Not a lot around!

Heavy showers overnight and during the day. Much warmer (12C first thing). The fresh wind eventually shifting from SE to SW.

I managed two walks today, one in the morning and another this afternoon. Both coinciding with a period of heavy showers:

South shore

The only two birds on the saltmarsh were a Redshank and a Carrion Crow. I didn't even see/hear the resident Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks.

Rock Pipit 2 (foreshore and lighthouse)

Shelduck 60

Wigeon 114

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look on the way home

Tufted Duck 1 male had joined the Mute, Mallard and Moorhen on the, still frozen, main pond.

The ice is melting though, and exposing something for the Moorhen to eat. The "cracking" sounds in the background are the mute walking from the feeding area to the open pool.

The "no swimming" pond is now 50cm higher than normal. The original ice surface has now floated to the top again and is effectively a pond sized iceberg!

The "no swimming" pond is again covered in ice except for open water around the edges.

The ice edge here is c10cm high, I think the whole ice raft must be tilting upwards 

Shame, there was a flock of 14 Gadwall flying around, but nowhere to land. You can't see much in this clip, but I have precious little else today!

Heysham skear- low water 14:10

The best I can say about this walk was that it was a good test for my new waterproof coat!

Waders: Oystercatcher, Turnstone and a single Knot!

Pale-bellied Brent goose 3 - circled around the skear before heading south, but I couldn't see if they went past Heysham Head

And that's it! Hopefully more around tomorrow.

Temperature and tides about to rise rapidly!

Overnight temperature didn't get below 2C and the day temperature little higher. The ground/mud is stil frozen and patches of surface ice remain. A fresh SE wind with showers, initially snow, but quickly turning to rain.

Warm Atlantic air is set to increase temperatures significantly overnight and tomorrow, yesterday was also the lowest tide for a while, we now move quickly to spring tides.

South Shore (MD)

Not a lot really 

Shelduck and Wigeon still high numbers, but not as many as yesterday 

Shelduck 

Grey Plover 3 - one along sea wall, one out from the foreshore and one on Ocean Edge Grass

Grey Plover

Dunlin 23 out from the foreshore plus some on the grass

Ringed Plover 7 - there were five feeding on Ocean Edge grass, the ground was still frozen, but the covering of ice was gone. They must have been finding invertebrates trapped by the ice. Also in this (shaky) clip, Redshank and Grey Plover.

Black-Tailed Godwit - still one feeding in the, now ice free, creek just out from the slipway 

The only passerine seen around the saltmarsh was a single Blackbird.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

The Mute managed to keep a small ice free area open throughout the cold spell. Both adults and 5 immature birds survived, and provided space for 6 Mallard and 2 Moorhen.

I checked the gulls on the ice several times over the frozen period but no ringed birds seen.

There is an "ice free" head of water on top of the completely frozen "no swimming" pond. It is c25cm deep, so plenty of water, but no wildfowl as all the potential food is still trapped below the ice. 

Hopefully something different tomorrow, but heavy rain is likely to hamper things. 

Worst of freezing weather goes, but not without a fight!

Overnight temperatures were just about above freezing, heavy rain followed by hail immediately froze on the cold ground. The temperature eventually crept up to 3C, more rain showers in the afternoon but the ground remained frozen. The SSE wind freshened throughout the day.

South shore 09:30 (MD)

I ended yesterday's report by advising care with today's expected ice. I did heed my own advice, I set off late and chose a path over rough ground, but it wasn't enough, there was a layer of ice even covering rough ground. The advice should have been, stay at home! The only thing that saved me from falling several times was that the last shower was of hail, which left a rough, but still very slippy, surface to the ice.

I just managed to check the saltmarsh, then drove, gingerly home.

Greenfinch 6

Reed Bunting 1 - you can't see all the birds every visit but these have declined from a high count of 5.

