An interesting variety

Sunny all day after a light overnight frost. A light west breeze developed from late morning.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

A real variety of birds caught at Middleton NR this morning, 32 new birds and just 3 retraps

New birds

Goldcrest 6

Chiffchaff 6 - several long-winged birds likely to be Scandinavian in origin

Coal Tit 4

Long-tailed Tit 3

Lesser Redpoll 2

Robin 2

Song Thrush 2 - British birds not olive coloured Scandinavian birds

Blue Tit 2

Great Tit 2

Reed Bunting 1

Cetti's Warbler 1 - yet another Cetti's! That's the 7th this autumn at Middleton

Wren 1

Retraps

A 4 year old Wren

A 5 year old Long-tailed Tit

and a recent Long-tailed Tit

All the retraps had been caught at Middleton before so are likely to be resident there.

A bit of visible migration was visible:

Fieldfare 8

Redwing 9

Whooper Swan flocks of 3 and 7

Carrion Crow 11

Jackdaw 13

Grey Wagtail 1 (may be wintering in the wastewater treatment works)

Observers: Jean, Pete, Simon and Claire

I just managed a later morning check (MD). In addition to yesterday's wildfowl there were :

Gadwall 25 on the "no swimming" pond.

Male Gadwall

This pair provided a nice display.

This clip begins with two immature Moorhen a Coot and a male Gadwall.

The Moorhen were also feeding up the banking.

There were corvids in the air and calling at all times. Carrion Crow at least 9, Jackdaw at least 10 and 4 Magpies. But they seemed just to be the resident birds arguing over territory and perhaps deterring any passing corvids from settling. 

There was still some definite Jackdaw movement south. One high group of 5 and this flock of 19, so 37 south today.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Sparrowhawk 1 being harried by a Carrion Crow. You can just hear a Cetti's singing in the background.

One of two male Common Darters

Ducking between the showers (literally)

After overnight rain it was a sunny morning, but with a very cold WNW wind. Heavy showers began again just before lunch.

Just my stuff so far, and I didn't have a lot of time today (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 09:00

Saltmarsh:

Linnet 93

Some of the Linnet descending onto the saltmarsh

Goldfinch 6

Reed Bunting 2

Robin 2 - this one wondering why its picture isn't on the "birds to see" notice

Red Nab

Mediterranean gull 2 

Adult Mediterranean gull flying in to Red Nab

2nd calendar year and an adult Mediterranean gull

Wigeon 36

A bit unusual to see a lone Wigeon stood on the mud

More typical were these making their way along the channel next to No.2 outflow, heading to Red Nab on the rising tide.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I managed a quick circuit between the afternoon showers.

Mute pair plus 7 large cygnets 

Coot 10

Moorhen 4

Mallard 12

No other wildfowl seen.

No warblers seen or heard either

This Grey Wagtail was clearly finding plenty to eat in the rainwater puddles.

Migrant Hawker 1

Plenty of crests in the morning.

The overnight rain stopped around 09:30, with just a couple of later showers. The sun came out mid afternoon. A fresh, and freshening WNW wind.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

A check after the  morning rain by Pete:

Goldcrest 7 at least

Treecreeper 1

South shore (MD)

Just two very quick checks, one in the morning at high water and one mid afternoon.

Mediterranean gull 2 adult feeding on No.2 outflow in the afternoon 

Wigeon 33 - these are some coming in to feed at the saltmarsh at high water.

Wigeon at Red Nab

Rock Pipits 3

On saltmarsh 

Linnet 5

Goldfinch 4

Greenfinch 2

Male Greenfinch

Skylark 1 (on saltmarsh not passing over)

Reed Bunting 1

Reed Bunting 

There were a few insects in the Nature Park this afternoon.

Speckled Wood

Red Admiral 

Common Darter 1 male and these 2 aged females

The female at the bottom has a fly, perhaps not one to watch if you were thinking of having a current pasty!

Goldcrest 1

On the way back in the afternoon I stopped off at Heysham Nature Reserve. Unfortunately all the small stuff had either moved on or I just didn't see any. But I did see these fine toadstools.

I think they are mature Panther Cap - Amanita pantherina (do not eat!)
but happy to be corrected if someone knows otherwise (MD)

Loads of Chiffchaffs, and big Jackdaw movement

A lovely autumn day. A cool night followed by a warm sunny day with a light and variable breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Another busy ringing session at Heysham NR with 84 birds caught - 74 new and 10 retraps

New birds:

Greenfinch 21

Blue Tit 9

Chiffchaff 8 - John caught 16 at Middleton NR so in total 24 were caught today. It's certainly a day record this year but not sure about previous years. On those numbers we should have had a Yellow-browed Warbler but it wasn't to be today, maybe at the weekend??

