten. It then leaves a small token of its appreciation, before leaving.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Mute 6 adult 3 juvenile 

Gadwall 22

Mallard 6

Little grebe 1

Water Rail 4 calling

Common Buzzard flying low on the eastern edge

Cetti's warbler 1 singing from the central marsh

Pale-bellied Brent goose 24 in Heysham Village bay

Mediterranean gull 1 near the children's play area

Goldeneye 1 male in low water channel

Eider 80+

Janet took these nice shots while out for her stroll:

Oystercatcher on the wet mud near Red Nab

Male Kestrel near Half Moon Bay

The detail on this Blue Tit's ring can be clearly read
unfortunately not enough characters visible to identify 

Janet leaves pockets of food as she walks out, then checks them  when she 
returns. A good idea! Good for the birds and for anyone passing.
This Blackbird appears to be taunting the Great Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker 2. These are much more common than most people (not birders) realise. There were two females feeding near the small anemometer. This is one of them. Apologies for the jerky nature of this clip, it was an awkward angle to keep my camera still.

A spot of rock climbing

The wind was still from the south but quite gentle today. Some sunshine and light showers.

Meadow Pipit 1 on the foreshore rocks near Red Nab

Rock Pipit 3 at least, on the same rocks, one was torn between chasing off the Meadow Pipit and displaying.

This picture isn't up to much, but there won't be many locations in Lancashire 
were you can watch a Rock Pipit "parachuting"

This one is "striking a pose", I don't know if it the male displaying or a female responding (MD)

Kevin managed another Stonechat near the harbour Lighthouse 

A male today

This report from Jeff Butcher (curtesy of the LDBWS website)

My first visit to Heysham this year. Knowlys Road at 09.40 there were at least 17 pale-bellied Brent geese and at least 59 eider.

Later, 39 greylag geese flew over going south along the coast, seen from Heysham Head.

Chaffinch, dunnock both in full song. House sparrows visiting roof sites in the village.

Heysham skeer - low water 12:30

I say low water, but the tide doesn't go out far on these low 6.7m tides, just a small section of the inner skeer exposed.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 7 - this is what today's title refers to. I wasn't really expecting any here today, as I knew there is virtually no weed to feed on. But, as ever, the birds know better than me (MD). The only remaining weed was attached to the rocks and they were climbing on top to feed on it.

Not just an isolated incident, they were all at it.

Unfortunately, not a limitless supply

Eider - I didn't try to count, most were out of range, but there were some small groups of unattached males trying to woo the few unattached females.

Not a particularly dignified process!

Looks like the males we're trying to establish a pecking order

A tale of two communities

Very heavy overnight rain continued till lunchtime, it then remained mainly dry but still overcast. The SSE wind was quite strong, but warm. It was 12C in the afternoon.

Just mine (MD) and Janet's stuff so far.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look at the two main ponds

Mute swan 3 adult 3 juvenile

Little grebe trilling on the "no swimming" pond

Gadwall 2

Tufted 2

Male and female Gadwall and Tufted on "no swimming" pond

Rock Pipit 7:

1 near rocky outcrop east of the saltmarsh 

1 Red Nab

2 + 1 near the lighthouse 

1 old heliport 

1 north side of Half Moon Bay beach

Two of the lighthouse area birds

There has been these numbers in these locations throughout winter, but this is the first time for a while that they've all been seen on the same day.

Janet took this nice shot of a male Red-breasted Merganser
taking off from Red Nab

Grey seal 1 near the outflows

This shot shows its back, dark markings on a pale background 
In my book, that makes this a female
(male have pale markings on a dark background)

Common Snipe - this is what today's title refers to.

A walk past the saltmarsh, when the tide was still a long way out, saw 22. As soon as one bird is spooked, others respond like a chain reaction and they make for Middleton Nature Reserve.

A check as the tide covered the rocks in front of the old heliport saw another c30 birds. But these needed a crowbar to get them moving. I suppose the main difference is that these birds only need to fly to the top of the wall. I did think that the regular visits by the Merlin over the saltmarsh might have made those birds more flighty, but the Merlin also includes the heliport within its hunting range.

These are some of the heliport birds:

There are 14 snipe plus 5 Redshank on this picture,
but you'll probably need to open the image to see them all

This one ran out of rock to stand on

But found another one

The rocks were already mainly covered when I arrived, despite their reluctance to move, I suspect that many more snipe would have already shifted to the heliport grass.

Pale-bellied Brent 6. A look towards the children's play area from Heysham Head located the group making their way from the water's edge towards the rocks.

These are 5 of the PBB. Amazingly, even at this range you can just
make out that the 2nd and 3rd birds from the left have red/blue rings.

Jackdaw - 2 arrived in adjacent gardens (Cyprus Rd) during the cold spell, and are showing no sign of moving on. The Magpies don't seem bothered, but the resident Carrion Crows are not best pleased. The Jackdaw were checking out chimneys today!

The only movement today was still!

The wind moved back to SSE and became quite fresh, not cold though. Light rain on and off all day.

First an update from Wednesday from Middleton Nature Reserve 

Woodcock 1 flushed from western marsh

I mentioned there was a lot of landscaping going on on the western scrape. This is part of the excellent result of that work.

A clear corridor through the reeds, looks very promising
both for the wildlife and the opportunity to see it. Picture from Alan

Mediterranean gull 1 in the lower horse paddock near the children's play area 

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10 - they were feeding on the gut weed out from the play area (just where I photographed it yesterday - see yesterday's post), c2.5 hours before high water. Although all 10 were quite happy together while not feeding, as soon as they reached the weed beds a group of 6 (including the red/blue ringed Canadian birds) would not tolerate the other 4 feeding on the same, presumably best, location.

