A bit of a boat day

The very strong overnight NW wind soon eased, although it remained quite strong all day. Some showers and sunny spells 

South shore

I had a walk along the wall early on as the tide was starting to rise (MD)

Lots of small stuff on saltmarsh and Ocean Edge field.

Linnet 20+

Greenfinch 8

Pied Wagtail 35 - there are always some here but there was a lot today, presumably ex Power Station roost.

Shelduck 26 resting on mud

Eider 3 feeding in the harbour mouth. They catch quite large crabs here (don't read on if you are squeamish). Their technique is to hold the crab by one claw and shake it till it breaks of. They then grab the other claw and repeat. When declawed, it is swallowed "whole".

Mediterranean gulls 4 adults feeding on the Sandmason worms on the beach near the wooden jetty. The only ringed bird was metal ringed only. They and c10 Black-Headed gulls were catching worms, but only quite small ones. This is the metal ringed bird catching a small worm and chasing a BHG off its patch.

Rock Pipits 2 including one that appears to be holding territory near the lighthouse - not the previous territory holder which was ringed.

Rock Pipit on sloping wall near lighthouse 

I was just about to head back when I noticed the SeaTruck heading in. I checked its wake and there was a cloud of gulls following it.

About 5 minutes out, so I decided to wait. But it stopped, turned and started heading away again!

Strange, I've only ever seen them do this when the tide is running in fast and the wind is driving them in too, so a risk of overshooting. But the tide had only just started to come in and would not be running quickly, and the wind was against them.

This is part of what today's title refers to, although I've used "artistic license". All today's boats are actually ships!

The ship in the distance is moored outside the shipping lane and has been for a while, surplus to current requirements and cheaper than a berth in the harbour. So I thought the Seatruck was going to moor there too. But when I checked from the shore at high water, I couldn't see either ship.

Janet had a walk along the wall at high water and took these shots:

Dunlin 

Dunlin and Ringed Plover

Turnstone 

The Eider were still milling around the harbour entrance 
But not feeding now, the water is deep at high water

I couldn't resist a quick look as the tide reached the saltmarsh (MD) There were plenty of waders being driven quickly south towards Potts corner, and wave after wave of others flying from the north towards Potts/Lune estuary. The birds still within the recording area were mainly Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Redshank. 

Juvenile Grey Plover left, adult right

I was sitting on a rock watching the breaking waves when the SeaCat was approaching the harbour. Even at this range, with the wind blowing and the waves crashing I could still hear its roar. But not really hear, more sense, like a loud bass line resonates in your chest. In this clip it is still on full power as can be seen by its wake. You can't "hear" it in this clip.

Just after this clip it throttles back for its approach to the harbour. This shot shows the much reduced wake. The building just before it is Barrow Shipworks.

SeaCat approaching the harbour - it's a lot further away than it looks!

The calm before the storm

Very light variable breeze till late morning when a fresh west wind began. Some light showers. The winds getting strong by 21:00, and forecast to increase significantly for a while overnight.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

There was a very sharp grass frost at dawn this morning but no wind in spite of the forecast 8-10 mph.

Ringing was disappointing with few grounded birds and little overhead movement except for Pink footed Geese.

This morning's ringing was just:

1 Cetti's Warbler plus 1 previously ringed elsewhere (details now received - ringed at Woolston Eyes as a juvenile on 22/7/22 (near/below the M6 Thelwall viaduct))

1 Reed Warbler

1 Chiffchaff

2 Grey Wagtails.

Vis: Pink footed Geese - 24 + 60 northwards high and early. Rest of morning saw 9 groups south totalling c586.

Mistle Thrush - loose group of 9 birds moving north over east side of reserve were probably this species

Meadow Pipit - just 3 NW to SE

Alba Wagtails - just 2 W to E

Starling - Three groups totalling 30 south

Pete's morning records:

Red throated diver flew out of Bay 

2cy Shag wooden jetty

Just 5 Mediterranean gulls outfalls area (1 1cy, 1 2cy).

Off Heysham Head:

Great Crested Grebe 8

Red-Breasted Merganser 6 

only 5 Eider seen! 

