A bit of a washout!

It rained all day, it rained very hard all day! The strong wind started from SE before moving to west by the afternoon, and becoming even stronger.

Just my stuff so far, and precious little of that (MD)

South shore 

A morning check along the sea wall, but only as far as No.2 outflow. The wind at that time, was in the wrong direction to blow in any sea birds and only Black-Headed Gulls and a couple of Common gulls on the outflow. 

Pale-bellied Brent geese 30 feeding on Red Nab. Literally feeding on top of Red Nab, the gutweed is so sparse now the geese had to clamber over the rocks to search any out. At least it gave an opportunity to see if any were ringed, but none seen.

Shelduck 7

Wigeon 100+

Imperial Rd

Buzzard 1 sat on the fence posts by the field on the west side watching a group of thrushes feed. These included:

Mistle Thrush 2

Blackbird 1

Redwing 7

Roe Deer 2 female

This female Roe deer is actually from yesterday, the torrential rain during today's 
visit wasn't conducive to photography 

Just out of the recording area - Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis 1

Green Sandpiper 1

Hopefully should be more productive tomorrow.

Wind blows in some gulls of interest

 Very strong overnight SW winds only eased slightly. Some showers and the odd sunny spell.

South shore

No Brent again on Red Nab, but 16 Pale-bellied Brent flew north presumably directly from Potts Corner.

Pale-bellied Brent geese cutting across the strong wind

Shelduck 17

Wigeon 100

Kevin managed to stand still long enough to get this nice shot of 
a Grey Plover, sheltering on the rocks by No.1 outflow

Mediterranean gull 1 adult seen briefly by Pete and Jean on the seaward end of No.1 outfall.

Little Gull 3 probably 4. Pete and Jean saw a 3rd calendar year at the seaward end of No.1 outflow. Plus two adults slowly flying out as seen from back of the harbour. 

This adult was on the sea wall end of No.2 outflow when I checked earlier in the tide (MD)

 Little gull, the low bright sun making its underwings look quite pale at times

Peregrine Falcon 1 - in these strong offshore winds the Peregrines often just hang on the wind as it is deflected upwards from the sea wall.

Peregrine Falcon

This shot of Janet's shows what the Peregrine are looking for
 Redshank, resting on the sea wall

Cormorant from a slightly different angle

Nature Park

Janet was sharing her peanut chips again

Coal Tit

Dunnock, as Janet says a lovely little bird and often overlooked

Great Tit giving a nice display of its wing feathers.

Just out of the recording area - Middleton Parish Hall. 

The Glossy Ibis is still feeding on and around the Horse Paddock. Also around today, Grey wagtail 1, Pied Wagtail 2, Redwing 6. Always worth a visit.

Wet and windy......with more to come

A strong south wind freshened all day ending very strong. The rain started just after 09:00 then continued all day.

South shore (MD)

I had a walk along the sea wall as it was getting "light", but in reality there wasn't anything you could call daybreak, it just got slightly less grey. No sign of the Glossy Ibis, but if it did roost on the wooden jetty it could have already left, all the Cormorants were already feeding.

No Brent Geese were on Red Nab, despite the tide still surrounding it.

Wigeon 200

Shelduck 21

Shag 1 - the most mature looking bird was in the harbour.

Sub adult Shag

By this time the rain had started and I could only use my small pocket camera, but the Shag was close to the platforms and providing good views.

This is the Shag with a Cormorant for comparison 

Shag and Cormorant 

Grey Seal 1 at least feeding in No.2 outflow. It just occasionally popped its head up for a breath, but the large gulls had spotted it and were waiting along the rails for it to catch their breakfast. The seal doesn't show in this clip, but the gulls can clearly see its dark shape below the water and kept adjusting their position to be ready when the time came. I'd already been rained on enough for one day so left them to it.

Rock Pipit 6-7, two near the lighthouse, one along the sea wall and three, possibly four on the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 5 at the saltmarsh 

Just out of the recording area Middleton Parish Hall (MD).

On the way home I checked the horse paddock behind the Hall to see if the Ibis had returned. It had.

Ibis roosting in recording area, for now at least.