Goldfinch 7

Goldcrest 6

Chaffinch 6

Robin 4

Great Tit 3

Dunnock 3

Wren 2

Coal Tit 2

Long-tailed Tit 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Retraps

Dunnock 3 - two recent ones and one which was caught over last winter and last seen on 8 April then reappeared on 7 September for this winter.

Long-tailed Tit 2 - one of which hadn't been caught since February

Goldcrest 1 (recent)

Robin 1 (recent)

Great Tit 1 (recent)

Blue Tit 1 (recent)

Goldfinch 1 - last caught in March

Visible migration

Jackdaw - flock of 175 south and flock of 24 south - both flocks in addition to those seen at Ocean Edge

Pink-footed Goose - 280 north, 90 south

Pied Wagtail - 2

Linnet - 1

Chaffinch - 14

Skylark - 1 late morning

Other

Raven and Peregrine were slugging it out over one of the pylons. The Raven (possibly 2) only appeared in the last few days and is encroaching on the eastern edge of the Peregrine's territory so the latter was very vocal. The pylon in question is also in a Carrion Crow territory so they were cawing loudly as well!

A Cetti's Warbler sang briefly in the tank farm.

South Shore (MD)

I had a walk out on the shore beyond the saltmarsh on the morning rising tide.

Whooper Swan - a single bird flew south almost as soon as I reached the shore. I started a tally sheet, and the final tally was........one!

Whooper Swan

The only other swan seen was this Mute feeding on the saltmarsh towards high water

Pink-Footed Goose 150 south in two skeins

Shelduck 16 on the sea

Wigeon 25 around Red Nab

Waders:

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 20

Bar-Tailed Godwit 110

Lapwing 51 on the saltmarsh 

Grey Plover 15

Redshank 40

Knot 1,000

Turnstone 4 

Dunlin 500

Ringed Plover 23

These are most of the Godwits plus a few Grey Plover

Redshank rarely get a show, these are some chasing in the tide and obviously finding plenty to eat. Meanwhile the Black-Headed Gulls and Knot (end of clip) look less than impressed!

Jackdaw 108 in one flock south. These are just some of them. So, total today 307.

Linnet 10 on saltmarsh 

Greenfinch 6 on saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 1 on saltmarsh - this is a bit of a different viewing angle.

Wheatear 2 (foreshore and Red Nab)

Wheatear

Red Admiral 2 south

Heysham skear low water 17:40 (MD)

A very pleasant evening stroll, but nothing new to see.

Eider 4

Great Crested Grebe 5

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Little Egret 21

Grey Heron 1

Oystercatcher c1,000

Curlew 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 6 - in SE muddy corner

Redshank 30

Turnstone 15 (inner skear not checked.

Knot c2,000 - no rings seen

Whoopers start moving through

A steady west wind. Overnight rain stopped by 09:30, then mainly dry but overcast.

South Shore (MD)

Little gull 1 first calendar year on No.2 outflow at 10:30 high waater. Seen a couple of times but only briefly. Not seen later morning or in the afternoon 

Wigeon 21 on Red Nab

Some of the Wigeon

Whooper Swan 18 - a distant flock of 18 heading SE towards the Lune estuary at 11:15.

Some of the Whooper Swans

Pink-Footed goose 10 SE 11:30

Mediterranean gull 6 at least. There were at least 3 on Red Nab in the morning. 4 on the beach next to the wooden jetty in the afternoon plus 2 followed the ferry out of the harbour. These are the two following the ferry out, first an adult then a second calendar year.

Adult Mediterranean gull

Second calendar year Mediterranean gull

Adult Herring Gull

Shelduck 150 feeding on the mud this afternoon, there are still loads of small snails on the mud. Small groups periodically visited the freshwater runoff at Red Nab for a drink, before returning to feed. This is the drinking area.

Lapwing 39 flew from the south before landing on the shore out from Red Nab.

