Another Woodcock

A freshening SW wind. Some light drizzle with a couple of heavy showers by afternoon.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report by Josh Hedley - a check this morning:

Woodcock- 1 flushed from woodland at northern end

Goldfinch- 25

A mixed flock contained:

Long-tailed Tit- 11

Blue Tit- 4

Goldcrest- 2

Coal Tit- 1

South Shore (MD)

Little Gull 1 adult - same pattern as the other day with periods of fishing interspersed with periods of preening on the mud.

This is it preening

Kevin managed a better shot of it on Monday

Shelduck 125

Many of the Shelduck were feeding close to the foreshore rocks

Wigeon 175 - this group mistakenly landed in No.2 outflow. They normally rest in the channel just beyond. They can't rest in the outflow as they have to paddle furiously just to remain still. They quickly moved to the adjacent channel.

Rock,Pipits 2

On the saltmarsh 

Linnet 80

Lapwing 114

Little Egret 3

These are some of the Lapwing and a Little Egret amongst what remains of the Samphire. The Lapwing look as though they are in a slow moving queue, apart from the inevitable queue jumper.

Janet took these shots of  Carrion Crow with a cockle. They open the cockles by dropping them from height on to the rocks. A trick they picked up from the gulls. But, they are better at it than most gulls, who appear to drop almost at random, whereas the crows appear to target suitable rocks.

Just the routine stuff after minimal coverage.

A nice sunny day with a light northerly breeze.

Janet managed some nice shots of the Heysham Head Kestrel 

Male Kestrel

Goldfinch keeping a close eye on the Kestrel

I was busy all day today (MD). I had a quick look out to the shore from Knowlys Rd in passing, but couldn't locate any Brent Geese.

I also stopped off at the two main Ponds at Middleton Nature Reserve 

Mute swan 8 large cygnets no sign of the adults 

Coot 10

Moorhen 6

Gadwall 4

Tufted Duck 2

Male Tufted ducks just after surfacing 

This clip of three of the Gadwall ends with the beginning of a Long-Tailed Tit flock passing directly over my head. You can't see them but you can hear them.

Long-Tailed Tit passing overhead 

No reports from the south shore today, but all these birds would certainly have been present. Taken by Janet and Edward Wilkinson earlier in the week.

Wigeon and Oystercatcher out from Red Nab

Cormorant on No.2 outflow

Curlew - the above three shots by Janet

Little Egret

Turnstone- these two from Edward

Brent numbers still increasing, but only slowly.

A west to NW wind of varying strengths, but never very strong. A dry day after an overnight shower.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 19 - seen on the foreshore out from Knowlys Rd by David Kaye. Then later in the afternoon all 19 were on Red Nab (Shaun)

Also from Shaun:

Heysham Harbour 13:30-15:00 : 

Little Gull 2 - 1adult on No 2 and 1st cy behind Steam Packet ferry. 

Pink-footed Goose 64 across the bay from Barrow towards Pilling. 

Shelduck 121 

Wigeon 213. 

Rock Pipit pair.

Coal Tits at least 5 taking advantage of the regular visitor feeding stations by the car parking area (along with 5 Brown Rats and 3 Grey Squirrels)

The adult Little gull on No.2 outflow was alternating between feeding and resting on the mud. This is a clip of it feeding.

Adult Little gull resting between feeding sessions.

Great Spotted Woodpecker calling in Nature Park

I said shortly after the Redshank started returning from their breeding grounds, that they will barely get another mention. And so it has proved to be. Because they are ubiquitous they are often ignored. Shame really as they are an attractive bird, and they are missed when they are not around. These are some nice group shots from the other day, from Janet:

No.1 outflow is a favoured roost

And some plumage detail from Edward Wilkinson:

Winter plumaged Redshank 

More of the same.....literally.....but barely

Showers began mid morning then continued all day. West wind.