I had very little time today so just managed three brief stop offs (MD):

Imperial Road

Plenty of covids:

Carrion Crow 5 feeding/resting 

Magpie 4 feeding

Jackdaw 23 originally feeding in harrowed field to east of the road (out of recording area), but then flew over the road and settled in the large stand of trees.

Cetti's warbler 1 calling near the pond near the recycling centre gates. There has not been a bird recorded here over summer. Not contact calls, there were some unusually long combinations, that seemed to me to be a bird practicing its repertoire.

Middleton Nature Reserve main ponds

Mallard 8 on main pond plus 2 on "no swimming" pond

The mute family have shifted to "no swimming " pond again

Moorhen 5

Little grebe 1

Gadwall 16 - this male has a particularly prominent dark crown and pale face.

Shoveler 2 (male and female)

Male and female Shoveler top, female Gadwall below

Migrant Hawker 1 male

Ocean Edge

Rock Pipit 1

Linnet 22 

Shelduck 113 resting behind rocks in the lea of the freshening wind, east of Red Nab. These are some of them.

Just out of the recording area - Potts Corner (Middleton sands)

Report by Pete Crooks

A very impressive wader spectacle with the incoming 9.1 metre tide:
2 juvenile Little Stint
1 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper
2000+ Dunlin
170 Grey Plover
100 Bar-tailed Godwit
Plus Knot, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover (but not counted!)
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
1 Sandwich Tern heard calling while I was scanning through the Dunlin, but not seen.

Is the lamppost Med back in town?

Very light north to NNE wind. High cloud with sunny spells.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by John

Three nets set this morning from 7am to 10.30am. No Geese and little overhead movement of birds recorded, with a just a few Grey Wagtails and Meadow Pipits responding to mp3 lures.

Ringing List:

Grey Wagtail         5

Meadow Pipit        6

Blackcap              3

Bullfinch               2

Cetti's Warbler      2 (Quite a few dispersing Cetti’s around - four ringed this week)

Goldcrest              2

Chiffchaff              2

Reed Bunting         1

Great Tit               1

South Shore - high water 11:25 (MD)

Wigeon 11 on Red Nab plus 4 south

Little Egret 11 most on saltmarsh 

Lapwing 53 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1

Linnet 13 on saltmarsh 

Goldfinch 4 on saltmarsh - this youngster is eating Sea Aster seeds.

Meadow Pipit a steady movement NE into the wind - 43 between 09:45 and 11:15

Swallow 5 east

Peregrine 1 probably more, were flushing the waders all the time I was checking, most waders ended up towards Potts Corner.

The only semi stable group of waders were the ones just in front of the saltmarsh, and they were very jittery.

In this group:

Dunlin 160

Knot 150

Redshank 28

Grey Plover 3

The tide brought the Knot and Dunlin close to me, but I couldn't see any ringed birds today.

There were 294 gulls resting on the mud, most Black-Headed gulls.

This one has a recent injury, but although it looks nasty, it never once tended to it, which it would if it was causing discomfort. Also when the tide reached it it flew off normally. I suppose white feathers will spread a little blood a long way.

BHG with what is hopefully a superficial injury 

Mediterranean gull 1 - was the only one in this group. Its face and bill pattern match the one that took to resting on the lamppost near the junction of Oxcliffe and Heysham roads last winter. But, even more telling is that the tips of its bill appear to be crossed, as was the lamppost bird. 

Adult Mediterranean gull 

Just out of the recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Janet took these shots of Roe Deer this morning. There must be at least 5 deer involved, as the first image has a Buck with antlers in the background 

Peregrine stirs up the waders!

Heavy overnight rain cleared early. Very light breeze early on freshening slightly in the afternoon. Plenty of sunshine for most of the day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan,

Ringing this morning produced a decent catch of 29 birds. After a very misty start with a particularly heavy dew the morning was calm and mild with a clear sky.

No Pink footed Geese were seen or heard today. A slow trickle of Meadow Pipits responded to the mp3 lure, probably about 50 in total but not systematically counted. They were dropping from height out of the clear sky and not seen passing over. Two further Grey Wagtails only were colour ringed.

