Easy pickings and another Osprey

Sunshine with heavy showers, particularly in the morning. A west wind.

South Shore (MD)

I walked along the foreshore and sea wall in the morning.

Wheatear 2

A particularly rufous 1st winter Wheatear

Rock Pipit 2 - foreshore and Red Nab

Linnet 5 - foreshore 3 lighthouse 2

The forecast was for light rain showers. I suppose by volume of water over the day the rain was "light". I'd set off in bright sunshine and waterproof leggings were a last minute decision. A good one! I could see the rain approaching while I was on the foreshore. Foreboding weather conditions rarely look so when photographed, but this is a reasonable representation.

I was walking towards the weather, and the weather was heading towards me.....
.....we met half way along the wall. There is no definition of "light" that would describe the subsequent rain!

Fortunately it was easing as I reached the end of the wall. The beach by the jetty was just becoming exposed by the tide. Only 6 Mediterranean gulls turned up, along with Black-Headed Gulls, Little Egret, Curlew and Redshank. All were catching Sandmason worms, although I didn't actually see the Egret catch any.  This compilation shows the differing techniques, I did feel that the Curlew was "cheating" a little.

Robin 1 grounded by lighthouse

I returned early evening towards high water

Mediterranean gulls 15 adult on Red Nab including one white ringed bird.

Curlew c300 on the south shore

Whimbrel 1 flew from Red Nab

Oystercatcher c500

Redshank 120 on Red Nab

Turnstone 4 on Red Nab

Knot 20 on tideline 

Dunlin 60 on tideline

Lapwing 4 on saltmarsh 

Sanderling 1 feeding amongst the Oystercatcher on the tideline, but only briefly 

Sandwich Tern 1 resting with c200 Black-Headed Gulls just south of the saltmarsh 

Sandwich Tern

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

I called in on my way home mid morning, the heavy shower had eased a while earlier, but the rain had only just stopped and the clouds were clearing.

Osprey 1 - it flew north over the main pond and was obviously checking for any fish. But the gulls were agitated and it continued north

Osprey, checking out the main pond

Main Pond

Tufted duck 1 (the odd) female

Coot 8 only 2 obviously immature 

Only 1 Moorhen on "no swimming" pond.

By this time the sun was out and the insects were just beginning to move

Common Darter 1 male

Common Blue Damselfly 1 male

Common Blue Damselfly

Common Emerald Damselfly 

Common Emerald Damselfly

Pete Crooks had a stroll around the village in the afternoon.

2 Greenshank flew south over Heysham Village (first of the autumn - they are not common here)

1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Small Copper at St Peters Church

1 Painted Lady on the footpath between Knowleys Road and Heysham Village Bay. 

Out with the (not so very) old and in with the new.

A light SW wind. An early shower then dry with plenty of sunshine

Just my stuff so far (MD)

South shore

I had planned to go along the wall early to watch the beach by the jetty become exposed. But something happened (or more honestly, something didn't happen, I didn't get out of bed!). So I went down just after lunch to watch it being covered. I didn't hang around it was deserted except for:

Mediterranean gull 1 adult. I'll try and get down early in the morning to see if the Meds are feeding in numbers.

Rock Pipit 2 one on Red Nab plus one flew quite high to the south over the roundhead.

This is what today's title refers to. As from 17th August the new ferry the Manxman took over the regular Isle of Man service from Ben-My-Chree. The Ben only began service in 1998, ok last century, but not a long time for a ship. Today the Ben was heading out, to Douglas, as the Manxman was coming in.

The old ferry, Ben-My-Chree on its way out,
as the the new ferry, Manxman comes in

Nature Park 

Jay 1

Red Admiral 2

Large White 1

Small White 3

Speckled Wood 3

Male Small White and a splash of Autumn colour!

Just out of the recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Jay 1

Red Admiral 2

Large White 3

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 4

Most of the butterflies were around the reserve edges. On the raised peat moss itself there were hardly any but Silver Y moth were constantly lifting as I walked across the moss

Dragonflies 

Common Darter lots mainly male 

Brown Hawker 2

Brown Hawker and Common Darter

But I'd really gone to see if there were any Black Darters around. The first dragonfly I saw on the raised moss was a male. I couldn't get a very good picture of it but I reasoned (reasonably), that if there is one straight away there will surely be others. There wasn't! I walked all over the moss there were lots of pools which on previous years would likely be a territory, but not today.

