Gadwall numbers continue to increase

Overnight frost left thin ice on the shallowest pools. The very light breeze varied from NE to NW with some calm periods in between. Sun for most of the day.

Heliport area

Unfortunately, a very active Peregrine Falcon flushed the Knot from the sea wall. Today's tide was the last in this set of spring tides. The next set starts in 10 days and are higher, so hopefully further opportunities for the ringed Knot to be read.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I had a short walk around (MD)

Mute Swan 2 adult plus 9 cygnets 

Moorhen 11

Mallard 14

Gadwall 38 - I think this is the highest count this year and equals the peak for 2020. 32 on the "no swimming" pond plus 6 on the main pond.

Wigeon 2 - this pair were feeding with the three pair of Gadwall on the main pond. This clip has the Wigeon pair on the left with a pair of Gadwall on the right. The drakes are easy, the bills on the ducks are the best separator.

Little grebe 2 on "no swimming" pond

Thrushes - a few more feeding on Hawthorn berries today.

Song Thrush 2

Blackbird 37

Redwing 28

Redwing 

Grey Wagtail 1 - finding small insects 

As ever when there are lots of birds, the bird predators turn up (as per Peregrine on Heliport this morning). 

Here a more modest Sparrowhawk 

Juvenile Sparrowhawk 

Red Nab

Just a quick check on the way home. No sign of the Brent goose today, but the tide had only just reached the outer rocks.

Wigeon c150

Shelduck 127 - most on mud out from the foreshore 

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 3

Greenfinch, just a couple flitting about

Finally, just a couple of images to show how much the light, particularly low winter sun, and location affect the appearance of a bird. This clip is the Grey Heron resting on the peninsula of the main pond at Middleton. The ripples of light reflecting across its back give it a very serene appearance.

In contrast, the Grey Heron resting on Red Nab rocks had its back to the light, and looks, for all the world, to be straight out of a Dracula movie! 

Grey Heron on Red Nab, looking very black!
Oh..... is that a 1971 type Grab Hopper Dredger in the background

Solitary Brent knows the ropes

 A very cool NW wind, sunshine all day.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 - Contrary to today's title, Pete Crooks saw two out from Knowlys early morning when the tide was still low. But this was the only multiple sighting of the day.

10:30 - 1.5 hours before high water this individual was just out from Red Nab. This is the first record on Red Nab this winter and I can't recall seeing a single Brent here before. But it seemed to know what it was doing, there is gut weed available on the outer rocks of Red Nab, but it is cropped close by the Wigeon. This bird was biding its time.

11:40 - it was still on Red Nab, but now close to the sea wall feeding on the slightly longer gut weed, now floating in the rising tide. I don't know how long it remained on Red Nab, possibly throughout high water. 

15:10 What I took to be the same solitary bird was floating on the water on the south side of the skear, directly above the rocky area with some gut weed patches. By 15:15 it was reaching down and feeding on the gut weed.

15:30 The rocky area was now exposed, this is the Brent amongst the Oystercatchers

It was still feeding here when I left at sunset (16:00!). I suspect that this was not one of the two seen earlier by Pete, but it obviously knows the area from an earlier visit, strange that it was alone. I wouldn't be surprised if it were on Red Nab again tomorrow lunchtime (MD)

Other stuff:

South Shore

Wigeon c100

Shelduck 44

Knot c600 Red Nab

Common Snipe 15 flushed from saltmarsh, just after the tide reached it.

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Song Thrush 1 on saltmarsh 

Greenfinch 15 on saltmarsh 

Guillemot 1 in harbour near waterfall 

Guillemot 

Guillemot doing its Penguin impression

As I walked down from the lighthouse, the Guillemot was feeding, but by the time I'd reached the waterfall area it was just preening.

Heysham "skear"

It was such a lovely afternoon that I couldn't resist a walk on the shore, the inverted commas reflect that darkness fell before the skear was really exposed (MD).

Apart from the Brent there were:

Eider c90

Oystercatcher c2,500

Knot c2,000

Turnstone c40

Curlew c30

The low bright light was adding a warm colour to the birds, these clips are no different to ones I've shown before, apart from the unusual light.

Eider flying in from the north of the bay, the distant hills are not really covered in snow!

Eider taking to the water, the females looking a very warm brown in the nearly setting sun.

Finally, Howard managed to read several more Knot on the Heliport wall, despite some disturbance from dog walkers. He also managed this shot, please open it to fully appreciate (it reminds me of the shot of Vinnie Jones and Gazza, although the Knot is getting off lightly!)

an aggressive Oystercatcher on the wall today with Knot on the receiving end.

