A Grey Wagtail tale

An overnight frost followed by a sunny and virtually calm day.

South shore 

I just checked from Red Nab to No.2 outflow on the rising tide (MD). Timed to catch the Brent flying to Red Nab.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 15 - arrived at 09:45 just as the tide had reached Red Nab.

Pink-Footed goose c200 in several smallish skeins north,  mainly overland to the east.

Shelduck 12

Wigeon 150+

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 3

Immature Little Egret, still with much yellow on its legs.

Little Gull 1 adult - was feeding on No.2 outflow (it's not easy keeping them in focus when they fly towards you!)

Some nice shots from Red Nab by Chris Penrice:

Turnstone 

Curlew and Oystercatcher 

Some of the, distant, Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Song Thrush at Heysham Nature Reserve

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

I just checked the "no swimming" pond on my way home.

Mute 2 adult plus 2 immature 

Moorhen 2

Teal 5 (1 female)

Gadwall 25

It was good seeing the Mute feeding on the deeper weed (as they have evolved to do) rather than waiting for hand outs at the main pond.

There were a few thrushes moving between the trees, at least:

Redwing 5

Blackbird 4

Song Thrush 1 

Sparrowhawk 1

Imperial Road (MD)

I just had a quick stop off this afternoon (no sign of the foxes)

Mute Swan 2 adult

Little Egret 5

This Wren was defending its patch of Reedmace
It is just preparing to fly in this shot.

This colour ringed Grey Wagtail is a star! See sidebar for scheme details.

It was ringed as a 1st winter bird at Middleton Nature Reserve 14/09/19 and was recorded that winter in Yeovil Somerset - 345km south from where it was ringed.

In the spring of 2020 it was seen as a breeding male at Teviot Bridge Roxburgh - 159km NE of where it was ringed and 504km north of its wintering grounds.

It has returned and been seen at Yeovil each winter since (the above picture is from Yeovil this week).

If it returned to Roxburgh in 2021 it didn't breed in the same spot, but in 2022 it was again seen breeding at Teviot Bridge.

Brent behaving, but the Little gull still elusive

Heavy overnight rain stopped about 09:00, it then remained dry. A very cold and, thankfully, light north wind.

Only records from the south sea wall so far.

Kevin was first out.

Pale-bellied Brent 15 on Red Nab

A lovely shot of an immature male Eider between the outflows

Janet was hot on his heels and also saw the Eider, although the tide was further out by this time. 

It came under the wooden jetty then headed to number one outfall.

Little Gull 1 adult on No.2 outflow

In this light the inner underwing looks pale.
Possibly what I thought was a 2nd calendar year bird last week (MD)

In these last three shots it has picked up something long and thin.
Too long and thin for a sandeel, possibly a Pipefish.

You will have to open the pictures to be able to see its catch

This Black-Headed gull also has a long thin fish,
but this one looks right for a sndeel

Just a few of the 160+ Wigeon

Turnstone 

Redshank

Janet was just coming off as I was setting off c13:00 (MD). No sign of the Little gull on the way out or the way back. The Brent Geese were still feeding on Red Nab, but headed for the north side at 13:20.

Scaup adds some interest

A fine but overcast day. Light breeze from SE.

South shore (MD)

Pink-Footed goose 570 in three main waves low to the north at 08:50

Pale-bellied Brent goose 16 on Red Nab before flying south when flushed by the tide.

Wigeon 200+

Scaup 1 female/immature 

Scaup - originally it was just out from the harbour mouth.

It then started heading out and swam past the wooden jetty.

I thought that was it, but it then swam back and headed into the harbour. This is where it was when I left.

(Pete Crooks also saw a Scaup up at Teal Bay this morning - for details visit LDBWS webpage https://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/forums/forum/bird-insect-sightings/)

Little Gull 1 adult very briefly on No.2 outflow. There was hardly any gulls feeding here today, then the Little gull just appeared from "nowhere" did a short circuit and disappeared again, presumably very little food was coming through.

Grey Plover 1 on the few remaining Red Nab rocks. It appears to eat some gutweed, possibly there were invertebrates mixed in with it.

Grey Plover

Rock Pipits 3

This male Bullfinch was calling in the Nature Park

North Shore

Howard managed to find two flagged Knot roosting at the heliport this morning, unfortunately one was too badly damaged to read.

This one could be read - details awaited

Once again there was a large roost on Heysham Head rocks, mainly Knot but Redshank and Oystercatcher too. Janet took this panoramic shot of them. If you open it you can see the detail of individual birds, it shows how many pairs of legs you have to check to find any with colour rings or flags (I can't see any amongst this lot (MD)).

Then something spooked them and they were all in the air

An entertaining 15min stop off

Overnight frost followed by another nice sunny day. A very light east breeze.

Janet reported large numbers of Pink-Footed geese feeding in the field next to Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Also from Janet

Knot on the rocks out from Heysham Head,
looks like they were flushed from the heliport wall again

Imperial Road - this is the road to the recycling centre about 500m from the Heysham end of the bypass (Bay gateway). This road marks the eastern boundary of the recording area. I didn't actually have a walk today (MD), I just parked by the gate at the bypass end of Imperial Road and watched nature for 15 minutes as the traffic whizzed along the bypass. It was very pleasant and reasonably productive.

Water Rail 1 squealing.

Wood Pigeon 12 feeding on the short grass

Buzzard 1 flew north 

Raven 2 flew north west, both at the same time but not flying together.

Long-Tailed Tit 11 a flock passed close by, unfortunately there were no other species with them.

