Good Shearwater and Sanderling numbers

The fresher WNW wind dropped down to west by lunchtime. High clouds with sunshine and showers.

Seawatch report from Pete:

Sample sea passage in wind too NW off Heysham harbour 0645-0745

22 Manx Shearwater flying out (nothing else)

Rock Pipit feeding young in harbour wall nest 

2cy Shag on wooden jetty

Heysham skear - low water 14:20 (MD)

The current neap tides do not expose the outer skear so all feeding waders are restricted to inner and middle skear.

Shag 1 resting on a sand bar (presumably the same 2nd calendar year bird seen by Pete earlier)

Eider 41

Ringed Plover 3 on inner skear

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 - this is a neat trick! It has caught a reasonable sized shrimp, I don't know if it was struggling to eat it, or deliberately "processing" it. If you watch closely you can see the shrimp start at the tip of its bill then raise to the base of the bill (I assume being moved by its tongue) before descending back down the bill to the tip. (It's only a short clip, if required, there is a slow motion replay option, click on the gear icon before selecting play)

Sanderling 34 minimum - I counted 34 feeding and I had already seen a flock of 13 fly west, but they may have doubled back. They seemed to be finding plenty to eat, but not Shrimps. They were scurrying around the mud like mice. They were all close to the waterline on the NE corner of the skear. In this clip, I pan out to show the location.

They should all be in this clip, but they can be difficult to spot and easily hidden behind, even small, obstacles. I can count 32, but that was checking frame by frame.

Sanderling coming in to feed

A bit better variety

Light winds mainly from WSW to W, but a brief shift to NW after lunch before returning to west. High cloud with plenty of sunshine, but not especially warm.

Seawatch report from Pete

Bits on the sea off Heysham in unpromising clear conditions on dropping tide 0645-0745

Gannet 10

Razorbill /Guillemot  5

Kittiwake 5

Red Throated Diver 1

Common Scoter 1

also flock 5 Greylag geese north

we are approaching the time when Canada geese move through on their moult migration flights

Heysham skear (MD)

I went down early on the ebb tide, at the same point where I left it last night, but again no waders other than Oystercatcher.

Shag 1 feeding

Little Egret 3

Eider 30+

Great Crested grebe 4 (2+2)

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Mute Swan the remaining pair again on the main pond, but only 8 cygnets remain

Coot 3

Moorhen 4

Little grebe 1 feeding on main pond

Mallard 2 male on main pond and the female with chicks on Tim Butler pond - couldn't make out how may chicks as I didn't want to disturb them. But she seems to be doing ok with them.

Warblers - 9 species heard singing: Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, plus

Grasshopper Warbler 1 reeling quietly from a bush near the southern entrance to the meadow between main and Tim Butler ponds

Cetti's Warbler - just the "no swimming" pond bird heard today.

Dragonflies 

Broad-bodied Chaser I saw 1 female and 4 male, plus Janet saw another 2 male on a different area.

The females are more difficult to locate as they tend to feed away from the 
ponds till they are ready to mate

Whereas the males tend to stay around the ponds waiting for the females to arrive.
This one and three others around the small ponds on the western edge of the west marsh 

Plenty of Damselflies including these two Large Red

Large Red Damselflies 

Butterflies were quite thin on the ground, just

Small Health 1

Peacock 1

Small White 2

Drinker Moth caterpillars are again plentiful, or more realistically appear plentiful, as they always seem to rest in the middle of pathways.

Two different Drinker caterpillars on two different paths

These are two of this morning's Great Crested Grebe doing a bit of displaying. I like the way they both just sink under the waves at the end of the clip.

Again the evening provides most interest

SSW wind. Overcast all day with several showers, fortunately the sun came out late evening.

Heysham skear 

Thought I would try a different tactic today. It told me something, but I have no idea what! (MD).

I went down 90 minutes after low water and watched the tide in as far as I left it yesterday evening, when the Sanderling were feeding. Today I didn't see a single small wader. Apart from Oystercatcher there were just 3 Curlew.

Great Crested Grebe 4

Eider 61 

Little Egret 3.

I watched this Little Egret for a few minutes and never saw it catch anything.

But there were things to catch, this other bird flew in to within a few metres of the above and immediately caught a Common Goby and a small flatfish (looks like a young Dover Sole - quite a distinctive elongated shape)

I returned on the ebbing tide 20:45. The sun was shining, but the wind was fresh and cold! We are moving to neap tides now which means they do not go out as quickly. I ended up leaving before the tide was out as far as I have been seeing small waders recently. Even so:

Sanderling 5 - this clip is quite distant but provides a short in flight view.