Linnet 44 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Josh Hedley 10:30-11:00

A mixed flock held at least:

Coal Tit- 2

Goldcrest- 6

Long-tailed Tit- 4

Chiffchaff- 1

Blue Tit- 5

Great Tit- 3

One of yesterday evening's Knot on the skear had an orange flag. It's a juvenile, as are the other Knot around it. It was only ringed 47 days ago 19/08/23 at Ynyslas Point, Dyfi Estuary, Ceredigion, Wales. It was the only bird of the c800 that I saw that was ringed, but as this clip, demonstrates they are easily covered by other birds and the terrain. They all seemed to be finding plenty of small molluscs to eat, quite easily.

Osprey passing over

A very light south breeze to begin with, but it freshened throughout the afternoon and moved to SW. mainly dry till showers began in the late afternoon and evening.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing and visible migration report from Jean.

Vis today at HNR:
Osprey - 1 south at 0820
Redwing - 133 SW
Chaffinch - 14 south
Pink-footed Goose - 554 north, 95 south
Carrion Crow - 11 south
Jackdaw - 11 south
Blackbird -2
Long-tailedTit - a flock of 27 moved through

About 30 new Blue Tits were caught and ringed - evidence of an irruptive movement
Few night migrants (warblers) caught - 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff
More finches - 10 Greenfinch, 7 Golfinch and 5 Chaffinch.

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Male Common Darter

The Coot have been bickering since springtime 

Heysham skear - low water 16:30 (MD)

I didn't have much time today, I just managed a quick evening check. Not as much stuff around as my last visit.

Eider just 1 male

Great Crested Grebe 1

Red-breasted Merganser 6 together

Little Egret - surprisingly only 4

Oystercatcher c500

Curlew 10

Knot c800

Redshank 30

Turnstone 20

Ringed Plover 6

The "Little pink flowers" have a name!

A very light SW breeze. Low cloud all day. Some heavy mists, particularly over the sea.

Just my stuff from the south shore so far (MD). I had a look at 09:00 and another "look" at 17:00 (look is in inverted commas as for much of the evening I couldn't see anything through the mist)

Pink-footed goose 290 flew north low under the clouds. 09:00.

Shelduck 48 just beyond Red Nab

Wigeon 15 on Red Nab

Little gull 1 first calendar year on No.2 outflow. This is it flying this morning 

In contrast this is it in the evening, and by this time the mist was clearing 

Fortunately, when I was walking back this evening the mist had cleared considerably and I managed this clip of it preening.

Meadow Pipit 14 this morning. Three grounded in the scrub near the lighthouse and the others flying around in all directions. This is one of the grounded birds.

Great Crested Grebe 1 feeding by the water intake in the harbour this morning, no sign of it this evening.

Great Crested Grebe
The gentle rolling waves made interesting patterns of the reflections of the railings 

This Wren wasn't happy with Greenfinch feeding in its saltmarsh territory 

Goldfinch emerging from the evening mist, as was the tall anemometer 

Janet suggested a Stork's-bill for yesterday's flowers.
I've had a look and am satisfied that they are indeed Sea Stork's-bill - Erodium maritimum
So, just  "Little pink flowers" no longer. (MD)

One Little gull left

A very light east wind in the morning freshened slightly after lunch and became more variable. Overcast with some weak sunshine, but it was very warm.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Pete and I were at Middleton NR this morning for a change. There wasn't much visible migration (unlike the east coast where thousands of Redwings were piling over), just the following:

Pink-footed Goose 51 south

Chaffinch 9 SE

Linnet 1 SE

Meadow Pipit 1

Song Thrush 2 N, 1 NE

Grey Wagtail 10 south (5 of which were caught and ringed)

Carrion Crow 2

Jackdaw 14 south

Pied Wagtail 1

Ringing was steady throughout the morning. 

Grey Wagtail 5  - these had colour rings added

Pied Wagtail 1

Goldcrest 5 (plus 2 recent retraps)

Reed Bunting 5

Chiffchaff 3

Cetti's Warbler 1 (plus a retrap from 2022)

Robin 2

Wren 4

Long-tailed Tit 1 (plus 2 retraps, one from 2020 and one from this year)

Blue Tit 7

Great Tit 5

There were at least 4 Cetti's Warblers singing on the reserve and 2 or 3 Water Rails squealing

South Shore

From Andrew Cornall early afternoon 

Rock Pipits 2

Little Gull 1 CY on number 2 outflow 

Also seen by Alan Physick later in the afternoon
A nice phone camera record shot by Alan

I had a walk early in the morning (MD). The only birds on the outflows then were a handful of Black-Headed gulls. This Great Crested Grebe was milling around in the harbour.