Long-Tailed Tit - this one ringed

This clip is a bit short on detail, but gives a nice sense of the feeding flock activity.

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing (twice). It was in the scrub right next to the bypass, about 30m to the right of the above clip. Pete advises that this is the first record for this specific tetrad (the pond further along the road is in a different tetrad)

Even though there was plenty of interest, I'm not normally good at staying in one spot for long, but these two foxes were keeping me entertained. They seemed to be either a vixen with a youngster or possibly two  youngsters.

This one was the first to arrive

The other was initially some distance away, when this clip pans out you can just see the first fox on the right, by the bush next to the pylon.

But it quickly came closer. I think most dog owners will recognise this behaviour.

I wasn't sure what to expect when they came together. In the end it was an anticlimax 

After a while, they went off foraging together. One or both of them were in view the whole time I was there.

On the way back I just had a quick look at the "no swimming" pond on Middleton Nature Reserve. No sign of yesterday's Little Grebe or Teal and just one male Tufted Duck. But the Gadwall had increased to 16.

The Carrion Crows seem to be defining their territories.

You may have noticed in the above clip that the catkins are emerging.
A sure sign of spring......according to my twentieth century reference books!

A bit of variety (thank goodness!)

Sunshine all day with a very light NW breeze.

South Shore (MD)

We are moving back to spring tides, this morning's high water at 8.6m is just low enough not to flush everything off Red Nab, at least not in today's calm conditions. I checked approaching high water.

Shelduck 33 out from the saltmarsh 

Wigeon 180

Pale-bellied Brent goose 16 - same core group as the last set of tides with 8 first calendar year birds. They are all in this clip with, Curlew, Knot, Oystercatcher and at least a couple of Bar-Tailed Godwit.

These are two adult with three first calendar year (with the pale wing bars). A nice passing display from a Cormorant too.

Most of what remained of Red Nab was crammed with waders. Mainly Oystercatcher, and Knot, but also Redshank, Turnstone, and Bar-Tailed Godwit. Also a Little Egret and a Grey Heron. 

Most of the Oystercatcher were on the west side. This clip begins on the Heron then pans out to show the extent of the Oystercatcher roost.

The other waders and the Brent were on the east side.

Knot coming in, you can make out 3 Brent geese on the water below them

This Redshank is after invertebrates on the incoming tide.

Lapwing 30+ on the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 1 on the saltmarsh, you can hear it calling in this clip.

I didn't go along the wall, but a visiting birder advised that no Little gulls were feeding at that time.

These are the tides and conditions that I normally like to walk the tide in, as it comes up the shore. But at the moment sciatica makes that impractical. I looked out wistfully at the distant waders. Distant, but still well within the recording area.

Even so, it was still good to be out on such a lovely morning.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick look on my way home.

Wildfowl as yesterday except:

The 10 "tame" Mallard were back at the feeding station on the main pond (still 6 on the "no swimming" pond)

Teal 1 male

Little Grebe 2 - the elusive one was glimpsed on the main pond, but a second on the "no swimming" pond was showing well. 

Showing well?.........it was showing off!

North shore 

Howard managed to locate three colour flagged Knot from the 2,500 rooting on the Near Naze at high water. Unfortunately they were soon spooked by a Sparrowhawk and relocated to the rocks out from Heysham Head.

One of today's flagged Knot

Sporadic Little gulls and a Marsh Tit

A fresh west wind. The rain held off till mid afternoon 

South Shore (MD)

There were no Shelduck feeding on the mud, almost certainly the result of someone exercising several dogs on the shore.

Wigeon c160 - perhaps yesterday's birds did not land in the outflow by accident, they have taken to resting on the rocks inside the outflow rails. A little more shelter here and plenty of gutweed on the rocks.

Little gull 2 - 1 adult plus a 1st calendar year. In normal circumstances I could have missed both of these as they only visited No.2 outflows sporadically. I normally walk along the wall and check the outflows as I pass. On both the way out and the return neither gull was feeding on the outflow. But, I am still hampered with sciatica and I now have to sit and rest a while, and on both occasions a Little gull "appeared" while I was resting (I must try and pause longer even when I no longer need too!).

Probably one of the reasons that they weren't feeding more regularly was that they didn't seem to be finding much to eat. There was only a few Black-Headed gulls feeding too. Up to yesterday the dredger in the harbour was close to the water intakes, today it was in the middle of the harbour. I suspect the "muddying of the water" by the dredger attracts shrimps and possibly small fish to feed. Anyway this is the adult looking for food.

The 1st calendar year didn't turn up till just before I left No.2 outflow on the way back. I would have left earlier, but Kevin had turned up and we were having a chat. I've removed the sound from this clip, as I was still in conversation with Kevin.

1st calendar year Little Gull

I managed to locate the adult preening on the mud, but couldn't find the 1cy.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

I called in mid afternoon, just as the clouds were closing in.

Mute 1 adult with the 8 cygnets 

Coot 6

Moorhen 4

Tufted Duck 2 male

Gadwall 8

Mallard 6 - these are not the "tame" Mallard that frequent the feeding station on the main pond.

Mallard, the drakes looking particularly smart

Gadwall coming in to land, watched over by a Heron

All three duck species in this clip. The "sawmill" in the background is some landscaping work underway.

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing (once)

Then the rain started and it was time to leave - for me at least, just water off a ducks back to them.

Heysham Head

Janet took these shots of this tree favoured by both Gold and Greenfinch.

A Marsh Tit visiting gardens in Longmeadow Lane (backs onto Heysham Moss), today and yesterday. (Identified from video sent to LDBWS). - thanks to Dan Haywood

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