This shot gives a nice sense of the conditions and the demarcation 

This shot is from the sea wall as I was leaving, the large rocks in the foreground 
is the play area breakwater. Just in front of the birds is the lusher area of gut weed,
but they didn't get that far, when I looked back a few minutes later (14:00) they were flying 
off to the south. Don't know where they went, but they didn't turn up at Red Nab

The only sign of "movement" today was this Song Thrush having a rest out of the wind,
on the sloping sea wall between the outflows

There are 5 Oystercatcher back on the football pitch next to the cricket field 
This shows today's location, that's the gate post nearest the car park.
The flagged bird was just extracting  a worm. They do seem to find them easily.
I wonder how many they eat in a day? 

On Tuesday I mentioned that the local Carrion Crow also open mussels by dropping them, onto a hard surface. Janet duly obliged by photographing this one in action.

And so it begins......Stonechats moving today

The fresh SSW winds continue. Overcast and wet early on. A slow moving clear front eventually reached us by late morning, after that sunny spells and showers.

This is the weather front, it barely moved in the hour that I was on the shore

Stonechat at least 4. Janet located a female quickly passing through Red Nab this morning. Kevin saw a female near the lighthouse, just possibly the same bird. Later Pete C saw three (2 female and 1 male) working their way along the children's play area in Heysham Village Bay, before moving off north.

This is the Red Nab bird photographed by Janet

Green Sandpiper 1 next to the pond near the gate on the west side of Imperial Way

Mediterranean Gull 2 adult. One followed the lunchtime ferry in plus one on the shore by and flying around the children's play area

Not a great picture, but it shows the location, that's the track to
Knowlys Rd behind the Med

Med on left with two Black-headed gulls.
You can see the gut weed on the mud, more on that later

Other stuff from north shore:

Eider 110

Great Crested Grebe 8, including a displaying pair

Knot c500

Turnstone at least 150. There was one flock c150 flew in from SW. later there were several smaller flocks, but just possibly part of the same lot flying around.

Just a few of the Turnstone flying by

Pale-bellied Brent Goose 2. These two arrived at 09:50, 20 minutes after the tide had started to come in. They made to the SE corner of the skeer, and ate the only weed available. Broken weed washed into the corner by the tide.

Most of the larger bits were deemed unpalatable. They didn't seem to be finding much that was. There is virtually no sea lettuce left around the skeer now. It is obviously a favoured food, as they have barely touched the gut weed nearer the play area, and no record at all yet of them feeding on Red Nab (also gut weed). 

Close to the children's play area there is lots of gut weed.

This is quite close in, but Brent have been seen feeding much closer than this.

Even quite a distance from shore there is plenty of gut weed
Presumably the Brent will start on this when their favoured food becomes harder to find.

Finally, this is interesting (well at least I think so). This male Red-Breasted Merganser was searching the pools on Red Nab. Not only does it capture a crab, but is a soft crab that has just shed its complete outer skeleton. This is early, particularly after such a cold spell. Although they can shed at anytime in theory, it was likely influenced by the warmer Power Station cooling water. When they are soft like this they are normally protected by a hard crab shielding them, but that doesn't seem to have been the case here. This would have been its final moult, it is(was) a full sized Shore crab.

The blog restricts video size so I have split it in two sections. First, the capture:

Part two - getting it eaten before it's pinched. The crab has no defence, its claws are as soft as its carapace.

You can't see in real time, but the first gull does manage to pinch some. But the Merganser managed most of it and looks pretty pleased with himself. There is an option to watch in slow motion, if you use the video menu option.

No hat or gloves!

As the title suggests, the warmer SSW winds continue, with some sunny spells making it feel comparatively warm.

Heysham skeer

Just a quick look at low water (09:00)

Eider 100+

Pale-bellied Brent goose 15. There were two groups (2 & 6) feeding on the mud on the south side plus 7 more on the water on the north side. There is very little weed to feed on now around the skeer.

I don't know if this young gull's instincts tell it that dropping a mussel from height is a way to open it, or if it has been watching the adults do it. Either way, it's missed the bit where you drop it on a hard surface. It was dropping it on to spongy mud, it may as well have dropped it onto a trampoline!

It was still at it five minutes later. Technique looks good though, so I'm sure it will get there. By the way, the regular Carrion Crows also open mussels by dropping them onto the skeer stones, I'm sure they have learnt by watching the gulls.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I did a full circuit today, it was nice to walk around without my hat and gloves, shame it was a bit noisy with necessary landscape work underway.

Main pond:

Mute 8 adult 4 juvenile 

Gadwall 2

Mallard 2

Coot 2

Moorhen 2

No swimming pond:

Mute 2 adult

Gadwall 6

Mallard 3

Coot 4

Moorhen 2

Tim Butler Pond:

Gadwall 2

Teal heard calling but only 2 seen, suspect several more

Coot 2

Moorhen 4

Fence Pond:

Gadwall 12

Grey Heron 1

Western scrape:

Teal 5

Water Rail 1

The landscape work near the western scrape made the ducks flighty

Some of the Fence pond Gadwall doing a circuit 

The western scrape Teal had enough and moved on.

Mediterranean gull 1 on horse paddock by Knowlys Road. 

These excellent pictures from Kevin Singleton - thanks
Same bird that uses the lamppost.

The Oystercatchers have not returned to the cricket field, yet.