Shelduck 293

Ringed Plover 2

Teal 2

The short stretch of the creek just out from the slipway was still supporting some feeding waders. There was more groundwater running through today, but still, this small patch has been hammered this last week. Waders feeding here today:

Black-Tailed Godwit 1

Curlew 2

Oystercatcher 1 - looked like yesterday's bird

Redshank 8

Dunlin 2

I slipped my way as far as Red Nab, but there was no chance of going any further. This is a shot of Red Nab, this isn't frost, it is a layer of ice over all but the steepest rock face.

Heysham skear - low water 11:50 (MD)

I left it till after lunch, these neap tides come in very slowly. By this time the roads were fine and the shore was ok after the first 50m. Although there was little to see. There was nothing visible on the sea, and only the regular waders. Fortunately there were....

Pale-bellied Brent geese 6 - they came from somewhere up the shore, I didn't see anyone who may have spooked them, it was probably the Oystercatcher who were particularly flighty today. This is them landing again.

A little later they started making their way up the shore again. There is more weed in some areas higher up the shore, but you can see them picking up isolated pieces of sea lettuce on the way. 

I was only out for 30 minutes, but by now the ice on the pavements had largely gone, so I decided to finish this morning's walk.

South wall

It was technically much warmer than of late, but with the freshening SSE wind it felt colder. There were 40 Cormorants roosting, but not on the draughty wooden jetty. They prefer the shore when they have the option. This peninsula is just south of No.2 outflow.

Only one bird was on the wooden jetty - it seems that they forgot to tell the Shag

Wigeon 220 - originally in channel next to No.1 outflow, but they moved to Red Nab as soon as the tide started thawing the outer rocks.

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female in the harbour mouth

Kingfisher 1 - it was perched on the edge of No.1 outflow, but it wasn't looking into the outflow, but the rising water on the outside.

By this time the rain had started. It was quite heavy by the time I'd got back to the Nature Park. The ground was still frozen so most was draining towards the road. There is a chance of a slight frost again tonight so caution should be taken again in the morning. But the worst is over.........for now.

The deep freeze begins to abate

Another freezing night. A clear calm start, clouding over by lunchtime when there was a light shower. The SSE breeze freshened during the afternoon.

Just my stuff so far (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 

It was -6C when I started at 08:30, another very difficult night for the birds.

Saltmarsh:

Common Snipe 3

Starling 8

Greenfinch 10

Reed Bunting 2

Black-Tailed Godwit 3 - The creek through the saltmarsh is now beyond the current tide reach. Even so the trickle of ground water draining through it had kept an ice free ribbon open. These birds were feeding as yesterday, whatever they were finding was tiny and must be depleted after three days.

Red Nab:

Shelduck c150

Meadow Pipit 1

Rock Pipit 1 - the Rock Pipit not so benign today and was trying to chase the Meadow Pipit off its patch.

Blackbird 2 - this clip is actually from yesterday, but similar tactics were being used today. They are working very hard for whatever invertebrates they were finding.

Heron and a couple of Wigeon hogging the only ice free pool on Red Nab

Heysham skear - low water 10:40

Just a short walk, the tide doesn't go out very far on these low neap tides.

Eider c50 most quite distant and diving for food, but this male was gathering what he can from an inshore rock.

Great Crested Grebe 1

Shag 1 immature 

Shag on the barely exposed conger rock at low water

No waders other than the Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone - it struck me again just how "cruel" these low neap tides are in freezing conditions, not only do they not rise far enough to thaw out the upper shore mud, but they fail to expose the lower shore feeding grounds. The only saving grace is that some shore is exposed all day.

Pale-Bellied Brent goose 3 - these arrived from the west at low water and headed to the SE skear corner to feed.

Pale-Bellied Brent geese

Saltmarsh to Red Nab

A second quick check in the late afternoon. It was above freezing now, the lunchtime rain had melted much of the standing frost, but the ground was still sub zero and the rain and melted frost had turned to a layer of ice.

Teal 4 (2 each on Red Nab and Saltmarsh ground water run offs)

Black-Tailed Godwit 1 - none in the saltmarsh creek, that larder must have been empty. This one was feeding out from the foreshore. It was finding something to eat, but again, just pea sized molluscs.

Black-Tailed Godwit with a small mollusc

Grey Plover 1

Passerines as this morning.

