Time to make way for the next generation......

A light SE wind with prolonged heavy showers.

Seawatch report from Pete:

One hourish 1030-1130: 

Dark morph Arctic Skua in Cumbria - flew out then landed.

1 Manx Shearwater in mouth of bay

c7 Sandwich tern, 

2 Mute swan

at least 21 swallow and 2 house martin north  

Heysham skear - low water 08:20 (MD)

It rained throughout this walk

Eider 15

Great Crested Grebe 7

No mergansers seen

Little Egret 5

The gulls feeding on the seed mussels is now in full swing. I didn't count them, but these are less than half of just one of three main feeding groups.

Waders - not many!

Oystercatcher c200 

Ringed Plover 5 on inner skear

Curlew 2

Whimbrel 3

This immature Mute Swan was resting on a distant sand bar

It made me wonder if the breeding pair at Middleton Nature Reserve had displaced their five young from last season, so I checked on the way home.

Sure enough the 5 x 2nd calendar year birds were nowhere to be seen and the two adults were resting on the bank of the main pond. The male was preening, but the female looked like she was covering her new chicks.

She eventually graced me with a glimpse of her new family, but there was no way of counting how many.

Towards high water I checked the south side. Three more 2nd calendar year birds were flying around and appeared to head for the Lune estuary.

But they may have doubled back as there were also three on the north side, out from Half Moon Bay.

It's unlikely that all, if any, of the 2nd calendar year mute seen today were the outcasts from Middleton, presumably similar scenarios have been occurring in several other nesting areas. They will all have to find a suitable habitat not already occupied by mature birds. Not so easy as all the prime sites will already be occupied. 

Also on south side

Whimbrel 1 Red Nab

Linnet 4

Wheatear 1 

Wet look Wheatear

Also on Middleton 

This is the Mallard with 8 chicks

The Coot are still in dispute 

Roe Deer 1 female

Janet had a walk along the south sea wall

Plenty of gulls feeding on No.1 outflow

One of two Rock Pipit above the lighthouse nest site. This one has some small
food items in its bill. Food this size is typical of what they feed newly hatched chicks.

Early morning mist didn't help!

Breathless overnight and a SW breeze in the morning meant that the sea and inshore for a way was covered in mist. It remained overcast till mid afternoon when the sun broke through, then a warm sunny afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan

The weather for ringing this morning was again not ideal with very low misty cloud and an unexpected brisk SW breeze. The misty cloud base was variable and almost down to ground level at times.

Ringing captures:

Sedge Warbler 6 + 1 retrap

Blackcap 1

Lesser Whitethroat 4

Common Whitethroat 1

Cetti's Warbler 2 

Willow Warbler 2

Garden Warbler 1

Song Thrush 1

Wren 1

Unsurprisingly little was seen overhead except for one Swallow flying towards the SW.

A Grey Heron took a Moorhen chick from the newly cleared area in the western reed bed accompanied by much squawking form the adult. It returned later hoping for another but without success.

Heysham skear - low water 07:40 (MD)

Another check on the rising tide, 90 minutes after low water.

Initially there was little chance of seeing anything through the mist, but it did start to lift as the tide came in.

Eider 31 - a few have taken to browsing the seed mussels from the shallow pools. This clip was actually from Saturday, but there were a couple feeding like this today.

Red-breasted Merganser 6

These mergansers flew off as the mist lifted

Great Crested Grebe 6

Little Egret 6

Sandwich Tern - some - there was almost always one calling and one seen on a few occasions, almost certainly more than one, but possibly as few as two.

Not many waders apart from the Oystercatchers:

Curlew 1

Whimbrel 23

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Dunlin 2

Ocean Edge to Red Nab (MD)

Just a quick late morning check

Wheatear 1

Shealduck 11

Litter Egret 4

Little Egret

Courting disaster!

Another dry day with some sunny spells, till the evening rains started. Light SE wind.

A summary of this morning's sightings by the LDBWS event on Heysham Head from Andrew McCafferty:

Not much! But eventually we had one guillemot floating a little bit before flying I guess in an outwards direction (south and away anyway!), and several flocks of scoters which kind of milled around mainly fairly far out. We didn't properly count them, but I'd say probably around 100 in the end.

Apart from that there were a few sandwich terns hanging around as normal, but we didn't spot any Arctics going through. A whimbrel popped up and showed on a nearby rock, and we also had a female wheatear hanging about.

Nice morning out, but nothing earth shattering!

Heysham skear - low water 07:00 (MD)

I went down 90 minutes after low water as the tide was covering the skear. 

Pintail  3 males - came overland from the SE and settled briefly on the sea.