Just a quick check, but a reasonable variety

SW wind drifting more westerly by the afternoon. Mainly overcast with some light showers.

Just my morning high water check of Red Nab and Saltmarsh area and Howard's check of the Heliport so far (MD)

Chiffchaff 1 near small anemometer 

Wigeon c120 initially on Red Nab then to saltmarsh and Potts corner 

Shelduck 35 out from saltmarsh 

Pale-bellied Brent 4 flew from west towards the estuary 

Little Egret 4

Grey Heron 1

Rock Pipit at least 2 - one on foreshore and one one both sides of saltmarsh 

Greenfinch 36 around saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 2 saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 39

Jack Snipe 3 confirmed, likely there were more.

Both the above flushed as the tide covered the saltmarsh 

Heliport area:

Howard managed to read some more of the ringed Knot in the brief sunshine at high water. This one was ringed in Iceland

Knot on the Heliport wall at high water
It is very important that these Knot are not disturbed here as they
roost on spring tides, as disturbance not only prevents them being from
being read that day, but it may deter the flock from returning another day.

Plenty of berries to go round

A fresh west wind, dry all day with plenty of sunshine 

Half Moon Bay to Heysham Head - high water 11:00

Howard managed to read two ringed Knot from the Heliport wall, unfortunately two others has damaged/dirty flags and couldn't be read. 

I particularly like this dynamic shot, by Howard.
You'll need to open the image to appreciate the detail (MD)

A walk along the shore line located three Rock Pipit. 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Brimstone butterfly 1, seen by Janet in the morning. Quite a distant shot, but fortunately of a very distinctive species.

Late Brimstone butterfly 

I had a good walk around in the afternoon, but failed to see any butterflies or dragonflies (MD)

Mute 2 adult 9 cygnet 

Moorhen 4

Mallard 12

Gadwall 32

Tufted duck 1 male

Teal 2 (on Tim Butler pond)

Little grebe 2 (one on both main ponds)

Water Rail 1 calling from Tim Butler pond

Green Woodpecker 1 - unfortunately flew into the low sun and I lost it

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 female

There were surprisingly few winter thrushes around considering the amount of Hawthorn berries still available. The following are my best estimates in excess of resident birds:

Blackbird 15

Song Thrush 4

Redwing 13

All were gorging on Hawthorn berries:

Blackbird 

Redwing 

Also Chaffinch, although I wasn't clear exactly what they were eating. This still from the clip below, suggests they were eating partially withered Hawthorn berries.

Male Chaffinch with what looks like a withered Hawthorn berry

Even a Long Tailed Tit was having a go, obviously not feeding on the berries, but seeming to be finding plenty to eat amongst them.

Wood Pigeon 20 north plus 7 west at 14:30 - presumably local movement 

Roe Deer 1 female

Lots of Snipe, including Jack

WSW to west wind, mainly overcast all day with occasional showers, mainly in morning.

Howard had a look at the Heliport Wall. Fortunately, today there were c2,000 Knot with the Oystercatchers. Unfortunately, today's tide was not high/rough enough to push them to the top of the wall where the ringed ones can be seen and hopefully read.

Knot tucked in with the Oystercatchers on the sloping Heliport wall.

South Shore (MD)

Wigeon c150 on Red Nab, later c80 went to the saltmarsh and the rest towards Potts Corner.

Greenfinch 2 on Red Nab plus 34 around the saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 4. One on Red Nab, two together on sea wall followed by a third when they flew into the Power Station

Guillemot 1 in harbour near the waterfall 

Guillemot 

It wasn't feeding, but looked in good health, so I presume it had just finished feeding, as it did have a vigorous bath.

Today's tide was 9m, not quite high enough to cover the saltmarsh completely. But high enough to flush the Common snipe which invariably feed near the middle and outer edges of the marsh.

Common Snipe 38

Jack Snipe 2 - these were a bonus as they tend to move out to the inner edges of the marsh, as the spring tides develop. These two were flushed from the middle of the marsh, but landed back on the marsh nearer the inner edge.

Tomorrow's tide looks promising, unfortunately I'm elsewhere.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the two main ponds found the wildfowl to be as yesterday, including the male Tufted duck. I was pleased about that, as I'd saved this clip from yesterday (I wasn't sure if I'd have time for a walk this morning). Tufted duck, looking bored with the Gadwall:

Heysham skear - low water 16:50

Just a very brief check in the fading light at 15:30

No Brent geese

Red-breasted Merganser 6, at least, feeding together 

No Great Crested Grebe seen, but almost certainly present 

Eider c50 close in

Common Scoter 1 juvenile, also close in

Knot c1,500

Lots of waders

Wind started SSW but moved to WSW by the afternoon. Overcast to begin with, but the sun broke through late morning and it remained largely sunny in the afternoon.

