Pochard makes it for another winter.

 A quite fresh south to SSE wind, heavy rain around lunchtime, other than that dry, but mainly overcast.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just the two adult and five immature Mute Swans on the main pond.

The water level on the "no swimming" pond continues to rise. It is now over 2m above its normal level.

This is the same view as I posted 2nd January, at that time it was covering
the reeds, it's now half way up the bushes!

I have checked a couple of times this week, but the pond was deserted each time. But it wasn't deserted today:

Gadwall 21

Tufted Duck 2 male

Pochard 1 male - this is the first record this winter, they (he?) and are just managing to remain an annual record.

Pochard and Tufted duck (drake)

It looks as if this pair of Gadwall were seeing off two unwelcome males, although it is the female doing most of the "seeing off"

South shore

This was the opposite to yesterday, I'd just reached Red Nab when the rain started, and it continued for the rest of the walk!

Shag 1 immature in the harbour

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female near Red Nab, 1 male in harbour

Peregrine Falcon 1 male

Rock Pipits 2 - Red Nab and near wooden jetty

The above records from Jonathan who was just coming off as I got there (better timing!)

Pale-bellied Brent geese 15 - 2, 5 and 8 flew south from Red Nab

Wigeon c120 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 resting on Red Nab

Bar-Tailed Godwit - located by Phil

It  was bucketing down, so I didn't await the ferry. Fortunately Pete checked

Kittiwake 10 despite SSE wind and poor visibility 

A nice day to watch the gulls

Heavy rain showers till late morning, then a nice sunny spell till mid afternoon. The already lightish south wind eased further around lunchtime.

First a few shots from Mark as he and Jayne enjoyed a walk along the sea wall yesterday.

Wigeon feeding on Red Nab

The Wigeon heading off as the ferry was heading in

Immature Shag in the harbour 

South shore today (MD)

I still haven't fully gotten over my "man flu", and I wasn't filled with enthusiasm! It had been dark and raining all morning, I donned two coats (warm and waterproof) and set off, thinking that if it was too miserable I would turn round and come back. But as soon as I reached the saltmarsh about 30 minutes before high water, the clouds parted, the wind dropped and the sun came out. And it stayed like that for the duration of my walk!

Saltmarsh:

Common Snipe 3 (most would have already left)

Jack Snipe 1

Reed Bunting 5-6

Rock Pipit 2

Wigeon 80+ still out from the saltmarsh 

By now it was high water, Red Nab was already covered and there was nothing on the outflows.

Just two more Rock Pipits, on Red Nab and Sea wall

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female

Shag 1 roosting on the wooden jetty in the area favoured by the 3rd calendar year 

The sea was calm, the skies blue and the sun bright, I wasn't expecting there to be much behind the ferry, but there was, at least 17 Kittiwake including 2 x 2nd calendar year 

The cloud of gulls behind the ferry

I was conscious that yesterday I had focused on the 2nd calendar year birds, probably because they are easier to spot in the gloom. So today I was determined to get some clips/shots of the adults.

This one has picked something up, but whatever it was it dropped it again.

This one provides a tour of the harbour 

Adult Kittiwake 

This one appeared to be an adult, but its still dark bill showing it to be immature 
3rd Calendar year Kittiwake 

By now the tide was ebbing quickly. The cormorants were feeding above the wooden jetty foundation rocks, and they were catching plenty. There are two fish caught in this clip, they look like, and probably were, Pouting.

The gulls were lined up, watching from the edge of the wooden jetty, they swooped
down when a Cormorant caught a fish, but they would have been lucky to get anything 

Something or someone must have spooked the Oystercatcher roost on the heliport wall, many of them settled on the newly emerging Red Nab rocks.

A decent turnout, birds and observers

The wind wasn't as fresh or as westerly as originally forecast. Just a few light showers with sunny spells.

Janet managed a morning outing:

Grey Heron and Moorhen on Middleton main pond

Some excellent shots of a Goldcrest in Heysham Nature Park. Worth opening these to enjoy the detail, in the last one it has a small spider. 

Goldcrest with a tiny spider

Pete checked the lunchtime ferry in

Kittiwake 24 (at least) including 2 already in the harbour

Shag 1 in harbour

Myself (MD) plus Mark and Jayne Jones watched the ferry in from the lighthouse. We didn't manage an accurate count, but we enjoyed the spectacle. 