The going wasn't easy over the moss, it is crisscrossed with sink holes filled with water.
In theory ideal for Black Darters but not today

I couldn't even relocate the one I saw when I first arrived, so I was left with a less than satisfactory shot, although it does capture key identification features.

Male Black Darter

Pelican update (see post 19/08/23). They've caught it!

The bird was found in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, about 65 miles from its home at Blackpool Zoo.

The Eastern white pelican has Been missing since the 4th August

Picture courtesy of BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-66608150

Med numbers increasing again

A light SW wind. Dry with sunny spells till early evening, when rain set in.

South Shore

Mediterranean gulls 22 minimum - Pete saw 14 between Red Nab and outflows on the ebbing tide. These included a distant 2nd calendar year with a dark ring with possible yellow characters. Also 2 juvenile.

I went down a little later (MD). By that time there were no small gulls on Red Nab, but there were 2 juvenile Meds feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow, plus 20 resting and occasionally feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty. These included at least one 2nd calendar year and the green ringed German adult, plus a white ringed adult.

This is the green ringed adult. The clip shows the current high density of sandmason worm tubes, which presumably alerts the Meds to their likely availability.

Most of the Meds were just resting/preening, presumably already eaten their fill
2nd calendar year, now in 2nd winter plumage left
White ringed adult top right

I returned to check Red Nab as the tide was reaching it, again at least 20 Meds with no juveniles seen. There were three previously read white ringed birds plus the green German bird again. Unfortunately I couldn't find the dark ringed bird, but it could well have been there, most of the time, most of the legs were obscured. 

This one was an exception, stood on the mud and providing easy views of its ring

This clip is from this morning, I'd walked along the shore rather than the sea wall. It shows the gulls feeding on No.2 outflow. The smaller Black-Headed gulls hovering and diving, while most of the young large gulls preferring to wait until something is passing before diving. You might want to turn the volume down on this one, I was right behind the water outlet.

No Rock Pipits seen or heard, although the foreshore wasn't checked.

Wheatear 1 near wooden jetty.

Wheatear

Waders:

Curlew - must have been 300+ flew past to the south shore.

Whimbrel 1 flew south from Red Nab in the afternoon 

Oystercatcher 600+

Redshank 100+

Turnstone 4

Nature Park 

Jay 2

Migrant Hawker 1 - glimpses seen over the past week but this was the first one to be able to identify with confidence. Unfortunately it refused to settle.

Common Darter 3

Male Common Darter

Red Admiral 2

Large White 1

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 4

Gatekeeper 2 (looking worn)

Common Blue 1

Not a lot again

A fresh SW wind. Dry all day with some sunshine.

Heysham skear - low water 10:00 (MD)

Great Crested Grebe - just one seen but the sea was quite choppy.

Eider 20 in small groups of female/immature birds

Little Egret 13 - there are 10 in this clip.

Common Tern 1 resting on a sandbar on the rising tide.

Common Tern with a metal ring

It flew further up the sandbar when flushed by the tide

Waders:

Oystercatcher c500

Curlew c100

Redshank c80

Turnstone only c20

Knot 2

Knot and Oystercatcher 

Ringed Plover 3 - the plover were on the inner skear where they normally feed. But the inner skear isn't as it normally is. It is normally small stones, broken shells and patches of mud. This year it has an healthy covering of mussels. Not sure they are to the Ringed Plover's liking though.

Ringed Plover on a terrain that they do not usually choose to feed.

South shore (PM)

Mediterranean gulls 14 Red Nab/outflows, including 2 juvenile 

An old link on the sidebar "magic seaweed" is no longer active, so it has been replaced with "Heysham Surf report". It is an excellent guide to tide times and heights plus the sea conditions. Worth a look.

Distant Osprey was a bonus

A fresh south wind drifting to SW. a heavy shower after lunch but otherwise dry with a bit of late afternoon sunshine.

South Shore

Janet had a walk along the wall just after lunch and before the worst of the rain.

This young Black-Headed gull had to walk on water...

.......to collect its fish

Little Egret on Red Nab

Turnstone and Redshank on No.1 outflow

I checked from Red Nab to the shore out from the saltmarsh, till rain stopped play! (MD)

Mediterranean gull 8 adult on Red Nab. Just one white darvic ringed bird which has been with us all summer.