A fresh SE wind. Reasonably dry after a wet start, but with a few ill timed showers.

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard 1

Kestrel 1 male

2 each, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Jay

Redwing 19

Goldfinch 12

Greenfinch 1

Teal 1

Common Snipe 1 

Water Rail 1 squealing 

South Shore (MD)

Glossy Ibis 1 - it had been seen a few times at the horse paddock at Middleton today, so I thought I would check if it was using the platform in the harbour for a roost again (this is where it was first seen on Christmas eve). So I went down late afternoon, it was almost dark and I was heading back along the sea wall when the gulls started alarm calling. 

16:30 - The Ibis was flying high above them to the west. Unfortunately it had just started to rain, not much but enough to pack my camera away. I doubt I would have got a decent shot anyway. It was heading towards the wooden jetty so I walked back but it was too dark to pick anything out. I checked the platforms in the harbour, but it wasn't there. Presumably it had landed somewhere on the jetty, but wether it will continue to do so during the up coming storms remains to be seen.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 51 were seen briefly by Jean and Pete at Half Moon Bay, a little later, they flew into Red Nab. Very early in the tide for them here, but it turned out that they only came for a drink and a bath in the freshwater run off. It's funny how they travel as one then bicker and spit up in to small social/family groups 

Although some did split up, about 10 minutes after arriving 36 headed back to the north side.

Shelduck 10

Wigeon 250 

Some of the Wigeon coming in

Cormorant c70 - these are some resting on the shore.

Shag 1 probably 2 immature on the wooden jetty.

This is what the wooden jetty looked like when I arrived, quite dark, but you can make out the cormorants
 The smaller birds are Starlings, they were coming in all the time.
This is only 16:10. Another 20 minutes before the Ibis arrives!

This is just one of several lots of Starlings coming in, on calmer evenings they all murmurate together, but this evening the separate groups landed quite quickly.

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female feeding in the harbour mouth.

Grey seal 3 - 2 were feeding close in at No.2 outflow plus this one that had already caught a fish. This clip is the seaward end of No.2 outflow, but the seal had caught the fish closer to shore, I saw it making its way down the outflow (before the gulls spotted it)

Not a great deal today

Just a light (-0.5°C) overnight frost, but much of the frozen water remains frozen. A mainly dry day with sunny spells. A fresh west wind.

Heysham skear - low water 12:00 (MD)

The west wind might have brought in the warmer weather, but it still felt bitterly cold! We are back to neap tides and only the inner and middle skear exposed. Very little seen on the sea, just a few Cormorants and

Eider 6

There seemed to be more waders, but largely as the outer skear wasn't available to them today.

Oystercatcher 2000

Curlew 50 (although the north of the inner skear where they tend to congregate wasn't checked).

Redshank 100

Knot 400

Dunlin 20

Turnstone 50

Ringed Plover 24

Grey Plover 2

This shot shows just how well camouflaged Grey Plovers are in this terrain 

This shot showing the distinctive black "arm pit" of a Grey Plover is actually from yesterday 

Imperial Rd (MD)

Still,a number of waders feeding in the field to the east of the road:

Oystercatcher 2

Curlew 15

Lapwing 29

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just an evening check of the two main ponds.

Jackdaw 100+ milling around pre roost

The "no swimming" pond was completely frozen and bereft of wildfowl

There was quite a decent sized area of open water on the Main pond.

Mute Swan pair + 7 immature 

Mallard 25

Gadwall 2 male

Coot 5

Moorhen 2

This immature mute appeared to have been driven onto the ice.

It took it ages to make its way back to a secluded area of open water.

It seemed very pleased to be back in the water, but as soon as it was back the mute that I suspected of chasing it off in the first place made a bee line for it. Things didn't look good!

But it was just to say, "welcome back". I do like a happy ending!

Just out of the recording area, Glossy Ibis reported behind Middleton Parish Hall 13:45 but not seen when checked at 14:30 or 16:15. 

Ibis still around and plenty of mammals

It got down to -5.7°C overnight but shot up to 3.5°C by 14:00! Sunshine all day with a light breeze that ended up from the west, promising "warmer" weather to come.