Ringing list:

Grey Wagtail 2

Chiffchaff 4

Wren 1

Goldcrest 5

Blackcap 5

Long-tailed Tit 2

Dunnock 1 + 1 retrap

Cetti's Warbler 1 (adult)

Robin 2

Meadow Pipit 5

South Shore - high water 10:55

Mediterranean gull 1 one Red Nab - Pete

I had a walk along foreshore then on to the beach out from the saltmarsh (MD)

Grey Wagtail 1 low to east (towards Middleton Nature Reserve)

Wheatear 3 (only one on the way out, three on the return)

Rock Pipit 3 - 1 near rocky outcrop 2 at slipway end of foreshore trying to chase off....

Meadow Pipit 8 grounded near slipway plus 6 over to south

Meadow Pipit 

On saltmarsh 

Linnet 16 

Lapwing 44

Ringed Plover 21

Swallow 1 south

By the time I was on the shore, all the waders were spread all over the beach, not just along the waterline. I took this clip while I was thinking how to best check the birds without spooking them.

I needn't have bothered, just 20 seconds after this clip, the beach was empty! A Peregrine had lifted everything and had driven them south. So I stayed were I was and waited, sure enough the waders started returning, but the attack had left them flighty. By this time Howard was also on the shore and took this shot of me. I was checking birds already returned, the birds behind me are also returning.

The significance of this shot is how far from the birds I was at this point, but the tide was coming in and bringing them closer, no need to move. The returning birds split into two groups as yesterday, I stayed with the southern group while Howard checked the ones near the saltmarsh.

Neither of us attempted a detailed count but species same and numbers very similar to yesterday. Although in my group there were

Sanderling 7 - I counted 6 in real time, but this clip shows there to be at least 7.

I like this clip as the youngster hops to catch the adult up

Both groups kept lifting and reassembling, I didn't see the Peregrine again, but when they are flighty like this, it just takes one bird to take flight and they're all off. Anyway, my group moved further south, so I walked off.

This is Howard checking the close in group, you can see the slipway behind him. But also not a bird in sight, Howard was a good distance from the birds.

Here are a couple of Howard's pictures:

Knot and Dunlin

The Dunlin bottom centre here is colour ringed
Unfortunately just too distant to read the ring, but enough
to identify the scheme as being from mid Wales

Heysham skear 

I just had quick check in the evening sun (MD)

Eider 2

Male Eider just coming out of eclipse

Red-Breasted Merganser 13 (5, 6 & 2). This is the six

Little Egret 6

Pink-Footed goose 23 came high from the north before turning to head west towards Barrow.

Waders: Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Dunlin 1, Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

It's strange, there were 50+ Godwits on the south side this morning, but I was really pleased to see this one.

Bar-Tailed Godwit in the evening sun

A tiny break in the rain, but it was well timed!

A southerly fresh wind in the morning gradually moved around to the west. Showers early morning, soon gave way to persistent rain.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

John's ringing report from yesterday:

Four nets set 6.45am to 10.45am

Fairly quiet again with only sixteen birds caught which comprised:

Grey Wagtails     x 5

Chiffchaffs         x 5

Reed Buntings    x 2

and singles of

Goldcrest

Goldfinch

Meadow Pipit

Blackcap

Little overhead movement of birds observed apart from Pink-footed geese, moving similarly to yesterday, northwards, with 1800 observed between 7am and 8.30am.

South shore - high water 10:15 (MD)

The plan was to watch the rising tide push the waders up the beach out from the foreshore. It was raining when I set off, rain won't affect the waders but would have made any photography difficult. Fortunately it had eased by the time I reached Red Nab.

Wigeon 4 on Red Nab, shortly into this clip a Redshank makes a distress call (they are always distressed!). You can't hear it because of the wind noise, but you can see the immediate reaction of all four Wigeon and the Black-Headed gulls.

Rock Pipit 2

Wheatear 1

Linnet 8

Shelduck 248 all headed south. The largest flock of 100 had been resting on the water out from the foreshore. This is them setting off south, you can see the wader flock on the shore below them. The rain was back now, so I was having to use my old camera.

Apart from the wader flock in the above clip, there was another further south, but still well within the recording area. So I headed for the gap between them. Periodically a group of smaller waders would leave the close group to join the one further south. Even so when I reached the waterline and checked the inshore birds there were:

Bar-Tailed Godwit 56

Grey Plover 148

Knot 1,200

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 2

The other group was too distant to count from where I was, but it was a similar size and mix, but probably had more Grey Plover.