Knot 42 - this is them coming in, they landed just 10m from me. Note how the bird that ends up third from the left deliberately dips its belly into the water. Presumably cooling down, I wonder how far they have flown.

A few of them were quite red

They made little attempt to feed, they just wanted a rest. They were still where they landed when I left 15 minutes later.

This is the RNLI hovercraft this afternoon. It was interesting how the different birds reacted. The gulls, Oystercatchers and Grebes were largely indifferent. But all the Eider took flight and the Cormorant was undecided, but eventually took flight

Small waders, low numbers, but good fun!

Light west wind all day. Mainly overcast with light showers, but some sun in the evening.

Heysham skear (MD)

I did a full check at low water this morning.

Eider 58

Male Eider with a single female

Great Crested Grebe 4

Little Egret 3

There were no waders on the outer skears except Oystercatcher, but the inner skear was quite busy:

Curlew 7

Whimbrel 1

Ringed Plover 7 (4+3)

Ringed Plover

Turnstone 6

Turnstone in summer plumage 

Unfortunately no Sanderling seen this morning, so I had a look this evening. At 20:00 the skear just out from Sunnyslopes groyne was becoming exposed, and Sanderlings were around. I don't know if this is a time of day thing or time of the tide, but it might be worth checking out about 08:30 in the morning to establish.

Sanderling two groups of 4 and 5 plus several sightings of individual birds, which may have become detached from the larger groups. They were very mobile and very difficult to keep track of them, as they disappear behind the slightest rise. So at least 9, probably 11+. This was about the best clip I managed, one of these birds has well developed summer plumage.

Dunlin 5 - these flew in and landed only 4m from me. In contrast to the Sanderling they stood motionless and immediately disappeared into the background. These are two of them, obviously they have total confidence in their camouflage, and well founded too!

Two Dunlin

Dragonflies out, but not about!

A cool south to SSW all day, sunny periods and heavy evening showers 

Just my stuff again, and I didn't have much time today (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 2 hours before high water.

Curlew 4

Linnet 6

Wheatear 2 - this saltmarsh bird was not welcomed by the Linnet.

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab - it seems to be fine moving around at the moment, but this bird too has some sort of growth on its foot. That makes three birds with something wrong with one foot, presumably a trait of the local population, I can't find anything to suggest it is a species trait. 

Rock Pipit with a growth on left foot

It didn't get over 14C today so very little insect movement. However there were 9 dragonfly nymph cases attached to the Flag Irises on the nature park pond. All empty, and I didn't see any yesterday so presumably they emerged this morning and are now resting somewhere. They look to be Broad-bodied Chaser nymphs.

Empty dragonfly nymph cases 

This shows the location of some of them, they should remain attached for a few days

Heysham skear

A check this evening as the inner skear became exposed unfortunately coincided with the heaviest shower of the day!

No Eider seen

Great Crested Grebe 2

Little Egret 7

Whimbrel 1

Sanderling 9 in one flighty flock

Turnstone 18 (13 & 5)

Knot 1

Sanderling still the main interest

Light WSW wind. Plenty of sunshine, but cool out of the sun.

Just my stuff so far (MD)

Wheatear 2 along Ocean Edge foreshore plus 1 on saltmarsh 

Heysham skear - ebbing tide this evening

Eider 46

Female and male Eider

Great Crested Grebe 6 (3x2)

Red-breasted Merganser 3 - this clip shows the merganser flying off, but also an indication of the wealth of birdlife on the skear.

Little Egret 7

Curlew 8

Turnstone 4

Dunlin 4

Sanderling 12 (2x2 + 8) very flighty this evening and the 8 flew off west.

This Herring gull has a Pipefish, probably a Greater Pipefish. 

Herring gull with Pipefish

Pipefish are effectively a straight seahorse, both are very closely related. Like a Seahorse, it is the Pipefish male that carries the eggs and young. This is either a female or a male with an empty pouch. Quite a large specimen, I expect it has died and washed ashore, rather than the Herring gull catching it, although, they are not uncommon in the bay. Anyway it wasn't prepared to share it.