North Shore (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 55 out from the play area. Similar numbers on Red Nab in the evening.

Heysham Head wooded area

There were lots of Thrushes feeding amongst the leaf litter, but as soon as I arrived three large manic dogs cleared the area. These are minimum numbers

Blackbird 9

Song Thrush 1

Redwing 6

Redwing catching the morning sun, but still with its feathers 
fluffed out to protect against the cold.

The Song Thrush was the only one to return to the ground, despite the noise of a chainsaw in the background.

These three Foxes were in the horse paddocks by Knowsly Rd. It appears to be a female with at least one male with amorous intentions. I'm not sure if being sprayed with urine is a good or a bad sign!

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard

The field where the Ibis and Curlew had been feeding was white with frost and presumably frozen. It was being patrolled by a fox again, but it clearly had a problem with at least one of its legs and would be unlikely to post a threat to any healthy bird. Still, it marked out its territory and continued on its way.

Heysham Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a short afternoon check.

Jay 1

Roe Deer 1

Fox 1 - another with a bad leg, but this time a front leg. It is the time of year when foxes mate, so presumably their obvious presence today is all about attracting a mate or repelling unwanted competition or suitors. This male also marks out his territory.

South shore (MD)

Just the saltmarsh to Red Nab checked:

This is  a Peregrine Falcon chasing a gull at Ocean Edge entrance. Sometimes the young ones practice their skills by spooking the gulls, but this seemed more determined. Only managed to get the last couple of seconds as I had to unpack my camera, but it had been hounding the gull for at least 30 seconds (makes a change from fox videos).

Saltmarsh 

Jack Snipe 2 individuals accidentally flushed as I walked around the saltmarsh edge. I wouldn't normally expect them to be there, the tide was nowhere near and the saltmarsh itself wasn't frozen. Both birds relocated on the marsh.

Rock Pipit 2

Reed Bunting 7 probably 8

Dunnock 3

Robin 2 + 3 on foreshore 

Wren just 1 today. 

Grey Seal 1 male just out from the foreshore. There can't be more than 1m of depth here at this point.

Just out of the recording area

Middleton Parish Hall - Pete advised that the Glossy Ibis had been reported there for the first time since Monday. I was out and about so I checked it out (Malcolm). Sure enough it was in the field next to the horse paddock and looking well and healthy. It had a preen then a doze (albeit with one eye open), despite a  Cockerel constantly crowing. I suspect it thought it was a rival.

By this time (14:30) the sun had thawed the frost off the grass and presumably the ground was again soft enough for it to catch worms, it certainly didn't look to be starving.

Heysham Moss Nature Reserve

Janet checked late morning

Treecreeper 2 at least, feeding high in the trees where the sun had warmed them up a little.

Treecreeper 

Long-Tailed Tit

Wren

Grey Squirrel 

Roe Deer 7 at least (I can't recall a higher single location count than this (MD))

At first there was a group of three, then further on in the opposite direction to where they ran I spotted four more.

Four Roe rumps

Roe deer doe

Roebuck, you can see his velvet covered antlers forming

Doe and buck

High Brent numbers, and some cold weather movement

What a difference to yesterday! Another freezing night, but not as deep a freeze as expected (coldest point was -1.9°C just after 08:00). A dry and sunny day with a light and sometimes nonexistent north breeze.

Heysham skear - low water 10:00 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 48 flew from the play area, circled and landed in the SE skear corner at low water. Probably spooked by dog walkers, but I have noticed previously that they seem to like to confirm that the tide has turned. More Brent later. This clip isn't great visually as the light was behind them, but you can hear them calling as they fly towards me. I love their soft grunting call!

Eider 25

Wigeon 1

Red-breasted Merganser 3

Great Crested Grebe 4

No Little Egret

Waders - just the inner and middle skear checked, there were many more, particularly Oystercatcher on the outer skear.

Oystercatcher 1,000

Curlew 125

Redshank 150

Knot 200 in several small feeding groups.

Turnstone 60

Ringed Plover 23

Dunlin 8

Grey Plover 3 - I can't ever recall seeing Grey Plover on the skear before. No obvious reason why, their camouflage is perfect and they seemed to be finding plenty to eat. This one was taking a rest from feeding and was just watching the world go by. Its world in this instance comprising, Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Dunlin.

Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover

It was a beautiful morning for my first proper walk on the skear for three months!
At least there are plenty of rocks to rest on when my legs got weary. Malcolm

Imperial Rd (MD)

I called in on my way home from the skear. No sign of the Glossy Ibis (both here and a quick check of the horse paddock at Middleton). But where it had been feeding the other day were:

Curlew 75

Lapwing 15

Mistle Thrush 4

I called in again later in the afternoon and the above where all gone. The culprit was a Fox patrolling the field, no doubt what flushed the Curlew and Ibis the other evening.

Buzzard 1

South shore

I just checked from Red Nab to the saltmarsh as the tide was covering both (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 68 - these included the two Canadian ringed birds with a first winter bird. Also a white ringed bird, probably the Icelandic ringed bird seen before. These are just some of them just before they began leaving to the south.

They didn't all leave together, in order of departure: 39, 15, 6 and 8

Shelduck 20

Wigeon 200+

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 3

Waders included:

Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Knot 1 and Grey Plover 1

The Knot (left) and Grey Plover had been resting on a rock together, before being moved on by the tide

Saltmarsh:

Common Snipe 5

Reed Bunting 3

Wren 6 (typically no more than 3 seen)

Dunnock 5 (typically 2)

Rock Pipit 3 - 1 plus these 2 together

This is the lone Rock Pipit

Song Thrush 2 - this one breaks open a snail shell. They normally have a stone chosen specially for this (a thrushes anvil), but this one must be newly arrived, not only was the stone it used not ideal, there were no other discarded shells around it (the whistles in the background are Wigeon).

Robin just the single regular bird - I thought it slightly unusual that there were no more (as the Wrens and Dunnock). But Janet provided the answer.

Nature Park

Janet purchased some peanut chips in error. Her garden birds weren't impressed, so she has been leaving some on the posts near the white barrier. This is the area that other visitors also leave food. The Nature Park birds gather there in numbers and seem to particularly like Janet's peanut chips:

Robin 6 at least - they do seem to forego their territorial behaviour in cold weather.

Male Bullfinch waiting in the wings

A particularly handsome Great Tit

Male Blackbird 

Female/immature Blackbird 

It's mainly about the weather!

Overnight freezing snow was just beginning to thaw when the heavy morning snow began. It turned to rain late morning and the remaining snow soon disappeared. The SW wind became very strong in the afternoon with some heavy squalls.

This is a nice record shot of Jeff Gorse's Treecreeper in St Peter's church
grounds on Friday. Treecreeper are not overly common here.

Imperial Rd today (MD)

I checked for the Ibis early on before the heavy morning snow began. No Ibis but there were 50 Curlew feeding where it had been yesterday. It was beginning to snow harder now, you can tell how dry it was as the snow "flakes" click when they strike the camera.

A second check after lunch saw at least 70 Curlew and more, presumably displaced from further inland, were arriving all the time. 

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just the main pond checked, to see if any of the resting gulls were ringed. None were.

Black-Headed gulls resting on the ice

Mute pair plus 7 immature 

Coot 5

Coot

Moorhen 4

Mallard 27

Mallard

Gadwall 6

Redshank, male Gadwall and Mallard

South shore (MD)

It was 2 hours before high water but the strong SW wind had already blown the tide in and the waves had emptied Red Nab.

The sea was wild, but this was the first serious wind for ages and it had only been blowing 
a couple of hours. Too soon to push any birds of interest in.

This is the Pilot boat, just leaving the protection of the harbour.

This Grey Wagtail was on one of the harbour platforms yesterday (I forgot to post it)

And that's about it!

The only other place I checked was just of the recording area to see if the Ibis was behind Middleton Parish Hall. The extra ponies had gone but there was snow on the ground and the ground water was frozen. Not surprisingly, no sign of the Ibis.

This is the area where the Ibis has been feeding, and this is before the heavy snow!
Heavy frost forecast overnight, have we seen the last of the Ibis? Hopefully not. (Malcolm)