Mediterranean and Black-Headed gulls on Red Nab

Osprey 1 flying south (also seen from Cockersands). It was very distant, this shot and clip are very heavily zoomed in.

Osprey

The Osprey is directly below Piel Castle at the beginning of this clip.

I tracked the Osprey for over 3 minutes and it wasn't once challenged by any gulls or other birds.

And that's it really. The only waders were Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and a couple of Lapwing. I don't think the lack of other waders was down to the Osprey which had passed a while earlier.

No Wheatear  or Rock Pipit either.

Pelican update - It was seen today over Denton Moor, to the NE of Ilkley (see post 19/08/23)

A lazy Sunday

A heavy early morning shower then dry with plenty of sunshine. A steady south wind.

Today's title refers both to the wildlife and myself (MD). We both seemed to be on a go slow.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

A early check just after the shower confirmed that the Pelican had moved on, and unsurprisingly the Coot were back on show (4 adult and 4 young). What was surprising was that the odd looking female Tufted Duck was also back. Whatever bird the Pelican ate yesterday wasn't this one. These shots and clip are actually from this afternoon when I stopped by in passing.

Coot and female Tufted

Pete has checked out these shots and is satisfied the duck is definitely just within the range of pure Tufted Duck

Back to this morning

There was a male and a female Tufted Duck, lazing on the "no swimming" pond.

Male and female Tufted

Till the female got buzzed!

Fortunately, for the Tufted at least, it wasn't a Pelican today, just a Gadwall coming in to land.

Gadwall coming in to land

I had planned to check the skear at low water, but my legs didn't want to know! So I went home and just had a lazy walk from Red Nab to saltmarsh after lunch at high water.

Linnet 10

Wheatear 2 

Rock Pipit 2 - these were on the rocky outcrop to the south of the saltmarsh. This one had a Sea Slater and was calling for the other. It was clearly willing to pass it over. But the second bird didn't bother so it ate it itself.

Swallow 2 south, but not before picking off some of the flies between the pebbles.

In the Nature Park 

Red Admiral 2

Brimstone 1 male

Small White 1

Speckled Wood several

Gatekeeper 2

A wonderful bird is the Pelican..........

A mainly dry day apart from an early shower and a heavy downpour around lunchtime. Quite a fresh south to SW wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

White Pelican 1 juvenile (escapee from Blackpool zoo - the zoo was notified). Not certain who was the first to spot it, but Dan Haywood put it out and Dian Smith reported it on LDBWS. It was around all day although by evening it was seen to fly to the south before returning.

It was close to the feeding area when I checked this morning (MD)

The male mute normally delights in seeing off any intruders, but he needed a bit of moral support today!

The Pelican was seen catching and eating a female Tufted Duck. The regular Coot and Mallard were conspicuous by their absence......and who could blame them!

In the evening Janet arrived just in time to see it fly off to the south, but then return to the main pond.

There was also a male Tufted Duck and female Gadwall on the "no swimming" pond.

South shore (MD)

I went down at lunchtime to check Red Nab and the shoreline, unfortunately the heavens opened!

Mediterranean gulls 3 adult plus 1 x 2nd calendar year.

Common Sandpiper 1

Only Oystercatcher and Curlew seen along the waterline

Wheatear 1

Rock Pipit 2

Jay 1 in Nature Park 

Buzzard 1 calling fro trees along the dog walk path.

I had a more pleasant stroll along the wall in the evening sunshine 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult patrolling the wall

Oystercatcher 300+ 

Curlew c150 in small groups flying to north side

Whimbrel 2 at least also flying to north

Redshank 75

Turnstone 4

Nature Park 

Common Darter male and female seen

Red Admiral 4

Speckled Wood 6

Gatekeeper 3

Common Blue 1 male

Worn and frayed Common Blue

This young rabbit didn't have, what should be natural, preservation instincts........

........so I chased it off........for its own good of course

Just out of the recording area - Potts Corner

Curlew Sandpiper in partial summer plumage 

Another regular returns

The east wind freshened all day. Overcast, but the rain managed to hold off.

South Shore 

Red Nab and foreshore - A check towards high water (PM, MD)

Mediterranean Gulls 10 on Red Nab and outflow area. Including 2 juvenile. There were three darvic ringed birds, a 2cy with a dark ring (which was too distant to read) a white ringed adult (previously read) and a new for this year yellow ringed adult.