Fortunately by this time the rain had stopped, probably the only time all day it actually stopped! It was just about high water, so I paddled out several metres (I always wear wellies on the beach). The near flat beach here means that the water is very shallow for some distance.

This clip is the close in feeding group. It's just to show location really, the birds continue around the sand bar.

This clip provides a bit more detail of some of the birds

I'd seen the Sanderling working their way south along the waterline as I was walking out. I had assumed they had joined the southern group, but they must have just fed in that direction when the tide was flooding, as now that it was ebbing they made their way back (quickly). They fed along the waterline directly in front of me. I do like it when nature ignores me!

Adult Sanderling in winter plumage

First calendar year Sanderling 

Sometimes, when you are closer to birds than you normally get, their detail can be confusing. It took me a while to be confident that this was just a small young Dunlin with a short bill. It's a lot easier on the screen than through a camera viewfinder - Pete advises Schinzii/arctica with nominate alpina

The rain had started again, I had checked the southern group and couldn't  spot anything different with them. So left them to it.

Ringed Plover 25 closer inshore.

High water tomorrow 10:50, no reason not to expect a similar gathering. The birds are easily visible from slipway area, particularly with a scope. Saturday's tide at 11:25 could be ok too, but you would need to be there about an hour before high water.  (MD)

Tawny Owl saves the day!

ESE light wind in the morning shifting to SW in the afternoon. Overcast all day but it remained dry.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Common Snipe 2 flushed from edge of the main pond - Janet

There were several Migrant Hawker around, this shot by Janet

Male Migrant Hawker

I had precious little time today, but managed a quick check of the two main ponds in passing (MD)

Mute unchanged 

Mallard 9 on main pond, several looking immature 

Gadwall 20 on "no swimming" pond

Shoveler 1 male coming out of eclipse.

Coot 2

Moorhen 5 including 1 immature 

Little grebe 1 now almost in winter plumage

If you've ever wondered why this pond is called the "no swimming" pond. It's this sign, once prominent, now surrounded by scrub and trees. I'm probably the only person to have read it in a decade!

It says: Danger. Keep out. Do not swim
Well, you have to call a pond something!

Heysham skear - low water 15:40 (MD)

This was the only walk I managed today, and this was really just a quick look.

Great Crested Grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 4 (2+2)

Eider 7

Little Egret 8

Waders: Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone and Dunlin 5

Cormorant and Herring gull resting on skear edge

Thanks to Jimmy (via Janet) for this shot and clip of a Tawny Owl, heard most evenings at Sylvan Place. Presumably based on Heysham Head.

Pinkfoot heading north all day

Very light breeze again, from east in the morning before switching to SW after lunch. Overcast for much of the day, but some sunny spells, becoming prolonged in the evening.

Pink-Footed goose 

Early morning summary from Pete - 6121 northbound, the combined total from Heysham and Middleton with no duplication.  These birds were spread over 2.5 hrs, not a low flying mass ex roost flight to eg Oxcliffe road feeding areas.  Therefore almost certainly a readjustment by overshooting birds heading back to perhaps the Solway area.   

David Kaye also recorded 5 skeins totalling 474 from Knowlys Rd again all heading north (between late morning to early evening)

I had 4 skeins late evening (MD) 267 again heading north, although one was very low

So the total today 6,682 - all north

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

An interesting morning. Only 20 birds captured in the nets for ringing:

Grey Wagtail 4

Wren 3

Robin 3

Blackcap 4

Chiffchaff 4

Reed Bunting 2

Only one other Grey Wagtail seen other than the four caught. 46 Swallows passed through the reserve but no Meadow Pipits seen (or attracted to the MP3 lure) in contrast to yesterday's catch of 15.

I just had a quick passing check of the two main ponds (MD)

Main Pond

Mute pair plus 7 cygnet 

Mallard 2 pair

Moorhen 2

"No swimming" pond

Gadwall 18

Moorhen 2

Shoveler not on the pond, but one flew over. There aren't many ducks that can be identified from a silhouette from below. Shoveler can be!

Shoveler 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Apart from the Pink-footed Geese there were 4 Chaffinch south, 1 Skylark south and 36 Swallows north. A flock of 8 Mistle Thrushes landed on one of the pylons before moving on. 