2nd calendar year Kittiwake 

Several of the Kittiwake followed the Ben My Chree into the harbour. This is a 2nd calendar year 

This is one of the 2nd calendar year birds already in the harbour, they normally sit rather than stand when resting.

Typical resting position of a Kittiwake 

It stood as I approached (I had to get past) revealing its pale legs

Shag 2 - as well as the 2nd calendar year in the harbour, there was a 3rd calendar year roosting on the wooden jetty

Redshank 140 - I thought they were going to roost on wooden jetty, but they continued south.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 4 flew south (Red Nab was already covered by the tide)

Wigeon c150 out from the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 6 around the saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 17 flushed by tide from saltmarsh 

The winds are set to continue into next week.

Not too bad for a calmer day

The south to SW wind not as fresh as yesterday. Mid morning showers cleared by lunchtime, but it remained overcast.

South Shore

I bumped into Janet and we had a walk along the sea wall together, one still nursing a broken ankle and one feeling sorry for himself after a bit of a cold! But we did ok. (MD) All today's photographs are Janet's.

Wigeon 165 counted on the sea

Pale-bellied Brent goose 16 on Red Nab, two flew off early at 11:20, but 14 remained till 12:30

Pale-bellied Brent Geese and Wigeon grazing the gutweed on Red Nab

Some of the Wigeon leaving Red Nab

Rock Pipit 2 - Red Nab and Sea wall near wooden jetty

Kingfisher 1 Red Nab

Female Red-breasted Merganser

Cormorant 

Shag 1 x 2nd calendar year resting on the platform near the waterfall, then, almost certainly the same bird, in the middle of the harbour later.

2nd calendar year Shag 

Immature shag (left) with cormorant 

Janet walked back while I waited for the ferry. There were a lot of gulls behind it again, despite the much calmer conditions. Including at least 12 adult plus 2 x 2nd calendar year Kittiwake. 

The wind is looking more promising for gulls behind the ferry tomorrow

Rough weather birding

 A fresh SW wind with strong gusts, overcast with plenty of showers.

Pete and Jean checked the lunchtime ferry in:

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

Kittiwake at least 44 probably more

They did well counting as many as they did. I was at the lighthouse (MD), it's very difficult counting when the birds and the sea are swirling round so much. Fortunately I knew they were counting so I focused on getting some pictures,  even then it wasn't easy. This is about my best effort.

Three adult plus a 2nd calendar year Kittiwake behind the Ben My Chree

There are seven Kittiwake in this shot, but it is really just to show today's conditions 

Shag - at least one immature 

Shag (left) and Cormorant at the waterfall 

Later it, or a second bird, looked like a 3rd calendar year, was in the middle of the harbour before flying out.

Immature Shag leaving the harbour

Pale-bellied Brent goose 1 feeding on Red Nab - it's unusual to see a solitary bird. Again this clip of it with Wigeon, is more to show the conditions.

No reports, as yet, of anyone checking the north side feeding area.

Turnstone, playing "chicken" with the waves on the sloping sea wall.

There was a crowd of cormorants between No.1 outflow and the wooden jetty. One had a large Bass, I've seen them swallow Bass not much smaller than this one, but this one was just too big.

Bass are a very dense fish, and weigh a lot for their size. This one will weigh not much less, or possibly more than the cormorants! The larger birds were bickering for "their turn" to try swallowing it. And they gave it a good go.

This one was apparently "taking too long" and was duly told so.

This one made a great effort, but was eventually beaten 

Like the Pelican, their beaks can hold more than their belly can!

Eventually they all gave up, unfortunately the Bass would not escape, the Cormorants immobilise them by  breaking their gill rakes. But nothing is wasted in nature. The crabs and shrimps will eventually succeed where the Cormorants failed, providing more food further down the food chain. 

Well, I got out today, but it was an effort! I felt like I carried a sack of coal to the lighthouse, then two sacks back again! But think I'm on the mend now, so hopefully I'll be more mobile tomorrow (MD).

A day for short range birding!

Overcast with frequent, but largely light showers. A SSE light wind

First this is Kevin's Kittiwake from yesterday, turns out it was an immature bird (now 3rd calendar year).

It was being hassled and pecked at by a gang of juvenile Herring Gulls,
and swam to the harbour edge to avoid them. It didn't appear to make an
effort to fly so I wonder if it was unwell. Kevin

Howard went to check the Pale-bellied Brent geese among the play area rocks. This isn't what today's title refers to. Howards shots are excellent, but from a distance of c500 yards. At first there were only 2 birds feeding, but these had grown to 23 by lunchtime. It's worth opening these as not only are they clear pictures of the birds, but they also show the profusion of gutweed on the rocks.

