It never really got light!

Last night's strong westerlies quickly died down, there was only a gentle SE wind at 08:00. It increased slightly during the day and shifted more to SW. Very low cloud all day, producing rain for much of it.

South Shore (MD)

I had a walk along the sea wall at "first light"! You couldn't really call it "light"

Pale-bellied Brent goose 17. It was 08:30 when I reached Red Nab, "sunrise" was supposed to be 08:20. I didn't expect the sun, but I did expect to be able to see! These are some of the Brent at 08:30:

It was a bit less dark on the return at 09:30, even so I had to increase exposure to make it this "bright". There are thirteen Brent in this clip, the other four were feeding separately.

Shelduck 22

Wigeon c150

Cormorants on the wooden jetty. This is 09:00 and the green navigation lights are still on.

Lapwing 87 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1 near the lighthouse 

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick passing check of the main pond

Mute Swan just the two adults, no sign of the immature birds, and the female was skulking in the reeds. 

Coot 5

Moorhen 4

Mallard 6

Tufted Duck 1 male

The Tufted Duck was minding its own business and having a preen

But this Coot wasn't in a tolerant mood

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard 2

This pale bird was in the large trees half way along the road. Looking over to the second bird

A darker bird was alternating between being on this grass and sat on the same fence as yesterday.

It was raining at this time, and I finally realised what it was doing. It was scanning the grass from the fence and dropping down to catch whatever showed, presumably in this case, an earthworm. Not a great clip and it's windscreen wipers again I'm afraid. But it does show the technique. 

Birding behind windscreen wipers!

The strong south wind switched to the west at lunchtime and increased in strength all afternoon. Plenty of heavy showers.

Imperial Rd (MD)

It was raining lightly as I turned off the bypass and parked in the entrance to the wooden gate just south of the roundabout. But as I got there the heavens opened.

Buzzard 1 - it has been in the loose scrub below this fence, but when the rain began it hopped onto the fence post, presumably to be able to shed any water more easily. There is little to see in this short clip, other than the location and the fact that there are birds of interest to be seen without leaving your car. Sorry about the windscreen wipers!

Mistle Thrush 3 grounded by the heavy shower. This clip shows how heavy.

Mistle Thrush

As the rain eased they began feeding, the resident Blackbird was far from impressed!

They were quickly finding worms quite easily, another consequence of the heavy rain.

Even so, as soon at the rain stopped they flew off to the south.

South Shore (MD)

Just a quick check of Red Nab not long after morning high water

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 9 - a slightly strange record this. Once again it was raining heavily and they were not on the Red Nab rocks but a small outcrop to the east. There is a large freshwater runoff here, particularly after heavy overnight rain.

It was still raining, but not quite so hard when they flew off to the west, long before they normally leave Red Nab.

There was no sign of them from Knowlys Rd a little later. I wondered if they were a group with a different agenda, that was just temporarily grounded at Red Nab by the heavy downpour.

In the afternoon the west wind was getting quite strong, unfortunately the tide was out and would remain so till after dark. Still I had a walk along the wall and managed to walk out without any rain!

Just a few Black Headed gulls feeding on No.2 outflow.

Wigeon <50

Bar-Tailed Godwit 2

Rock Pipit 1 near lighthouse.

Peregrine Falcon 1 - I managed some better shots than I normally do as it hung on the wind briefly.

Peregrine Falcon 

This Herring Gull is breaking open a mussel in the inner harbour. Note it drops it from a little higher each time till it breaks.

This Carrion Crow caught my eye as its back appeared silver, but it was just an effect of the wind and the light. It is removing the last morsels from a wader carcass (looks to be a Redshank). Almost certainly the remains of a Peregrine kill. 

I managed to get back to the wooden jetty before the rain started again, fortunately the wind was to my back on the return leg. 

The west wind became even stronger after dark and the rain continuous. But the wind is forecast to quickly ease overnight.

Yesterday and yesteryear

Chris and Barry helped Nick mow a decent section of the seawall end of the heliport site yesterday to facilitate roosting when birds displaced from the seawall by wave actions. The conditions were atrocious yet they persisted to get most of the job done in a torrential downpour and strong winds.  Thanks very much for doing this.  There is a small amount of raking needed - if anyone is able to do this please contact Pete. 