This wader initially confused me. At first, I could only see it in silhouette, no plumage details but it seemed to have a long slightly downturned bill and feeding in a similar fashion as the godwits. But when I moved to take the sun out of the sight line, I could see it was an Oystercatcher. It does seem to have a longer than average bill and a suggestion of down curving, possibly giving it additional feeding options in these difficult conditions.

This made me smile, it was this morning before the cloud cover. The jet leaving this contrail appears to have made a "U" turn, as though the pilot had forgotten something! (Probably just some sort of holding manoeuvre)

At the time of writing, the night sky is clear and the temperature is hovering just above freezing. But overnight rain is forecast, which will be good for the birds as it will mean a warmer night, but it may leave the roads and pavements treacherous with ice in the morning. Take care.

Minus 8.....you wouldn't want to be a bird!

Another freezing night with another to follow (possibly the last for a while), temperatures barely got above zero all day. Plenty of sunshine and a very light east breeze.

Kevin Eave's weather station (within the recording area) recorded a temperature of -7.8C at 07:00. It was still -4C when I set off at 08:30. This shot out from Ocean Edge foreshore is 09:30, it is unusual for two reasons. First, Golden Plovers are very uncommon here, despite being plentiful in the Lune estuary. Secondly, it is the first time I've seen a bird with frost on its head, back and tail! (MD)

Golden Plover, covered in frost.....goodness knows what it looked like at 07:00!

South shore (MD)

Two visits again today, a full check in the morning plus a brief check from saltmarsh to Red Nab in the afternoon.

Morning check:

Saltmarsh 

Starlings 100+ I've been surprised that they haven't been here in numbers earlier.

Starlings with their feathers fluffed out

Greenfinch 9

Reed Bunting 4

Blackbird 2

Song Thrush 1

Song Thrush with its feathers fluffed out

Black-Tailed Godwit 4 - these were feeding in the creek just beyond the slipway, but I couldn't get a good look as other waders, including another Godwit (probably a Black-Tailed) were feeding in the middle of the creek, and I didn't want to risk spooking them. These are the birds in the middle of the creek, showing just how bleak it was. Oystercatcher, Godwit, Redshank and Curlew having to probe through the ice before reaching the mud.

Foreshore:

Golden Plover 1

Shelduck c150

Red Nab:

Blackbird 1

Meadow Pipit 1 ( the Rock Pipit is still around, I saw them both in the afternoon, but I think the Rock Pipit is spending more time in the Power Station grounds, where I am sure it knows of plenty of warmer areas to feed and rest). The Meadow Pipit seemed to be finding food as well. You can just about hear it peeping a couple of times.

Kingfisher 1 looking forlorn. The only ice free water on Red Nab was the groundwater run off, but that is currently too shallow to draw the fish up it and the tides too low to back fill it. The Kingfisher was sat on the sloping wall. I managed not to disturb it, but suspect it will have had to go somewhere else to feed.

Sea wall:

Grey Plover 1

Wigeon c120. These tides aren't good for them either. The tide barely reaches Red Nab, and without the tide the gut weed is either under ice or frozen to the rocks. Nevertheless, when I checked in the afternoon they were feeding around Red Nab edges. But at this time some were resting in the channel next to No.1 outflow, with a nice shot of the SeaTruck sliding past.

But in reality, ships that size don't just slide past, they displace a lot of water. I knew what was going to happen next, and I expect it is something the Wigeon regularly experience.

Black-Tailed Godwit 26 - I 5 were feeding in the same section of shore as above, but closer in. Another 11 flew over high to SE making a daily count of 29. The mud was soft here, but I didn't see them catch anything, probably why in normal conditions you don't see godwits here.

But there are worms to be found. This Curlew near No.2 outflow has a decent sized lugworm. But it caught it very near the surface, just prior to this clip. It must have seen it casting its waste.

Afternoon check:

I got back to the saltmarsh just as the tide was reaching the creek. It wouldn't get much higher today and won't cover the shore out from the saltmarsh again till next Wednesday.