Evening Sanderlings

 Light wind SSW in morning SSE by evening, plenty of sunshine but cooler than yesterday.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a short circuit mid morning

Mute Swan 2 adult plus 9 cygnet 

Coot 4 adult

Moorhen 4 adult

Mallard 5 male 1 female

Little grebe 3 minimum - 2 feeding on main pond, plus one reeling from "no swimming" pond.

Singing warblers:

Cetti's warbler 1 on central marsh

Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Sedge (several of each)

Lesser Whitethroat 1

This Sedge warbler on the main pond reeds was in full voice

Despite the sunshine it was only 15C. Still, warm enough for Dragonflies but none found. There were plenty of Damselflies though. The Large Red looking more impressive now they are mature.

Male Large Red Damselfly

Butterflies, in order of abundance:

Small Heath several

Small White - several small white butterflies, the only one seen closely was a Small White, I think they all were.

Orange Tip 4 male

Speckled Wood 3

Peacock 1

Plus day flying moths:

Common wave 2 

Burnet Companion 3

Burnet companion 

Heysham skear (MD)

I watched the tide cover the skear this morning.

Eider 39

Little Egret 7

Great Crested Grebe 5

Red-breasted Merganser 2 female type

Continued high numbers of Gulls and Oystercatchers. The only other waders were:

Dunlin flock of 7

Curlew flock of 5

Whimbrel 1

I went down early evening to watch the inner skear becoming exposed, nothing other than Oystercatcher and gulls at first, then the Sanderlings started to show up, 17 in total (4, 11 and 2). I couldn't stay long though, perhaps others followed.

These are 3 of the first 4, I could almost sense their disappointment! This time last year these little pools on the ebbing tide were full of shrimps - none today.

The flock of 11 tried a few different areas, including the mud beach, before settling on the waterline, probably their best bet for small invertebrates.

Lighthouse Rock Pipits feeding young in nest

Light SE wind, high cloud with plenty of sunshine and the odd light shower

Nothing moving on the sea this morning, Pete had a single "Cabbage White" trundle past in an hour's check!

Heysham skear - low water 07:25 (MD)

I watched the tide come in and cover the outer skears. If there are any feeding waders on the outer skears, they often fly to the inner skear before moving on. But the only waders today, apart from the Oystercatcher, was a single Whimbrel and a Bar-Tailed Godwit, still in winter plumage. This is the Godwit, it doesn't matter how long your bill is, it isn't always quite long enough.

Little Egret 6

Grey Heron 1

Eider 36

Great Crested Grebe 5

Herring gulls - are still harvesting the seed mussels, strange that the Lesser Blacked-Backed gulls don't bother with the seed mussels, there are some around, but only feeding on crabs or dropping large mussels to open them. I took this clip of the Herring gulls as the outer skear was being covered. The clip was slightly longer originally, I counted 1,700 gulls on it and many had already flown off and many more were on the sea at either side of me, so at very least 2,000 birds.

The foreground birds are on the middle skear, the background birds being pushed off the outer skear.

Heysham Head 

Just a quick check on the way home, really to see how the previously territorial Rock Pipits were doing. Unusually, I didn't see any, but suspect that they were around somewhere.

Swift 3 feeding over the wood.

Swift - I don't often get an half decent shot of a swift (MD)

South shore late afternoon 

Wheatear 1 on saltmarsh 

Whimbrel 1 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit 3. The Red Nab bird was feeding and appeared to take food into the Power Station grounds.

Both the lighthouse birds were taking food to the nest.

This is the female, just above the nest site, but she will never fly to it 
when she knows she is being watched.

This is the male, you can't see it on this shot, but this is the ringed bird.
Unfortunately, he was limping. Hopefully just something temporary, but I
suspect it the same problem developing that the other lame bird has. (MD)

In this clip, I am sat on the low wall next to the lighthouse, looking back to the wooden frame over the steps. The male leaves the nest hole carrying a faecal sac. I then pan out to show the location of the hole.

If you go to watch them feed their young, please give them plenty of space, certainly 
no closer than this, I was sat on the lighthouse wall, almost behind the lighthouse.

Fly day......and a Spotted one to order

Light east wind shifting to ESE by late afternoon and south by evening. The threatened overnight rain didn't materialise but heavy showers in the morning and some thunder showers early evening. Sunshine in between.

Sewatch report by Pete:

Sea this am 0810-0910.  

Good vis until 0850 yet no Scoter!  