There was about 12 snipe and otherwise just a Greenfinch flock

This is one of Howard's shots from earlier this week
It is looking over the Near Naze towards the south Lakes

It's a slow news day today, so I thought I would share a slightly older picture of the same area.

This is me and my Dad on the north side of Half Moon Bay c1955 (I'm the shorter one - Malcolm) 
I was beginning to learn about what lives on the shore, although in those days it was only once a year.
Along the horizon on the right is the old tanker jetty where the ammonia tankers unloaded.
The seaward end of this jetty is still marked by the two buoys out from the north sea wall.
Behind that is an old steam ship heading out from the harbour.
On the horizon to the left there is a latticework tower, that is the Skeleton Lighthouse.The latticework
has long been removed but its stone base is still on the Near Naze. It is that  stone base pictured in
Howards shot above, you can still see the metal struts that once supported the Skeleton lighthouse.

Back to today....

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the two main ponds, both now ice free, but the "no swimming" pond is 1m above its normal maximum height. The water level is maintained by a sensor and pump and each winter it seems reluctant to kick in for the first time. At the moment it is much too deep for the dabbling ducks and there was no divers today either.

The main pond was only sparsely populated too

Mute Swan pair plus 8 immature 

Gadwall 2

Moorhen 2

Coot 3

South shore (MD)

Just a walk along the south sea wall.

Shelduck 60

Wigeon c300 - they like to freshen up in the freshwater runoff at Red Nab. You can see where the expression "water off a ducks back" comes from.

North shore (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent geese 11 at least out from the play area, seen from Whinnysty Lane

Nothing new

A strong SE wind, overcast all day, but the worst of the rain held off till lunchtime, then heavy and prolonged rain.

South Shore (MD)

Unfortunately I couldn't get out till the afternoon so a very wet walk along the sea wall!

Wigeon 300+

Shelduck 32

Bar-Tailed Godwit 4 on the beach by the wooden jetty 

Rock Pipit 1 near the lighthouse (first for a week or so)

This was the only picture I took today. From the shelter of the lighthouse. It is just to show how flat the
sea was, with the strong SE wind blowing the sea in the same direction as the incoming tide was moving it.

Fortunately, I had anticipated a washout this afternoon so saved some shots from yesterday (nothing that wasn't still around today).

Adult Herring Gull on one of the harbour platforms 

First winter Herring Gull on the harbour wall

The Black-Headed Gulls also rest on the platforms 
The yellow ringed Polish bird that has overwintered here every winter since 2017/18
has not turned up this winter, at least not so far. 

This Turnstone was feeding on the platforms, it appears to be eating the flesh from the barnacles. I have seen several species breaking off bits of barnacle shell for grit, but I don't recall seeing one being eaten before. It looks relatively easy, perhaps they are not overly tasty, or possibly it had found something other than a barnacle, it does look suspiciously white flesh.

Hopefully more tomorrow!

Loads of ducks

A heavy overnight frost, the last for a while. Also last for a while was a dry sunny say. The light east breeze just starting to freshen slightly as it drifted to SE.

North shore (MD)

Just two quick scans from Knowlys Rd.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 23 in the skear corner in the morning but only 13 seen near the play are in the afternoon 

Janet was spotting metal ringed birds around Heysham Head.

Female Kestrel with metal ring
Alan advises that: The only one ringed by us recently (since 1996) was October 2015.
It is technically possible that today's is that one but pretty unlikely. Typical lifespan is 4 years
 but one has been caught 15 years and 11 months old back in 2003 (but not locally).

This Blue Tit was in the Glebe Garden

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

A quick check of the main pond in the morning. The Black-Headed gulls were again stood on the ice, none with colour rings.

Black-Headed gulls plus a Herring Gull on ice

Most of the Mute were on the open water by the feeding area, but the bulk of the ducks were in another more central hole in the ice.

Mallard plus 5 Gadwall and 3 Coot

South shore (MD)

Just my walk along the sea wall

Shelduck 139 - some feeding quite close tho the shoreline.

The above clip is one of only a few of today's posted clips where you can't hear or see Wigeon. They were everywhere, unfortunately well spread out and quite flighty as the tide was out. Probably as many if not more than yesterday. The two biggest groups totalled 340 and there were many more than that.