Black-Tailed Godwit 5 - not sure what they were feeding on, but they were each feeding like this. I can only think their food items are getting smaller and they use this technique to filter whatever it is from the silt.

Teal 4 female - I like this clip, it's not often you see a Dunlin, Redshank, Black-Tailed Godwit and a Teal feeding together. It does demonstrate just how small a Teal duck is.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 550 most arrived 14:30, but a steady influx continued while I was there.

Knot c100

Dunlin c300

Redshank 60

I didn't check the north side today, and have had no reports, so I don't know if the Brent turned up at the play area again. If they did, they must have remained undisturbed as they didn't show at Red Nab.

Janet very kindly posted Jean's comments from yesterday regarding disturbance on "Heysham dog friendly" page on Facebook, so more pet walkers will be aware of the concern.

These low neap tides are the worst possible combination with the freezing temperatures, as so much of the shore becomes locked in ice. Hopefully tonight could be the last deep freeze for a while, possibly a bit of rain over the weekend will free the exposed shore, making normal, feeding possible again.

The cold continues to bite!

Another freezing night, with another to follow. It barely got above 0C all day, despite the almost constant sunshine, when there was any air movement, it came from the east.

Pale-Bellied Brent Goose 8 - initially seen on the skear at low water in two groups 2 + 6. Later, David Kaye saw 8 flushed by a dog early (13:10) from the children's play area. Shame, that's where the best food currently is. 

There were 8 on Red Nab at high water, before 6 flew off south.

As Jean points out, the birds are stressed in this prolonged very cold weather and extra energy expended flying off because of disturbance from off lead dogs causes loss of condition, reducing their breeding success next year or can even affect their survival this winter. Please pass this on to anyone you know who exercises their pets here, or anywhere where birds are feeding or roosting.

These are the group of six choosing to fly from the south side of the skear to the north side, just as the sun was rising. There is little food on either side, so it looks like they were just waiting for the tide to take them to the play area.

David's shot of all 8 being prematurely flushed from the play area

Also on skear:

Pink-Footed goose 8 seeming unsure as to where to go. Came from south, turned west, then back south again.

Eider 34

Red-Breasted Merganser 1

Little Egret just 1

Just single figures each Knot and Dunlin

Ringed Plover 10

Saltmarsh to Red Nab (MD)

Passerines on saltmarsh (excluding the resident Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks)

Blackbird 5

Skylark 1

Song Thrush 1

Reed Bunting 3

Greenfinch 12

Rock Pipit 1

Shelduck 170

Common Snipe 6

Last night's neap tide was not high enough to cover the shore out from the saltmarsh, yesterday's "idyllic" pools were frozen solid, as was the mud. The tide did reach up the creek though, this Curlew marks the extent of last nights tide reach. The straight line shows how flat the sea was.

The ice line marks on the creek sides show the extent of last night's tide

Black-Tailed Godwit 13 - the soft mud they fed in yesterday was soft no more, their only option was to feed in the creek itself.

This afternoon's high water was slightly higher than last night's, so I couldn't resist another quick look at high water. Hoping to see more Godwits, and I was far from disappointed!

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1,200 at least

Most of the waders in the water are Bar-Tailed Godwit

Here are some more coming to join them.

Black-Tailed Godwit 22 - there were at least two resting among the Bar-Tailed

The larger bird on the left is one of the resting Black-Tailed Godwits

Another two were waiting at the creek edge 

Black-Tailed Godwit - the setting sun giving their normally greyish
winter plumage a warm glow, reminiscent of summer plumage

As soon as the ebbing tide started to reveal the newly thawed shore, they were quickly joined by Redshank, Knot and Dunlin.

A little earlier 18 had flown over to the north

Black-Tailed Godwit

Other waders

Lapwing c100

Redshank c50

Dunlin c250

Knot c400

Grey Plover 5

I managed to leave without spooking any of them, which pleased me. But they were much more interested in finding food than worrying about me. Hope they all have enough fuel to keep them warm enough to survive through another freezing night! 

Survival of the opportunistic (being tough helps too!)

Another freezing night, but a warmer, overcast day with temperatures hovering around zero. But another very cold night ahead. The light east breeze continues.