Ringing

The highlight was a Cetti’s Warbler

Another 3 Grey Wagtails caught and colour ringed 

Chiffchaff 2

Robin 3

Goldcrest. 1

Blackcap 1

Goldfinch 6

Greenfinch 4

Blue Tit 1

Great Tit 3 new and 1 retrap

Dunnock 1

Wren 1

South shore

Little Egret 6 on Red Nab (typically just 3 here) - Kevin

I had a walk out on the shore again, the tide was coming in but still had a long way to go so plenty of wet mud towards the water line (MD)

Rock Pipit 2

Wheatear 1

Shelduck 15 (3,1,4 & 7) all south

Shelduck 

There was a large feeding mixed group of waders towards the waterline, but the bright sun was low and made seeing nearly impossible. Eventually I managed to get near enough and at an angle to be able to pick out individual birds there were:

Bar-Tailed Godwit c60

Grey Plover c50

Knot c40

Dunlin c100

Sanderling 6

Even so it was still very difficult viewing. These are five of the Sanderling 

Sanderling along the waterline 

I was just wondering what my next move was going to be, when the only low flying flock of Pinkfoot all day, flew north just above the waterline

Pink-footed geese also silhouetted against the strong sun. 
They were only a few metres above the waterline, perhaps they had been resting on the beach.

They lifted all the waders which also flew north, I originally cursed the geese, but the waders landed about 50m north, allowing me a corridor to get to the waterline and wade out a little. Now I had the opposite problem, the sun was so bright as to tint the birds!

These two clips contain the Sanderlings (there is an option to view in slow motion that you may find beneficial)

Other waders

Redshank 15

Turnstone 1

Ringed Plover 18

Oystercatcher c400

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

This Bar-Tailed Godwit was feeding and a Black-Headed gull pinches its lugworm, all to easily in my opinion. It will lose the next one too!

David Kaye took this shot of a pony in the paddocks at Knowlys Rd. Presumably the Magpie is finding something to eat, but only room for one. The other bird has to wait!

What a difference a day makes

Very light and variable breeze, predominantly from the north in the morning, NW by evening. The day alternated between bright sunshine and thick cloud, but it managed to remain dry.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

Despite not seeing or hearing Meadow Pipits overhead, 15 were caught and ringed. Chiffchaff dominated the warbler catch No retraps today:

Grey Wagtail 3

Meadow Pipit 15

Chiffchaff 10

Blackcap 1

Robin 5

Goldcrest 2

Wren 1

Dunnock 1

Blue Tit 1

Vis:

Pink-footed Goose 352 in 6 flocks mainly N

Grey Wagtail 9

Cormorant 7 south

Swallow 7

Meadow Pipit 17+

Chaffinch 1

Linnet 2 

Mediterranean Gull 1 adult

Magpie 2

A Cetti’s Warbler wandered noisily round the eastern marsh. 

Heysham skear - low water 12:50 (MD)

This was a test walk really, low water at 3.4m barely uncovers the inner skear, so no distance to walk.

Eider 4 (2males)

Red-breasted Merganser 10 (4 & 6)

Shag 1 x 2nd calendar year 

2cy Shag with Lesser Black-Backed gull

Waders: Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone plus

Knot 52 in one flock, showing well in good light, unfortunately none were ringed

Knot with the South Lakes for a backdrop

Knot

South shore  - high water 19:00 (MD)

Completely different to yesterday, not least as I was looking forward to my evening walk. I was feeling much better today perhaps I was just suffering from a touch of old age!

But, despite my enthusiasm, there was little to see, unfortunately these tides are so low all the exposed mud was dry. It's strange that I walked twice as far to get to the high water line this evening, than I did to get to the low water line on the north side this morning!

Dunlin - there was a flock feeding along the waterline as I was walking out, but they quickly moved on as the tide reached the dry mud. I probably would have been better going out earlier. Apart from those, just these two resting in the brief evening sunshine.

Dunlin

The only other waders were: Oystercatcher, Curlew and Redshank plus

Bar-Tailed Godwit 4

Bar-Tailed Godwit, also resting in the late sun

Shelduck 3 flying south

Wheatear 1 on foreshore 

It was a nice evening!