Male Pintail - not common in the recording area

Before continuing their flight NW

Apart from the Oystercatcher there were very few waders, just:

Turnstone 21 - many moulting to summer plumage 

Turnstone moving to summer plumage 

Dunlin 3

Redshank just a solitary bird.

Redshank with only feathers for company

This is what today's title refers to. The Sandwich Terns were feeding, in fact the females were being fed. The males were bringing them fish (whitebait). The females waited on rocks for their beau to return with his love offering to reinforce their bond. 

This male got it wrong (or he was chancing his wing) and went to the "wrong" female to begin with. She saw him off, he then went to his waiting mate. She took the fish then gave him a severe scolding.......not the desired reaction.

Next time he didn't wait for a reaction 

Before finally getting it right!

Should be plenty to entertain for tomorrow's LDBWS seawatch event.

The very strong east wind eased before midnight. A light east wind in the morning gradually moved to NW. light showers early on but after that mainly dry with some sunshine.

The Heysham Bird Observatory annual report is now available - see image on sidebar. This is an excellent report, not just for the records (birds, butterflies, moths, dragonflies and mammals) but it also provides a summary of when to expect to see each bird species, and also some very interesting results from ringing and ring reading in the field. Contact Alan if you would like a copy (£4 collect or £5 post). Plus I will keep copies in my car if you see me out and about (Malcolm)

First some images from Kevin Singleton of his sightings on Heysham Head yesterday 

Male Linnet

Rock Pipit

Whimbrel 

Seawatch report from Pete:

Arctic tern 19 - 12 plus 6 plus 1 out

Sandwich Tern 25-30 outbound

Arctic Skua 1 light morph in low then climbing high 0840

Gannet 1

Common Scoter 6 plus 2 

Canada goose 1 

c20 swallow

Knot 25 non breeding plumage out

I had a walk along the north shore waterline on the rising tide (MD)

I started near the skear corner

Eider 10 on sea plus 2 out

Great Crested grebe 8 - these are 7 of them

Shelduck 4+2 out

Presumably this is the same Canada goose as seen by Pete

The hirundines became more frequent during the morning.

Swallow 42

House Martin 1

Grey Seal at least 2, probably 3 possibly more.

It's hard making an accurate count of the Sandwich Tern, some were feeding some resting others moving through. 14 was the most I could account for at any one time.

Sandwich Tern

Everything so far in today's post would have been visible from the location of the LDBWS event on Heysham Head tomorrow morning. This last clip of 7 resting (and canoodling) Sandwich Terns was actually taken from the stone graves on Heysham Head.

Tomorrow's event is open to none LDBWS members

https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/meeting/sat-6th-may-07-30-ldbws-field-meeting-heysham-head-morning-migrants/

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

The nesting Mute Swans on the "no swimming" pond now have at least 6 cygnets 

Looks like this Robin also has a family

The frogs have also had a successful breeding season, the "no swimming" pond is full of tadpoles! 

Roebuck

Skuas still coming through and first Sanderling and Swift

The east wind freshened all day, ending up very strong by evening. Rain held off till late evening.

Seawatch report from Jean:

This morning's seawatch was disappointing. The easterly wind didn't result in the anticipated Arctic Terns, just Sandwich Terns again and one highlight in the form of a light morph Arctic Skua:

North Harbour Wall 0725-1000

Arctic Skua 1 in at 0815

Sandwich Tern 36 (all but 2 heading out of the Bay and 3 on the yellow buoy)

Sanderling 30 in (first record this year)

Common Scoter 15 in

Whimbrel 2 heading towards Red Nab

Red-breasted Merganser 2 prs floating in, the males displaying like mad

Swallow 11 

Linnet 3

Harbour porpoise 4

Rock Pipit displaying in the caged off area of the north wall

All this against a backdrop of noisily mating Lesser Black-back and Herring Gulls on the rooves of the Centrica and Petersen buildings. 

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide (MD)

Saltmarsh:

Wheatear 2

Linnet 4

Whimbrel 2

Along rising waterline:

Shelduck 28

Oystercatcher c200

Curlew 14

Bar-Tailed Godwit 61, several in summer plumage.

Knot 2

Dunlin 7 in summer plumage 

This clip begins with the two Knot arriving, then some of the Godwits.

On these tides I just stand my ground and the tide brings the birds towards you. These are three of the Dunlin surrounded by Godwits, they eventually decide they are out of their depth. One of the godwits manages to grab the detachable tip of a lugworm tail.

Dunlin and a summer plumage male Bar-Tailed Godwit

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Inshore mud

Ringed Plover 12

Dunlin 93 (carefully counted, disappointingly added up to exactly 100 with the water's edge birds)

They were all feeding together, these are some of them.