Janet managed a "hobble" to Half Moon Bay yesterday. Not the ideal conditions for someone nursing a broken ankle! 

Lapwing 

This line of rising water vapour is coming from the Power Station
cooling water as the tide draws it from the outflows and past the buoys 

The only stuff I have so far today is from my morning stroll (MD)

South shore

Saltmarsh:

Pink-Footed goose 45 north 09:00

Shelduck 180 feeding on the mud out from saltmarsh and foreshore 

Teal 4 - two male together plus two individual female.

This is the area the Teal were using, they look like lakes surrounded by sparse pine trees, but are just shallow saltwater pools surrounded by ageing Samphire.

Area to the south of the saltmarsh creek
which is becoming an ever increasingly interesting environment 

Mallard 3 - a female with 2 male circling around saltmarsh 

Snipe 3 around the saltmarsh edge, but they also frequent the above area just south of saltmarsh 

Black-Tailed Godwit 6 - they have been very uncommon in recent years, and these birds were only here due the generally adverse conditions. Their food of choice are the large lugworms found further out. But lugworm tunnel deeper in cold weather, well out of range of the longest bill. They can still be caught but mainly along the tideline, where they are likely not to be at the bottom of their tunnel. But these godwit had chosen to feed in the soft mud just out from the slipway. I thought they may have been after the small lugworm that burry in this mud, but they must have been too deep too. They were catching something else....

These are three of them, they are clearly eating something, but it's not obvious what

This clip give a hint of what they were feeding on and shows the location.

This is a still from the above clip. A small round mollusc,
probably a snail, going down (well up then down) shell and all.

It seems like meagre fare, but it was worth fighting for!

The smaller bird is a Knot, another opportunist, finding the tiny invertebrates disturbed by the godwits.

Skylark 2

Reed Bunting 3

Rock Pipit 1

Sea wall:

Wigeon 240 in channel along No.1 outflow

Grey Plover 1 - I can never resist taking a shot of a Grey Plover, they seem to be so photogenic in all plumages.

Grey Plover below sea wall

Rock Pipit - this bird too has refined its feeding strategy. There are little or no invertebrates available on dry land, but it was finding marine invertebrates on this rock.

Ferrel Pigeons seldom get a mention but they are resident around the harbour area. While other birds were finding ways to survive, these two had something else on their mind. It does seem a strange time to be planning a family!

The silent sunrise

Another calm and freezing night. Plenty of sunshine during the day, but the air temperature never rose above zero. Very light east breezes.

Heysham skear - low water 07:40 (MD)

I set off at 07:30, it was minus 4C, it had been down to minus 6C overnight. The skies were clear but a big bank of mist hung over the sea.

Pink-Footed Goose one "typical" skein of 6 north, but 3 small skeins heading south (17, 20 +c10) possibly cold related movement. All movement before dawn.

The only birds seen on the sea were 13 Eider.

When the sun started to rise, it initially met a barrier of haze, it looked quite spectacular.

In the above clip you can hear the clamour of the waders. This noise is a constant background here, and I don't hear it. But I heard it when it stopped! About 15 minutes after this clip the sun had burned off the mist and it's rays were refreshingly warm. Everything went eerily silent! All the birds stopped feeding and just faced the sun to soak up the heat. They need all the energy they can muster to remain warm on nights like this. Food is required for overnight energy, but the sun's energy was very welcome for a few minutes.

Red-Breasted Merganser 2 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 2

I didn't see either till I was about to walk back up the beach, they were both near the green marker post.

They waited till the tide caused them to swim, before flying off

Howard went to check out the waders on the old heliport wall. Unfortunately, someone walked right up to the roosting birds to take a picture, and flushed them all!