Unfortunately, the white ringed bird was not with them today, it's proving elusive!

Howard has also received the history of the ringed Oystercatcher he read (see post 26/12/22)

Ringed as a nesting adult 31/05/21 at 04:46 - Iceland, S-Ice, Árn., Selfoss, Svarfhólsvöllur (golf course) 63.9476 North - 20.977 West. 

It was seen several more times in the same area rearing its young and then nesting and rearing again in 2022, till the last record on 10/07/22. Howard's record is the first one away from the golf course, let alone Iceland.

I was (am) full of a cold today and didn't manage to get out (MD). This is what today's title refers to. My only "outing" was as chauffeur to Morrisons. At least the birds there are obliging!

This immature Herring gull wasn't for moving on!

Apart from that, I had to be satisfied with watching the birds feeding in my garden.

Always nice when the Jays pop in

Hopefully I'll manage a proper outing tomorrow.

Some long distance birding!

Very light west breeze in the morning switching to SE in the afternoon. Plenty of sunshine with at least one light shower.

Visibility was great today, Pete scoped into the distance.

Red-Throated diver 2 distant

At least 37 Pale-bellied Brent seen from Knowlys road including at least five flying across the bay from Barrow.  

Flock of 6 Barnacle Geese seen in flight from Knowlys off East Plain - feral? 

SD46A survey abandoned due to off lead dogs simply everywhere including all the beach off Heysham head

Heysham harbour 

Kittiwake 1 adult or (now) 3rd calendar year - ref Kevin

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Janet had her first stroll around with her camera since breaking her ankle. Not a lot about, but as ever, some lovely pictures.

Roe deer 1 

Long-Tailed Tit

This one is looking for invertebrates, but appears to be just enjoying the sun.

Grey Heron

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I had a quick look in the late morning, and caught what was probably the only shower of the day (MD).

Nice to see a Coot back on the main pond

The water level generally is high, but the "no swimming" pond is over a metre higher than normal. The pump or the sensor must have failed. This shot is the same area where I filmed the heron searching the reeds (see post 24/12/22). The reeds now below water.

Just the very tips of the reeds now poking above the surface 

The only dabbling ducks still here were a couple of Gadwall

Tufted Duck 2 male

There were 6 Teal and two more Gadwall on Tim Butler pond

Heysham skear - low water 14:40 (MD)

I didn't bother checking the play area rocks, turned out I didn't need to. As Pete pointed out there were lots of people exercising their dogs today. Only to be expected, a nice sunny Bank Holiday in the middle of winter, The days are so short it concentrates all activities.

The brent probably had been spooked as 32 were resting/feeding near conger rock, there is some gutweed here along the old fish trap stakes. As the tide turned they swam to the SE skear corner before flying back to the play area outer rocks. But they were only there 20 minutes before 39 flew back out, 35 settling on the sea near conger and 4 flying off north.

They swam back to the corner again

I watched them waddle onto the shore in the corner, they all appeared to be adult and none were ringed, even though the white ringed bird was with the group near conger earlier. They all had a drink in the groundwater runoff reaching the corner, then flew back to the play area rocks again. But it was still busy and this flock of 30 flew back and straight over my head. You can clearly hear their "soft" honks as they pass over and continue north.

Another two flew off west

Eider 41

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Female Red-breasted Merganser 

Shag 1 immature (the two options now being 2nd or 3rd calendar year)

Immature Shag, you can't really tell but that's a Brent goose behind the Oystercatcher 

A slow start

A light but freshening south to SW wind. Some sunny periods with the occasional shower.

Pete and Jean managed a quick visit

Pintail 5 south 

Shag 1 on wooden jetty

I just had chance of a short walk after lunch (MD)

Heysham skear - low water 13:35

At 2.7m low water, the tide doesn't go out far, conger rock was barely exposed.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 16 at least - I underestimated the likelihood of them being flushed by walkers from the far rocks, one party was walking along the outer rocks and the only brent visible were 10 on the rocks out from Sandylands groyne, but these quickly flew back when the coast was clear (literally).

Two additional groups of 3 also flew in. After tomorrow, I would expect this area to be less disturbed.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 5 - this one catches a lugworm at the start of the clip, then quickly moves out the Curlew's way.