One of four Little Egret on Red Nab - Janet

This 2nd calendar year Kittiwake, on their pipe in the harbour,
looks a bit bedraggled - Janet

It's Alder Leaf Beetle time again. There were 8 along the South harbour wall
Kevin Eaves

Heysham Head - Kevin Singleton 

Two displaying Rock Pipits

male and female Eider 

5 whimbrel 

2 little egret

male and female Wheatear 

Linnets too many to even guess 

I had a quick look on the skear this evening (MD). Birds (and seal) pretty much as yesterday. The east wind was very strong by this time, but there was a steady passage of 17 Swallow, being blown around like confetti as they struggled to get inshore.

Swift 1 flew over my house as I got home.(first record this year)

Plenty going on and lots of Sandwich going out!

A SE wind freshened slightly during the day. Plenty of sunshine.

Seawatch report from Jean:

Full list of what was seen on the seawatch from the North Harbour Wall from 0725 - 1000:

Pink-footed Goose 194 SW / out
Red-throated Diver 2 in, 1 out
Gannet 7 out, 2 in
Common Scoter 18 out
Guillemot 3 in 4 out
Sandwich Tern 163 out
Shelduck 12 out
Red-breasted Merganser 2 in
Bar-tailed Godwit 2 out
Little Egret 1 out
Eider 7 out

Swallow 121 N
Linnet 3 N
Carrion Crow 1 N

Can anyone cover the Heysham morning seawatching slot on Friday please? 7.30-9.30ish should be fine or even just an hour.  Thanks

I had a walk along the south shore late morning (MD)

Kittiwake 2 x 2nd calendar year on their pipe in the harbour.

No Turnstone today on the jetty.

Whimbrel 1 on Red Nab

Dunlin 1 summer plumage bird on Red Nab. It took ages to get a clear enough view to confirm species. Even then only a brief view.

Wheatear 8

Linnet 8 - this male was singing his heart out, unfortunately it is largely drowned out by the wind.

Janet checked Middleton Nature Reserve 

Common Sandpiper 

Little Grebe (dab chick)

Shelduck 

Grey Heron

Two clutches of Mallard chicks

Then Heysham Nature Reserve 

Female Speckled Wood

Male Orange Tip

Female Orange Tip

Nice healthy looking Rabit

Frog tadpoles

Water snail crawling and feeding under the water surface film

Heysham skear - low water 17:45 (MD)

Eider 52 (mainly males)

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Great Crested Grebe 6

Little Egret 5

Oystercatcher c1500

Curlew 2

Whimbrel 7 - this one thinks it has found a crab, and flies off to this quieter spot to eat it in peace. But it is just the shed external skeleton of a Hermit Crab. It is quickly discarded.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 37 feeding on sandbar on north side (none in summer plumage)

Turnstone 26 (24 in one flock)

Dunlin 15 in a distant flock

Swallow 9 in ones and twos

House Martin 2 together 

This seal has a flatfish, they are messy eaters and the gulls remain close.

Another good seawatch........and an opportunity to participate!

A light SE wind in the morning, becoming lighter and more varied after lunch. Largely overcast but dry.

Early check from Stone Jetty - Nick Godden

Just a short visit 6.25-7.20

Common scoter 11
Arctic tern 67 in one flock
Sandwich tern c. 40
Arctic skua 1 dark morph in

Seawatch report from Pete:

Heysham sea totals 0725-1015 intermittent: 

46 outbound sandwich tern, 

c50 Common scoter, 

5 Red Throated Diver - including a flock of 3 2cy

9 Manx Shearwater - including a flock of 7

2 Gannet

2 dark morph Arctic Skua - flying out distantly and landed out of sight on the sea and presumably floated in (possibly one of these the one seen by Nick)

8 Guillemot, 

3 Canada goose, 

35 swallow, 

65 ringed plover high to north.  

This Saturday there is an opportunity to join in with a LDBWS seawatch from Heysham Head. With expert guides. Open to non LDBWS members - see link below.

https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/meeting/sat-6th-may-07-30-ldbws-field-meeting-heysham-head-morning-migrants/

I had a walk along the south shore 08:30 - 10:00 (MD)

Linnet 8

Wheatear 20 at least - I saw 11 on Ocean Edge grass/foreshore - but they must have been moving through quickly today, when Jean checked at 11:00 there was only 1, but at 14:45 there were another 10 seen by Kevin.

Male Wheatear

Rock Pipit 4 - 1 on Red Nab plus 3 bickering around the lighthouse 

Whimbrel 2 - both feeding along the wrack line, this one at the base of the foreshore rocks.

and this one along the base of the sloping sea wall

Shelduck 11 resting on mud

No sign of any Kittiwake today

Turnstone c100 roosting on wooden jetty

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Ringing at Middleton today 05.30 to 10.45. Good conditions this morning with light SE'ish wind although fairly heavy cloud cover all round.