Just my stuff so far (MD)

Red Nab and Saltmarsh - high water 10:00

Wigeon 120 on Red Nab with some moving to saltmarsh - these are on the saltmarsh, I don't think it is the marsh grass they are eating but gut weed that grows on the mud between the grass. They would prefer to eat this when covered in water so it floats upwards, but today's tide was not high enough.

Shelduck 14

Lapwing 40

Redshank 48

Grey Plover 2

Grey Plover near Saltmarsh - I'm always drawn to taking a picture of Grey Plover,
I think it's because they always seem to "strike a pose" 

Rock Pipit 1 on east side of the saltmarsh, the returning Robins defining their winter territories seem to have pushed the regular birds out.

Greenfinch 27 + 6 around the saltmarsh feeding on wild mustard seeds.

Chiffchaff 1 near small anemometer 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look,at the two main ponds on my way home.

Mute 2 adult 9 cygnets 

Moorhen 6

Mallard 11

Gadwall 30

Tufted 1 male

Little grebe 1

Heysham skear low water 16:50

Checked from 14:00 to 15:30

I couldn't work out what was attracting these gulls and crows as I went down the sea wall steps, it is typical behaviour when being fed bread, but no sign of anything to eat! It is only when I looked back from the shore that the reason became obvious. This is two clips from different angles merged together.

Someone had left a handful of seeds on a rock, presumably intended for the House Sparrows, who feed around the rocks.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 8 - the first two arrived at 14:20

On my return there were 8 feeding along the ground water run off channel, so I had a look at the rocks where I left them feeding yesterday. Not very impressive, no sea lettuce and no large amounts of gut weed, just the occasional gut weed covered rock.

A few gut weed covered rocks were the 20 Brent were feeding yesterday 

Little Egret 10

Eider c70

Great Crested Grebe 11

Red-breasted Merganser 8 - these are some of the Merganser feeding, watch the bird on the right, early in the following clip.it has just surfaced with a small fish, and immediately a young Herring gull swoops down, but is nowhere near quick enough!

This is a still from the clip below, the Merganser on the right has just surfaced with a small fish.

There were a lot more waders around today, no doubt waiting to get onto the outer skear that would become exposed a little later in the tide, this will be the first time it has been exposed for a week.

Oystercatcher 2,500+

Knot c1,500 estimated on ground, including however many there were in this undulating flock.

There were no Knot seen on the Heliport wall at high water this morning. It is likely that the increasingly regular instances of dog walkers trespassing onto the Heliport grass is causing them to roost elsewhere, significantly impacting on the important reading of international schemes involving colour ringed Knot. The port authorities have been notified of the trespassing.

Curlew 88 counted, almost certainly many more missed

Redshank c50

Turnstone c40

Finally, it was a bit misty this afternoon and the west side of the bay was largely obscured. But the bright low sun picked out the white limestone of Sir John Barrow Monument (Ulverston lighthouse). Making it look like the launch of a Space Shuttle, albeit without rocket smoke.

Sir John Barrow monument atop of the 138m Hoad Hill

Brents moving up the beach

SSW wind, overcast all day, but mainly dry.

I only had time for one quick check of the skear late afternoon, and so far, no reports from elsewhere (MD).

Heysham skear - low water 16:15

Checked around 15:00

Pale-bellied Brent goose 20. It was quiet on the shore today and when I started the Brent were already moving up the freshwater run off where the sea lettuce grows. This clip is actually looking back from the corner where they are normally found at this stage of the ebbing tide. It follows the line of the run off to the lead birds who were already some way up the shore.

When I returned 30 minutes later, they were even closer to the sea wall. I thought the rocks where they are feeding here only held gut weed, I'll have a look when they are not there. I couldn't decide if they were moving up the beach, just because they weren't being disturbed or whether the sea lettuce along the drain is too depleted.

Eider 100+. These are a few flying in, and then landing like bricks!

Red-breasted Merganser 6

No Great Crested Grebe seen, but it was choppy 

Little Egret 10

Knot 1,000+ actively feeding today

No sign of the Shag, so much for predictions! (Although feeding opportunities at the end of the day always depend on how successful the rest of the day has been). 