Ringed as a nestling in 2019 in Germany. It was seen at Heysham later in 2019 and again
in 2022 (probably 2020 and 2021 as well, as yellow ringed bird was seen those years, but not read).
In 2021it was seen on breeding grounds in the Czech Republic.
 The only other sighting since here last July was in Fishguard, Wales last November 

Wheatear 2 including 1 juvenile 

Rock Pipit 2

I had a walk out to the tideline (MD). Unfortunately, unlike yesterday it was bereft of waders except for large numbers of Oystercatcher. 1,730 counted in the main resting group plus several smaller groups feeding. This is a quick view of most of the main group, it also provides views of the offshore wind farm Piel Castle and Barrow docks.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 4 - were the only other waders on the waterline.

Two of the three feeding Bar-Tailed Godwits

The fourth bird was a bit further away and was trying to rest, until disturbed by the Oystercatcher. It had a comparatively short bill.

It quickly caught up with the other three when it was time to leave.

This young Great Black-Backed gull was looking sorry for itself,
complete with constantly dripping bill!

Jean checked the north side

Great Crested Grebe 6 in the low tide channel

Little Egret 11 feeding on the skear

Not a lot happening today

A freshening east wind. Dry all day with some sunshine.

Heysham skear - low water 07:30 (MD)

Very little on the sea:

Eider 7

Great Crested Grebe 4

Little Egret 13

Oystercatcher c250

Curlew c100

Redshank c100

Turnstone c60

Ringed Plover 3

Red Nab to saltmarsh (MD)

Mediterranean gull 1 - just the metal ringed adult on Red Nab

Greenfinch 1 on Red Nab

Greenfinch, clearly been eating red fruit/berries

Swallow 1 south

Rock Pipit 1 foreshore

Wheatear 3 including 1 juvenile 

Juvenile Wheatear

Female/1st winter Wheatear

This one rested on the shore before continuing south

There were plenty of waders feeding along the waterline. I didn't have time to go out for a close look, but managed a count from the foreshore:

Bar-Tailed Godwit 26

Grey Plover 145

Knot 61

Dunlin 210

Plus Oystercatcher and Curlew

These are some shots from Janet taken on Middleton yesterday:

Common Darter were the only dragonflies seen

Speckled Wood

Silver Y moth.     Not certain what's happening here,
but it does appear to be emerging from its pupa. (MD)

Hoverfly (Helophilius pendulus?)

Distant Skua tops the bill

A very light variable north breeze early on freshened and settled to NW. sunshine for most of the day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

John and I set nets at Middleton this morning. Conditions were fair although the sky cleared much earlier than forecast leaving the centre net on the east side in full sun almost from the start.

Wren 2

Robin 2

Reed Warbler 1

Lesser Whitethroat 6 ( one an adult)

Whitethroat 1 + 1 retrap (adult)

Garden Warbler 2

Blackcap 3

Willow Warbler 1

Blue Tit 1

Jay 1

Janet had a quick look 

Swallow bathing on the wing

Common Toad

I did a quick check of the two main ponds (MD)

Mute Swan 2 adult 8 cygnets 

Coot 3 adult and 3 young

Moorhen 2 adult and 1 young

Immature Moorhen

Mallard 6 female/immature 

Gadwall 1 female/immature 

Tufted duck 2 - male on the "no swimming" pond and the odd looking female on the main pond. This clip provides 360° views of the female. The soft piping calls are the cygnets preening.

Grey Heron resting with a Jay flying past just below it

Report from Pete:

Arctic Skua 1 dark morph miles offshore towards pylon chasing half a dozen feeding Sandwich Terns

Three other Sandwich Tern out

Mediterranean Gulls 7 - 5 on north side and just 2 around outfalls area.

Great Crested Grebe 8 in low tide channel 

Shelduck 12 north

Tree Sparrow 1 Heysham Nature Reserve 

I just had a short walk to No.2 outflow and back (MD)

Rock Pipit 3  - 1 on Red Nab and 2 feeding on the superstructure of the outflow. This is one of them.

This shot is one of Janets of the Dunlin yesterday. One of these is colour ringed, unfortunately not enough visible to identify it.

Colour ringed Dunlin