Wigeon 3

Early on the dew covered Ocean Edge grass, Linnet (50+) and Goldfinch (c25) were feeding on the seeds of the small pink flowers. The flowers are small enough, goodness knows how tiny the seeds must be. But they must be tasty!

Even a Wood Pigeon was at it

It's a pretty and quite distinctive flower, but not one I am familiar with, and I can't find it in my
book. So unless someone can advise we will have to stick to "small pink flowers"
N.B. The soil here is effectively sand with a thin layer of humus on top. 
The grass is regularly mown, so they may be stunted as opposed to naturally tiny.

Heysham skear- low water 14:00 (MD)

"Low" water was 3.7m, it barely exposed the inner skear, at least it concentrates the shore birds.

Great Crested Grebe 10

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Eider 2, presumably some distant specks were more

Shelduck 11 flying south

Little Egret 41

Oystercatcher c1000

Knot c1500

Curlew 50

Redshank 80

Turnstone 20

Dunlin 2

If you stand still on the skear the feeding waders often ignore you. At one point I was surrounded by feeding Knot. Well over 1000 and I didn't see a single ringed bird. These are a few with one of the Dunlin, you can just about hear their calls.

Little Gulls and Terns linger, and very late Burnet moth!

A light SW wind. Overcast for most of the day but quite balmy.

South shore:

Pete made an early morning quick check of the flying stuff on Heysham outfalls from Ocean edge:

Little gull 3  - 1 adult & 2 x 1cy 

Common Tern 4 

Shaun checked late afternoon:

Heysham Outfalls 15:15-16:30. 

Skua sp out of bay at 16:05. Strong, purposeful flight + looked quite largish (Juv Pom?). 

Little Gull 8 - 1cy on No.1 and 2 adults and 3 1cy on No.2, plus 2 1cy behind Seatruck. 

Mediterranean Gull 27 - 3 Outfalls and 24 behind Seatruck. All adult types. 

Kittiwakes 3 adult

Guillemot along seawall between Outfalls. 

Visiting birders had seen a Black Tern on the Outfalls before I arrived.

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh early evening (MD) It was still overcast but the sun was making a valiant effort to break through, producing an interesting light.

This evening's unusual light

Shelduck 120

Little Egret 7 feeding together as the tide rose up the shallow drains.

Peregrine Falcon 1 - probably why all the small waders were way to the south beyond the recording area. The only ones close in were:

Curlew 160

Oystercatcher 300

Redshank 120

All the gulls were scattered on the mud. There were at least 10 Mediterranean but most were sat down.

Three adult Mediterranean gulls, looking sultry in the odd light

It was a very pleasant evening, I don't know if it was the weather or the time of day, but many of the birds had decided that it was time for a bath. First up an adult Mediterranean gull and an Oystercatcher 

Then Redshank

This Black-Headed gull was on a spin cycle

These Linnet and a Greenfinch were on Ocean Edge grass earlier, when the light was brighter.

Unprecedentedly late and fresh looking Six-spot Burnet on Middleton Nature Reserve
By Janet. Also, 1 Migrant Hawker and several Common Darter

Tern and Little Gull numbers grow throughout the day

A steady SW wind. The early morning showers stopped by 09:00. After that just a few showers, but overcast all day.

South Shore (MD/PM)

Common Tern 5-6. There were 3 at 09:20, 4 by 14:30 and 5-6 when Pete checked early evening (when visibility wasn't good from Ocean Edge)

Little Gull 6. Just 1 x 1cy at 09:20, 2 adult and 2 x 1cy in the afternoon and 3 adult plus 3 x 1cy in the evening

Sandwich Tern 1 in the afternoon 

Two adult and a 1st calendar year(1cy) Little gulls in the afternoon 

1cy Little gull and a Common Tern

This clip begins with a 1cy and an adult Little gull and ends on a 1cy Common Tern

Once again very few other gulls feeding, by Pete's evening check there were more Little Gulls and Common Tern than anything else on the outflows.

Other stuff:

Shelduck 2 south

Rock Pipit 3

Rock Pipit on foreshore 

Wheatear 1

Wheatear hunkered down against the wind

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the two main pons in passing.

Mute Swan pair plus 7 large cygnets 

Mallard 12

Coot 12

Moorhen 3

Little Grebe 1 

Little Grebe

Grey Heron

Cetti's Warbler 1 male singing in the distance, probably from the central marsh

This shot from Janet, as she says, you wouldn't want to be the Oystercatcher at the back!