But I like this shot of a Cormorant on conger

Cormorant on conger rock with the harbour lighthouse in the background 

Shag becoming predictable

 Very light mainly SE breeze. Low cloud all day, precipitation almost constant, ranging from mist to heavy drizzle.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from John:

Short ringing session this morning, ending with the arrival of heavy drizzle just after 9am. Birds caught prior to this comprised :

Redwing x 7

Blackbird x 1

Cettis Warbler x 1 retrap

Wren x 1 retrap

Log-tailed Tit x 1 retrap

South shore high water 08:45 (MD)

Just Red Nab to saltmarsh checked

Chiffchaff 1 in scrub behind Red Nab

Greenfinch 13 on Red Nab + 11 on saltmarsh 

Peregrine 1

Wigeon c80 on Red Nab

Shelduck c20 on Red Nab + 62 feeding out from saltmarsh 

Little Egret 6

Grey Heron 1

Lapwing 35 out from saltmarsh + 43 south

Heysham skear - low water 15:30

Checked an hour before low water, it was already dark enough!

Pale-bellied Brent Goose 8 - in SE skear corner. I managed a close look at 6 on the way out none ringed. A distance check on return saw 8 together.

Eider 97

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Great Crested Grebe 3

Almost certainly more of the above three species, but visibility range was very low.

Dunlin 2

Knot c900 flew in from the north and the rested on the middle of the skear.

Shag 1 juvenile - I could see it from a distance on conger rock with two cormorant. This shot is from the waterline and conger was just within visibility range. Even at that distance, with cormorant to compare with, you can pick the Shag by size and general shape (better birders than I would not require a comparison bird (MD).

Conger rock looming out of the gloom, with Shag on left

Fortunately, by the time I was on the skear, and closer, the Shag had moved to the north side of conger, making for better viewing. This rock gets some "fertiliser", just as well it is washed down twice a day! Shag now on right side of conger.

Not long after this clip all the birds started leaving to feed, the tide was still ebbing, but the water was at a similar height to when they left the other day. So perhaps, at least for the Shag, it is the depth of water here that counts. This is it flying off to feed, not the most graceful of efforts! Unfortunately, the drizzle increased at this point and I couldn't get a decent clip of it diving.

Lots of Pinks and Brent numbers increasing

Calm to light SSE breeze. Sunny spells turning to overcast by mid afternoon.

There were a lot of Pink-footed geese around today. Janet reported the fields behind Meldon/Oxcliffe roads full of noisy geese at first light. The various records below record 6,000+ heading NW to NE, the latest at 15:10 - which seems late to be heading north.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

With clear skies and calm conditions, there was a grass frost this morning although it didn't feel too cold except for the hands whilst setting nets. Ringing was very slow with only 9 birds caught by ten thirty. There were 20+ blackbirds grounded around the ringing area and small groups of Redwing and the odd fieldfares moving about the reserve feeding on Hawthorn berries. By 08.30 there was less movement with ones and twos of blackbirds and redwings quietly feeding in hawthorns all around.

The highlight was just after sunrise when lines (possibly 2500) of Pink footed Geese came from the Fylde area flying NE - they filled the sky almost from horizon to horizon and sound of their calls was wonderful. A second, slightly smaller flock followed half an hour later (possibly 1500) and a further 250 + 70 followed them.

Ringing:

Redwing 3

Goldcrest 1

Chiffchaff 1

Single retraps each of Wren, Long tailed Tit and Great Tit.

Up to three Water Rails calling in the reeds.

Shaun managed another visit this morning:

Half Moon Bay & Heysham Head 07:30 - 10:30

Pink-footed Goose - large group of c1300 heading North and NE at 07:35 + c130 NE at 07:45

Shag juv feeding close in just off the northern tip of Heysham Head at high tide

Little Egret 11

Lapwing 84 roosting next to Helipad with some spooked and heading north

Golden Plover group of 36 heading in to the bay

Ringed Plover 4 roosting Heysham Head

Knot c900 in several flocks heading south towards harbour

Snipe 5 flushed off Helipad by a dog walker 

Peregrine pair over power station

Rock Pipit 4

Heysham Nature Reserve 10:30 - 11:30

Did a circuit from the reserve car park to the NE corner via Dipping Pond

Very few birds besides c25 Blackbird, c15 Redwing, 3 Robins and a pair of Bullfinch! 

Small Tortoiseshell 1 seen later by Kevin.

Heysham skear - low water 14:30 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent geese 23 - initially 21 in the SE corner with 2 more feeding further up the surface water run off. Unfortunately the track the surface water takes down to the corner is the same track used by the tractors to launch and retrieve dinghies, and one operating today temporarily flushed them to the NE corner, but they quickly returned after the tractor left. I had good views of all the birds, none were ringed. 