This is the very last thing the birds need! They've had a freezing night followed by a very short feeding window on the exposed shore. All they can do now is to rest to conserve energy before another freezing night. I'm sure everyone who reads this post respects this, but please advise others you know who may not be aware of the significance of disturbing wildlife, particularly at this time of year (Malcolm)

South shore (MD)

Saltmarsh 

Wigeon 70

Shelduck 5

Teal 2 flew from south and landed on the saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 6

Ringed Plover 1

Ringed Plover

Grey Plover 1

Grey Plover

Blackbird 1

Reed Bunting 5

Rock Pipit 1

Rock Pipit

Red Nab:

Wigeon another 140

Shelduck another 16

Rock Pipit another 1

Kingfisher 2 - there were definitely two today. One was feeding in the freshwater stream as I walked out. Then as I was getting to the end of Red Nab two flew past, at least one peeping loudly.

This was the "chased" Kingfisher, it flew along the curved wall

The second Kingfisher flew past on my left and when it was satisfied the other was far enough away, it returned to Red Nab.

One was still feeding on Red Nab on my return

Harbour:

Shag 1 possibly 2 - Tom Walkington had scoped one on the wooden jetty, near where the 2nd calendar year bird likes to roost. That had moved on when I arrived, but this immature was in the harbour. I just managed this shot of it with what looks like a Weaver, before it dived to orientate it out of sight of the cormorants who would try and pinch it.

It does look like a Weaver, but if it is, it is a particularly large one. I always worried about sea birds eating Weavers they have a savage sting in their dorsal fins, possibly fatal to a bird the size of a Shag.  I know birds swallow fish head first which flattens the dorsal fin, but even if not punctured I knew that the bird's digestive juices would eventually release the venom. Then I realised that's the point it is a venom not a poison. A venom needs to enter the blood stream to take effect. 

Even so this was a big one! When it surfaced again it was swallowing the fish.....it didn't go down easily!

It eventually went down and seemingly without harming the Shag, as it swam around looking quite plesed with itself.

Not much change

Another freezing night with a light NE breeze. Some sunny periods.

Heysham skear - low water 07:05 (MD)

It made a change getting down at low water in the morning, although the tide was already making and the sea ducks were a long way out.

Eider 54 at least, dark specks beyond them were possibly more.

Great Crested Grebe 5

Red-breasted Merganser 8 - just one feeding close in the other seven drifting in together in the far channel

Dunlin c100 in several small groups 

Dunlin, the low light reflecting the micro ripples across them

Knot originally c150 in one small flock, then the moment the sun rose a Peregrine started hunting and I didn't see them again. It's ideal for the Peregrine to hunt with the low sun behind them.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a check of the main pond in passing. The Mute are still managing to keep a small area ice free, Black-Headed gulls standing on ice but none ringed

8 Mallard sharing the open patch

Saltmarsh to Red Nab

Again just a quick check

Saltmarsh: 

Reed Bunting 5

Greenfinch 3

Blackbird 2

Song Thrush 1

Nothing along foreshore 

Kingfisher 1 on Red Nab

A mixed tit flock was passing through the Nature Park. This Blue Tit was already feeding on catkins (spring at last!)

Not really safe to venture far today

Freezing rain overnight left conditions treacherous. Some sunshine in the morning then mainly overcast. The light east breeze continues.

South shore (MD)

This was my only outing today. The mid morning walk out along the sea wall had to be along the raised section as the lower wall was a sheet of ice. Not so bad on the way back, as it had clouded over and a thaw had started.

Saltmarsh:

Reed Bunting 3

Blackbird 3

Common Snipe 1

Shelduck 73 out from the foreshore and on Red Nab

Wigeon 80+ around Red Nab

Greenfinch 2 Red Nab

Little Egret 3

Grey Heron 1

Heron, just before it decided that enough was enough

Kingfisher 2 (probably). There was one feeding on Red Nab on the way out. Apologies for the unsteadiness of this clip, but I was trying my best not to slip!

As I approached the end of the wall, what I took to be a second bird flew past me and out to sea, possibly to wooden jetty. When I returned to Red Nab the original bird was still around. There wasn't much else of note so I thought I would try some "action shots"

Rock Pipit 1 on wall near No.1 outflow - the shot below is from where the pipit was, but this shot is just to demonstrate the "steam bath" effect, where yesterday's Grey Seal was feeding.

And that's about it, I don't think, anyone else was daft enough to venture out.