These are a few feeding on gutweed off the sloping wall. I often see one or two here, but more today.

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 4 - this one is chasing another from its patch. 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 4 initially feeding on the beach next to the wooded jetty then moved between the outflows when the tide moved them on.

It doesn't go empty billed for long. Here it catches either half a Sandmason worm or a small ragworm.

This Curlew definitely catches a Sandmason worm. It's hard to imagine the sensitivity of its bill and tongue to be able to feel such a thin worm in such deep mud.

This Oystercatcher also has a Sandmason worm.

Grey Plover 2 - both Grey Plover and all four Bar-Tailed Godwit in this clip.

Knot - just 2 again, feeding here with Redshank 

The only other waders were a handful of Turnstone and a solitary Lapwing.

Peregrine Falcon 1 - here it is buzzing Red Nab in the hope of lifting something, but nothing this time.

It headed back and landed on an old scaffolding frame, and was still perched there when I left.

High Wigeon count and Brent were seen today

The overnight rain stopped as it was getting light, then a dry and largely sunny day. A bit warmer, but the NE breeze was cold.

Imperial Rd (MD)

Just a quick check from the car.

Buzzard 1 resting on top of a small tree close to the bypass, next to the sub-station:

It was resting with both its wings outstretched, it looked as though it had hung itself out to dry, and perhaps it had, possibly after a bath. It dd look wet.

North shore

Pale-bellied Brent goose 19. I checked the skear corner from the promenade at low water, there was no sign of them then. A second check at 14:10 (2.5hr before high water) from Knowlys Rd, saw 14 making their way to the rocks out from the play area.

19 were seen later, but not sure yet who the observer was.

South shore (MD)

My daily exercise walk along the south sea wall this afternoon, didn't feel promising, but at least it was a lovely afternoon.

Wigeon 414 - 408 were moving towards Red Nab on the rising tide and a further 6 feeding around the wooden jetty.

These are just some of them around Red Nab on the way back. Many were still feeding
 among the rocks, but this bunch looked they they were getting ready to move off.

This Curlew was looking fine in the low afternoon sun

I set off in bright sunshine, the sun was setting as I reached the end of the wall, and it was almost dark when I got back to Red Nab!

As expected there was very little to see, except the Wigeon. But it was a beautiful, albeit brief, sunset!

Peregrine "best" of a wet bunch!

Overcast with rain for most of the day. Even so the temperature never got above 5°C. A light NE breeze.

Just a few bits from me today (MD)

Neither the tides nor the weather provided any easy bird viewing. A lunchtime walk along the south sea wall produced 

Shelduck 31

Shelduck were the only birds on Red Nab when the tide was out

Wigeon 230 - these are some milling around the channel next to No.1 outflow, directly below the sea wall. I only had my old pocket camera with me today, but at least it is better at picking up audio. You can hear the Wigeon whistling and the rain drops on the camera.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 4 flushed by the incoming tide from the beach next to the wooden jetty.

Peregrine Falcon 1 - A bit unusual as it landed briefly on the rail of No.2 outflow, about half way down. 

Today's high water at 7.6m is just high enough to surround Red Nab. Sometimes the Brent Geese feed here at this height, so I popped back for a quick look at high water in the evening. No Brent today, probably as it was already almost dark and likely little disturbance on the north side (they have been feeding out from the play area before moving to Red Nab, unfortunately no reports today).

Grey Plover 1 - no chance of a shot today it was much too gloomy. This short clip is from yesterday, when it was in the same location.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look at the main pond on the way home. It was almost dark.

Mute, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard and Gadwall all still present in the open water near the feeding station. But today joined by a male Tufted Duck.

Tufted Duck

The above shot is heavily enhanced, this is what the feeding area actually looked like. The Tufted is the duck at the back at the beginning of the clip.

Buzzards buzzed

Some heavy overnight showers of hail and rain. Overcast all day even so the temperature never got higher than 2.5°C. A light breeze began SE and ended up NE

Imperial Rd (MD)

I called in early on to see if the Stonechat were still around, but there was no sign.

Common Buzzard 2 

They were initially perched on two of the three tall posts at the south side of the road

The nearer bird was quite pale

There were two unhappy Carrion Crow trying to get them to move on, but to no avail. But the clamour attracted more crows and Jackdaws, then more serious mobbing began.