Blackbird 2

Sedge Warbler 7

Common Whitethroat 2

Lesser Whitethroat 6 + 1 retrap

Garden Warbler 2

Willow Warbler 3 retraps

Lesser Redpoll 2

Blackcap 2

Great Tit 1

Greenfinch 1

Chiffchaff 1

Wren 1

Long-tailed Tit1

Dunnock 1

Tree Pipit 1

Blue tit 1 retrap

Extended seawatch pays dividends

A light west wind freshened in the afternoon. Mainly sunny after an overcast start.

Report from Pete Crooks:

A 5 hour sea-watch (7.15 am – 12.15 pm) – I hadn’t expected to stay that long, but every time I thought about going something would appear to maintain my interest.

7 Arctic Skua – 1 dark morph flew out at 7.21 am.
– 1 dark morph flew in, landed on the sea beyond the two buoys and floated in from 8.15 am.
– 1 light morph flew in, gaining height at 8.32 am.
– 2 dark morph flew in together, relatively close inshore and flew off over Heysham Head at 10.27 am. Presumably the same 2 dark morph then flew back from the direction of Heysham Head at 10.43 am, landed on the sea near the two buoys and gradually flew short distances / floated out on the ebbing tide.
– 2 (1 dark morph and 1 light morph) flew in together and continued past Heysham Head at 11.38 am.

2 Velvet Scoter – flew in at 8.27 am – seen while trying to keep track of the morning’s second Arctic Skua as it floated in.

480 Common Scoter – mostly flying out between 7.15 and 10.00 am, including groups of 25, 100, 89, 35, 40 and several groups of 10-20.

100+ Kittiwake – groups of 3, 38 and 35 flew into the Bay, while a group of c.100 flew out at 11.54 am. This latter group probably included an earlier very distant group of c.40 flying part way out then landing on the sea.

20 Arctic Tern – groups of 3, 15 and 2 flying in

Gannet – 2 flew across the mouth of the Bay
Manx Shearwater – 3 flew across the mouth of the Bay at 11.25 am, during a brief deterioration in visibility
Guillemot – 2 floated in separately, but no auks seen in flight
Red-throated Diver – 1 flew in, 3 flew out
Sandwich Tern – 9 regularly flying back and forth closer inshore than most of the other species
Gadwall – 4 flew in at 9.15 am – a Heysham sea-watch first for me!
House Martin – 3 flew in over the sea – the morning’s only hirundines.
Whimbrel – 2 flew in
Rock Pipit – 1 along the sea-wall
Grey Seal – 1 offshore

Pete C (with Tom Walkington from 9.30 am onwards)

I had a walk along the south shore towards 09:30 high water (MD)

Some of the adult Kittiwake flying in. A 2nd calendar year was on their pipe in the harbour

Carrion Crow 15 flew in off at Ocean edge.

Some of the Carrion Crows coming in off the sea

Wheatear 14 (11 along foreshore plus 3 near lighthouse)

Linnet 15

Rock Pipit 4 (1 on Red Nab, 3 between lighthouse and waterfall).

Dunnock -  It was singing near the waterfall, not far from where a pair of Linnet are nesting, this is a new bird here this spring.

Shelduck 2

Bar-Tailed Godwit 27 near Red Nab

Curlew 11 out

Whimbrel 3 out

Whimbrel 

Shag 1 x 2nd calendar year. This clip shows it flying to its roost on the wooden jetty. But it came to rest somewhere out of sight, not where I normally see Shag resting on the jetty (the clip ends at an empty section of jetty where I was expecting it to land).

2nd calendar year Shag

Heysham Nature Reserve

Janet has got her camera back

The Common Scoter had moved on from Middleton this morning.

Heysham skear - low water 16:25 (MD)

There was very little on the sea and nothing passing over.

Eider c40

Great Crested Grebe 2

Even less variety of waders, just:

Oystercatcher c2,500

Whimbrel 23

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

There were lots of Herring gulls. There were 600+ feeding on the seed mussels plus others waiting on the sea. This is a typical scene.

I noticed something this evening, which is probably contributing to the spread of the Honeycomb worm beds. The gulls were choosing to browse on the seed mussels that were forming on top of of the honeycomb worm beds. The mussels will be easier to dislodge from the sand based substrate. Left untouched the mussels would almost certainly regain the areas currently occupied by the honeycomb worms, they may still, but the gulls are favouring the growth of the honeycomb worm beds.

Tight packed seed mussels forming on the skear bottom, where the gulls are not currently feeding