Pete Crooks checked the foreshore below Knowlys Road in the rain at 10.45 am 

16 Pale-bellied Brent Geese - 8 adults, 8 juvs, all unringed (5 more bird than yesterday)

Later in the afternoon all 16 were feeding on Red Nab.

Also from the south shore (MD)

Little Gull 3 at least (1 more than yesterday) - 2 first calendar year plus a second calendar year feeding on No.2 outflow. These are some of Janet's shots of yesterday's 1st calendar year bird trying to feed.

Trying, but not successful this time. This is an egg case of a catshark

One of today's 1cy and the 2cy Little gull. The 2cy has very little black in the wing tips

But underwing noticeably paler than adult

In the evening (evening! It was only 15:30, but almost dark in the rain). There were none on the outflow, but this adult/2cy was resting on Red Nab. Providing a nice size comparison with a young Black-Headed Gull.

Shelduck 12

Wigeon 150+

Female and male Wigeon, by Janet from yesterday 

Rock Pipit 2

Red-Throated Diver by the wooden jetty in the evening - seen by Alan Physick

Little gulls and Brents continue to oblige

Overnight rain followed by a couple of morning showers. The steady wind started SE and ended SW.

Only reports from the south wall today. 

Little Gull 2 minimum on No.2 outflow. At least one first calendar year seen by all observers and at least one, more elusive, adult seen at different times by at least Janet plus Kevin Shaw.

Janet's shots of the adult Little gull

Edward Wilkinson's shot of the 1st calendar year Little Gull

The 1st calendar year bird seemed particularly striking. This is it feeding.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 11 - they flew in to Red Nab from the north side at 12:30.

Janet's shot of the Brent geese arriving

At least 6 of these 11 were first calendar year birds. This is my shot of the leading six birds showing four to be youngsters.

The middle four birds are all first calendar year

Apart from that there was plenty to see, but only the regular birds. These are some more shots from Edward Wilkinson:

Male Wigeon - one of 100+ around

A nice Curlew sequence

Little Auk crowns an interesting day!

A fresher SSE wind. Early morning rain stopped about 09:00, it then remained dry all day with some sunny periods.

Little Auk 1 - spotted by Janet Packham on the rising tide mid morning. It was flying low and fast out from No.2 outflow in the middle of the south sea wall. Heading in the direction of the Lune estuary. Fortunately Janet had her camera, and it was fitted with a zoom lens. Even so, she had to be quick to get these excellent shots.

Little Auk - the last one seen in the recording area was December 2014

Pete advises that it could linger. Fingers crossed!

Pale-Bellied Brent geese 16 - a day in the life.... I checked the shore out from the play area on the north side as the tide was approaching the rocks (MD). There were 15 out from the rocks, they were feeding, but hardly enthusiastically.

They flew off to the south before the tide reached the rocks, and long before it would reach Red Nab.

When I got to Red Nab they were all drinking and bathing in the freshwater run off. They were certainly bathing enthusiastically! Watch the Oystercatcher at the end getting an unwelcome shower.

I left them to it, but Janet saw them leaving towards Potts Corner as both the tide and some dogs encroached. I had a walk along the wall this afternoon, the Brent were already back feeding on Red Nab as I walked out. When I was returning it was already getting dark (16:10), I could see them leaving the rocks and moving to the mud. They were obviously preparing to leave. 16 flew off and headed west, presumably to the other side of the bay for the night.

I

Little Gull 1 elusive adult - I'd checked as far as No.2 outflow in the morning. There was no sigh of it then. But it was present when both Kevin, then later Janet were at No.2 outflow.

Janet's shot of the Little gull

It wasn't there again when I went out in the afternoon. On the return leg one turned up, did one sweep of the outflow then settled on the mud for a preen. It seemed to have a darker head than Janet's bird, but the light was fading quickly.

Other stuff from the south shore:

These 8 immature Mute plus at least 1 adult were circling. Possibly the Middleton Nature Reserve birds taking flying practice (I've removed the sound as some passing dogs were barking).