Only saw 6 swallow, Great crested Grebe and Razorbill fly in

South shore (MD)

The rain had held off till 09:15, just before I set off. My forecast said "light showers", turned out they were light showers of biblical proportions! It chucked it down all the time I was out, only stopping when I got home about 11:00.

Little Egret 4

Wheatear 5 - too wet to use my camera today, this clip is from Saturday. Don't watch the Wheatear, watch the floor around, you can see it is covered in flies.

Today's Wheatear were all towards the slipway side of Ocean Edge foreshore, which is a little unusual as they normally favour the Red Nab side, where the above clip was taken. The answer presented itself as I approached Red Nab

Sparrowhawk 1 grounded on foreshore.

Rock Pipit 3 (Red Nab, sea wall and Lighthouse)

Linnet 4 between lighthouse and waterfall 

Willow Warbler 3 together, making their way along the brambles between lighthouse and waterfall 

Sedge Warbler singing near the small anemometer - there isn't usually one here.

Pete advised that Heysham Head for a Spotted Flycatcher was definitely on the cards today. So, mid afternoon, on my way to the skear, I stopped off briefly at Heysham Head, and wasn't disappointed.

Spotted Flycatcher 1

Spotted Flycatcher feeding above the wood on Heysham Head

By this time it was hot and sultry. This clip again shows the abundance of flying insects, the Flycatcher was spoilt for choice!

Heysham skear 

It was very pleasant on the skear the sun was shining and warm but the light breeze making it feel fresh. Unfortunately thunderstorms were forecast and you could see and hear them getting closer. I reluctantly cut short my walk. It's never a good thing to be the highest point for miles around in a thunderstorm!

Eider 42

Little Egret 7

Great Crested Grebe 1

Shag 1 feeding

Whimbrel 3

No Sanderling today

Black Headed Gull 34 - working hard to try and catch shrimps. They were in the right place, close to the shore near the mouth of a drain pouring sediment into the sea. I've shown clips before when shrimps are plentiful, the gulls heads bob up and down like a sewing machine, it wasn't like that today.

The term "drain" in this context, just means a natural channel draining water from higher up the shore into the sea. In this case markedly increased in volume with this morning's heavy rain. So, more sediment equals more shrimps and the gulls turn up.

Plenty of distant Scoter and a LRP bonus

East winds all day, freshening slightly in the afternoon. High cloud with sunny spells.

Seawatch report from Pete Crooks:

Three hours over the incoming tide (7.15 – 10.15 am) produced:
1 2nd CY Kittiwake
c.200 Common Scoter – numerous distant groups of 10 – 20 flying in or out so probably some duplication; largest group = c.35
c.55 Pink-footed Geese – 3 distant groups
34 2nd CY Black-headed Gull – flying into the Bay in a single group
4 Sandwich Tern
1 Arctic Tern
2 Red-throated Diver
c.20 Swallow & 1 House Martin – low over the sea in ones and twos
1 Harbour Porpoise

Red Nab (PM, JR)

Little Ringed Plover 1 flew from Red Nab to the Power Station non operational land (this area was checked recently, but this species can easily be missed)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

The wind was variable in strength this morning and not great for mist netting. A small selection of species was caught including the 100th Lesser Redpoll for 2022.

The catch comprised:

Wren 1

Robin 1

Blackbird 1

Sedge Warbler 1 plus 1 retrap

Reed Warbler 1 plus 1 retrap

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Common Whitethroat 1

Chiffchaff 1

Blue Tit 1 retrap

Lesser Redpoll 5

Heysham skear (MD)

I walked the morning tide in then just did another quick check of the inner skear in the afternoon, before the outer skears were exposed.

Eider 55

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 6

Shelduck 6 out ( morning)

Little Egret 4

Grey Heron 1

Shag 1 feeding (afternoon)

Swallow 3 (morning) 7 (afternoon)

Dunlin 1

Turnstone 6

Sanderling 2 (afternoon)

Sanderling - the one on the right is moving towards summer plumage,
but the one on the left is still, pretty much, in winter plumage 

Kevin took this shot yesterday on the south sea wall, its a gull pellet. Interestingly it includes what looks to be the claw of a small Edible Crab. A gull would not eat a crab this size whole, they normally remove the claws first, and when eating Shore Crabs, the claws are often discarded. I suppose the extra meat in an Edible Crab claw makes it worth swallowing. 

Gull pellet made up largely of  crab (looks to be an Edible Crab)