This shot is actually from the sea wall at Rydal road. This is 30x magnification, so probably not practical for binoculars, but a scope from the sea wall will provide better views. I would not advocate Rydal road though, as if the water had been further out the geese would be out of sight, but anywhere to the south of the skear is fine.

Pale-bellied Brent feeding in the SE corner of skear

This clip is when they all went to the NE corner, you can easily see the Stone Jetty behind, so presumably the geese would be visible from there, but they don't stay there long on calm days, as there is nothing to feed on (West to SW strong winds can drive broken weed into this corner).

Eider 155

Common Scoter 1 juvenile 

Great Crested Grebe 9

Red-breasted Merganser 3 (2 male)

Little Egret 15

Grey Heron 2

Knot - yesterday there was about 1,500 smeared along the centre of the skear, just resting, not feeding. Today there were just a few flocks of 4 - 12 birds. These 4 were also taking advantage of the fresh water run off, they appear to be having a drink.

Pink-Footed goose c600 one flock to NW at 15:10, presumably they had been flushed from wherever they had been feeding. 600 is one of the smaller flocks recorded today, even so, it is quite impressive.

Siberian (type) Chiffchaff, best of a cosmopolitan set of sightings

Light NW breeze. Sunshine all day and very warm, for mid November.

Shaun did a thorough check of all the main observatory areas.

Heysham Nature Reserve 09:00-12:00

Water Rail single squealing in the marsh

Sparrowhawk both male and female seen hunting

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dipping Pond

Blackbird c60 mostly on the eastern side of the reserve

Redwing c25 ditto

Song Thrush 5

Jay 2

Siberian 'type' Chiffchaff {greyish/brown with slight wing bar} showing well in NE corner trees, with a collybita Chiffchaff. 

Another Chiffchaff with 8 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Coal Tits and 2 Goldcrest along the marsh footpath nearby.

And another collybitta Chiffchaff with a single Goldcrest at the Dipping Pond.

Brambling dropped down and landed by the Dipping Pond.

Three grey squirrels and a fox seen

Heysham Head 12:00-13:00 (viewed from benches on footpath from Knowsley Road).

Red-throated Diver single drifting in

Great Crested Grebe 24

Shag juv feeding close to Congor Rock + 18 Cormorant

Little Egret 28

Brent Geese 6 'pale-bellied'

Wigeon pair

Eider 223

Common Scoter single juv near Congor Rock plus a tight group of 14 drifting in much further out

Red-breasted Merganser 14

Heysham Harbour Outfalls 13:30-14:15

Cormorant 31

Wigeon 164

Little Egret 5 in channels off Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve 14:30-16:00

Little Grebe single on 'Boating Lake'

Gadwall 28 on 'No Swimming Pond' and a pair on 'Boating Lake'

Grey Heron 2 on 'No Swimming Pond'

Water Rail 2 squealing in Central Marsh

Green Woodpecker heading NW across the reserve. Then yaffling near to the Golf Course afterwards

Cetti's Warbler 2 singing

Long-tailed Tit group of 9

Blackbird c50

Redwing c85 (some groups of 10-15 departing west/northwest late afternoon)

Fieldfare just 2

Song Thrush 6

Mistle Thrush 2

Brambling male near ringing site gate

I also took advantage of the pleasant day and had a good walk around, but didn't see anything not already covered by Shaun.  So just a few images to share with you. First, some of the inshore Eider.

The juvenile Common Scoter and a Cormorant, passing like ships in the night.

None of the 6 Pale-bellied Brent were ringed, which is a shame, they were feeding out of the water in great light, any rings would have been easy to read. This is just 3 of them feeding on the sea lettuce.

The patches of sea lettuce are increasing, despite it now being cropped. It only seems to flourish in the ground water run offs, presumably related to the minerals in the fresh water. This is a typical patch further up the shore from today's feeding birds.

This sea lettuce is what the visiting Brent are feeding on

Peter and Rosemary also had a look around:

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Brimstone butterfly near car park (Janet also had a Small Tortoiseshell nearby)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

A walk around the main pond resulted in

Common Buzzard 2

Grey Heron 1

Black-Headed gulls on the pond very noisy, presumably in reaction to the Buzzards.

2 adult mute Swans and their 9 cygnets 

The Mute family 

Common Darter 1 (I was expecting more sightings of darters today, but at least one still hanging in there. One next Saturday will be later than previous records for the Observatory (MD))