Woodcock 1 - first autumn record, and an unusual but welcome one. It was on Red Nab, presumably grounded by the early rain. It allowed me a good shot (MD)

Woodcock as you never normally see them. Just after this shot it flew
to the middle of Red Nab, unfortunately landing out of sight

Great Crested Grebe - the harbour bird was in a mind to display its plumage.

Wigeon not counted but similar numbers to recent.

Shelduck 14

Pink-Footed goose 1000+ as I was coming through the Nature park on the way back this afternoon they were returning from their feeding grounds to their Fylde roost. Two very large groups passed directly over. This is just part of the first wave.

First feeding Brent this winter period.

A dry day, largely overcast. A light south wind.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 13 - Janet picked them up out from the play area on the north shore. Even with her mobile phone camera she got a decent record shot.

Some of the Brent geese out from the play area

Janet saw them fly off to the south, almost certainly Red Nab bound, so I headed there (MD)

I got there just in time to perch myself on a rock and watch the tide bring the Brent in closer. Initially I thought 4 were dark-bellied. For the (very good) reason that their bellies were dark! But all the dark-bellied birds were first calendar year and in association with adult Pale-bellied. Clearly they were young Pale-bellied still in juvenile plumage.

Adult Pale-bellied Brent right with two juvenile 

Not all the young birds still had dark flanks.
This one (right) already moulting to first winter

This pair of adult have three youngsters, and see off another approaching family.

They seem to have had a better breeding season than last year, when only a few immature birds were seen here.

The gutweed here is still long and lush and the Brent didn't need to leave the water to feed, so only a few showed their legs. None of those were ringed.

They stopped feeding before the gutweed was inaccessible, presumably sated, and drifted off south.

They were happy to reform as a group when they were no longer feeding

Pink-Footed goose 268 in three skeins heading south towards lunchtime 

Also on south shore (MD, KE)

Shelduck 6 

Wigeon 160

Wigeon, coming in to land by No.2 outflow

Red-breasted Merganser 1 male

Male Red-breasted Merganser

No Little gulls or terns seen today (not exactly a surprise)

Rock,Pipit 2

Grey Wagtail 1 on Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick look at the two main ponds on my way home.

Mute pair plus 8 cygnets reunited on the main pond

Gadwall 14

Mallard 6

Tufted Duck 2 male.

Coot 10

Moorhen 4

Water Rail 1 squealing

This clip begins with a skein of Pink-Footed geese heading over (included in the above count), then pans down to the ducks on the "no swimming" pond.

Finally, Janet took these shots of two snoozing Foxes on the Barrows (above the old go-kart track)

Presumably youngsters having their afternoon nap.

Little gulls very mobile, but at least six around.

A fresh west wind. Some showers, mainly in the afternoon.

Half Moon Bay (JP)

Lonely looking Rock Pipit 

South shore (MD)

A morning visit on the rising tide and an afternoon one as it was ebbing both provided plenty of interest.

Shelduck 15 in one flock flying south.

Wigeon 161

Janet's shot of some of the Wigeon on Red Nab yesterday 

Little Gull 6 at least - they are very mobile and appear and disappear regularly, you have to think that there are more, but you can only count what you can see. On the way out in the morning there were 2 adult plus 2 1st calendar year on No.2 outflow. On the return leg there was another adult and a 1cy next to No.1 outflow. In the afternoon initially there were none, then an adult showed on No.2 followed by a 1cy. 

This is an adult feeding just below the sloping sea wall next to No.1 outflow.

Rock Pipits 3 - this one was vying with a Turnstone for invertebrates left by the ebbing tide.

Grey seal 1 - This large male looked to be feeding in the full force of No.2 outflow in the afternoon, but perhaps he just fancied a warm bath (little chance of catching anything in this amount of flow, any fish can swim off exceedingly quickly with the flow).

This clip shows the location, plus an added bonus of an adult Little Gull.