Three that had been feeding further along the shore lifted these two
All five continued south

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Male Red-breasted Merganser 

Shelduck 3 south

Eider 30+

Female and male Eider resting in the lee of a rock

Brents end the year on a high

Overcast all day, it is a mute point as to when the low cloud/mist turned to fine drizzle. Almost calm in the morning a light east breeze by the afternoon.

South shore (MD)

It wasn't the conditions, both tides and weather, to expect much here this morning, but it was a pleasant walk along the sea wall.

Nothing of note behind the lunchtime ferry.

Shag 1 immature had been feeding on the waterfall before flying out of the harbour - thanks to birder who saw this before I arrived - sorry, I forgot to ask your name!

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female in harbour mouth

Rock Pipit 2 - this is the Red Nab bird taking a bath in the groundwater runoff stream (this clip actually from yesterday but it was present again today)

Kingfisher 1 on Red Nab

A nice splash of colour on a grey day

Pink-Footed goose 130 heading north, high, noon (actually not overly high, but it sounds good!)

Wigeon c150

Shelduck 8

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I've not mentioned here for a while, but I have been making a brief daily check of the main ponds. There has been no new wildfowl to report, just varying numbers of Gadwall, Mallard and Teal plus two Tufted duck. It was nice to see the Goldeneye last week, but we haven't had a Pochard so far this winter.

North shore 

I just went down to check out any brent amongst the rocks out from the play area.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 2

Pale-bellied Brent goose 44. There were lots of people walking their dogs close to the sea wall, but fortunately, this year, there is plenty of gutweed and sea lettuce amongst the furthest rocks. On these neap tides the brent can access this area pretty much all day, with little risk of disturbance. In this clip all 44 can be seen, you can also see the gutweed on the rocks, and hear the dogs barking behind me!

In the above clip the tide is just reaching the outer rocks, this helps the brent to graze the gutweed on the rocks and shore (the gutweed floats in water). But, for the time being at least, they do not need the tide here to feed happily. The pools between the rocks are full of gutweed and sea lettuce. This shot is one of the pools where they are feeding, I took it earlier in the week when there was nothing feeding here.

It doesn't look much to us, but to a Brent goose, this is better than a Christmas dinner!

There is certainly more weed on the outer rocks than in recent years, so a good chance of the brent numbers swelling further.

Well, here we are again, another year over! First, on behalf of the observatory team, I'd like to thank everyone who has provided records, pictures etc this year. All observations are always very welcome, see the contact details on the side bar.

I normally end with "Happy New Year", but somehow, this year, it doesn't seem enough. This is the third year in a row, when I have sat here thinking (hoping), surely next year has to be better than this one! And hopefully next year will be. As individuals we all have good and bad years, and I sincerely hope that you all have as good a one as possible. 

But what I really hope.....is that everyone enjoys a better 2023 

(Malcolm)

More Kits

The fresh SE wind eased by the afternoon and shifted to SW. overcast all day but it remained dry.

Pete checked the lunchtime ferry in again:

35 Kittiwake and two adult Mediterranean gull  behind Ben My Chree entering Heysham port

Also 23  Pale-bellied Brent goose visible from Knowlys road off play area

I'd walked along the south wall to watch the ferry in (MD), but by 12:15 it still wasn't within sight. The cold and hunger pangs were both starting to bite, so I headed for home. Pete confirmed that it arrived late today, I should have checked timing before setting off!

I did manage some nice views of at least one immature  Shag though.

Initially it was resting between the cross bars of the nearest platform to the harbour wall.
Unfortunately only visible at range.

Closer, the platform frame was obscuring most of it, but this clip, still has a charm.

Fortunately the tide was rising above its resting place, and it took to the water.

This clip is a Shag and a Cormorant in the middle of the harbour a little later. I'm not certain, that it is the same Shag.

(Pete confirms that these are indeed two different Immature Shag a 1cy and 2cy)

Mediterranean Gull 1 was resting behind No.2 outflow. This was long before the ferry came in. So it either flew out to meet the ferry or this is an additional bird.

Distant, grainy, shot of Mediterranean gull (left) with BHGs

Rock Pipit 3

Janet's friend, Jimmy, on Slyvan Place, is receiving increasing, and increasingly noisy visits from his fox. This is the time of year when  fox's thoughts turn to "starting a family". Jimmy's old Patterdale Terrier "goes nuts" when she hears the dog fox.