Eventually they'd had enough, the paler bird was the first to leave and it landed in the trees towards the north side, where they can regularly be seen.

Then the other one was persuaded to leave, interestingly, this one flew off further south.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick look at the two main ponds. The overnight rain had left a covering of water over the ice at the "no swimming" pond. Not a single wildfowl to be seen. But there was quite a gathering at the free area at the feeding station of the main Pond.

Mute pair plus 8 immature 

Coot 4

Moorhen 6

Mallard 22

Gadwall 16

Teal 1

These are some of the above.

South shore

Nothing feeding on the outflows again.

Red Nab

Pale-bellied Brent goose 7

Pink-Footed goose 1 - the injured bird was out from the foreshore again

Shelduck 27

Wigeon 150

Little Egret 2 

Grey Heron 1

Heron with Brent Geese and Wigeon

Waders in order of abundance:

Oystercatcher 

Redshank 20+

Turnstone 10+

Curlew 3

Knot (just 2)

Grey plover 1

In contrast to the 2 Knot on Red Nab, Howard provided this short compilation showing the Knot and Oystercatcher being pushed towards the old heliport wall on an earlier tide this week.

Stonechats come in from the cold

 It got down to -4°C overnight. A cold SE breeze with lengthy sunny spells .

Imperial Rd (MD)

I called in passing just before lunch.

Stonechat 2 at least. They were feeding just beyond the gate on the west side close to the bypass roundabout. One male and at least one female/immature, possibly two.

The female(s) were showing well, you can hear the traffic along the bypass in this clip.

Female or first winter Stonechat

The Male was quite striking and also showed regularly, but invariably with either it's back to me or behind some Reedmace. This was about the best clip I managed, I lose focus but at least he does a pirouette!

Male Stonechat, these are only the second records this winter period.
After such a productive spring passage

South shore (PM, MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 16 on Red Nab when Pete checked,  just 8 when I passed a little later.

Pink-Footed goose 80 flew high to the south. There was one on the foreshore rocks that tried to take off and join them, but it seems its flying days are over and it crashed landed in the sea. 

Pink-Footed Goose probably injured 

Shelduck 56

Wigeon 180

Grey Plover 1 on Red Nab feeding alongside a Turnstone 

The freeze continues

 A similar pattern with a heavy overnight frost (-3°C), followed by a sunny day. The NE breeze was light but cold.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

The Mute Swan pair plus the 8 immature had maintained a patch of clear water at the feeding area of the main pond. They were joined by 10 Mallard and 4 Moorhen.

Another two adult Mute had maintained a much smaller open area on the "no swimming" (definitely no swimming today!) pond.

The Gadwall had moved on, but 6 Teal remained. The only free water on the pond apart from the swans patch were along the margins. This adult Moorhen finds a patch, an immature one close behind.

South shore (MD)

Just a walk along the sea wall today

Pale-bellied Brent goose 12 flew to Red Nab from the north side at 11:30. On these tides they are not flushed from Red Nab at high water, and often stay untill the tide leaves the rocks.

Shelduck 14

Wigeon 248

Bar-Tailed Godwit 10 - one flock flew south

Bar-Tailed Godwit

This Robin was feeding along the sea wall, normally Rock Pipit territory. It seemed to be finding plenty of small "things" to eat. I zoomed in to try and make out what they were, but I still couldn't see anything. Hopefully it was sufficiently nutritious.

These Turnstone were also feeding on tiny items on No.1 outflow, it appeared to be precarious but I don't suppose it is, when you can actually fly.

By way of a change, Janet took this shot of a female Kestrel on the Barrows
It's normally a male seen hunting 

We are now moving away from the spring tides. Howard has been checking the roosting Knots for any that are colour ringed/flagged. It has been hard work. Viewing on the Heliport wall is difficult with overgrown vegetation, plus raptor disturbance has made the flocks flighty. And even when he managed a good view, only a very small proportion are marked, on one tide only 2 birds out of 2,000 were colour marked, and one of those was illegible! Even so perseverance has been rewarded and he has identified several birds over this set of tides. 

This isn't the ornithological equivalent of train spotting. These schemes are designed to identify the movements of the Knot and the results provide strong support when identifying areas that need to be preserved, to ensure that the Knot continue to have a future. (MD)