Lots of corvids

An overnight frost resulting in ice on the shallow pools. Followed by a showery day with a light NE breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Mute Swan 2 adult on the main pond chasing the remaining 4 immature birds around. Unfortunately 1 immature was also dead on the peninsula. Foxes had been eating it but would not have killed it.

Little Grebe 2 on the main pond.

Goosander 2 a male and a female on the no swimming pond (historically, Goosander have been very scarce here, but there has been a significant increase in recent years, no doubt related to the developing fish stocks - for years there were no fish in these ponds)

This is the female

Lots of corvid activity today, much of it to do with defining territories.

Raven 1 at least - individual bird seen on three occasions but possibly all the same mobile bird.

3 Carrion Crows managed to see off this Raven

Carrion Crow 9

No Jackdaw despite large numbers roosting overnight 

Magpie 28 including this bickering group(s) of 18

Reed Bunting 1 male

Cetti's Warbler 2 singing males (main and "no swimming" ponds)

Jack Snipe 1 - accidentally flushed from the west bank of the main pond.

Jack Snipe

South shore (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 22 visible on Red Nab, but probably others obscured by the far rocks.

Wigeon 220

Shelduck 6

Eider 1 female

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty

This Black-Headed gull has found a fish too large for it to easily swallow

This clip shows it being chased by two other Black-Headed gulls (note the Eider on the sea at one point). But when a young Common gull joins in with the chase the BHG realises that it is hopeless and drops the fish.

The Common Gull makes off with the fish, the BHGs chase a while, then give up
The Common Gull then quickly headed out of the area to avoid the larger gulls pinching his prize.

Rock Pipit 3 - 2 and 1 along the sea wall

Imperial Rd (MD)

Again, just a quick check in passing.

Buzzard 1 flew of to SE

Greylag goose 17

Teal 4

Roe Deer 1 buck. As well as the obvious masculine features (antlers etc) you can tell he's a male as he doesn't have the white rump tuft sported by the females at this time of year.

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still feeding 

Two Goosander

A bitingly cold east wind in the morning drifted more to SE and became less cold. Rain started mid morning and didn't really stop for the rest of the day.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm)

Heysham skear - low water 09:10

Pale-bellied Brent goose 29 - they were sat in the SE corner hunkered down against the cold wind. There is nothing for them to eat here this year.

Eider 43

Red-breasted Merganser 11

Great Crested Grebe 2

Little Egret 2

Oystercatcher 1500

Knot 1000

Redshank 40

Turnstone 30

Curlew 25

Dunlin 12

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I just called on on my way home to see if the Goosander was still around. Not only was the male still on the "no swimming" pond, he had been joined by a female.

Female Goosander 

Male Goosander

Also on the pond this morning were; Gadwall 2, Tufted Duck 1 and Coot 2. Just a female Gadwall and a Coot missing from this clip.

Two of the Little Grebes on the main pond were feeding together.

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing from "no swimming" pond

Imperial Rd

Just a brief in passing check this afternoon

Raven 1 resting on top of the trees near the recycling centre gates. It showed no inclination to move, despite several Magpies that were clearly uncomfortable with it.

Raven

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis feeding in the morning at least.

Dock eating weevil found in the dock! And a nice variety of birds.

Another dry day, but mainly overcast. A light SW wind.

South shore

I had a walk out on the rising tide (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 28 flew from the north side to Red Nab. They are approaching the Roundhead (past the not very buoyant buoy - see yesterday's post)

Shelduck 2

Wigeon 230 

Little Egret 3

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty

Adult Shag with Cormorants 

Redshank 80

Rock Pipit 2

Peregrine Falcon 2 both idly flying around. This one just hanging on the breeze as it is deflected up the sloping sea wall.

The other had somewhere to go.

This Carrion Crow was removing the last morsels from what little there remained of a
Starling. No doubt an earlier victim of a raptor. At least nothing is wasted in nature 

And this is what today's title refers to. Thanks to Kevin for the shot and Alison for the identification.

This Weevil is probably Apion frumentarium. One of the Dock Weevils.

It was in the scrub near the harbour wall. When Kevin said it was one of the "Dock Weevils", I imagined a weevil that preferred to live in docklands. Turns out that Dock is just their favoured food plant (sorry if today's title was potentially misleading. Malcolm)

Imperial Rd (MD)

A very quick evening check

Buzzard 1

Wood Pigeon 16

Stock Dove 1

Stock Dove

Goldfinch 25 - they were making a right racket in this tree, not feeding, just bickering.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I went down this evening to see how the Glossy Ibis behaved today (Malcolm). 

Completely different to the other day when it flew around for at least 3 minutes. Today it lifted at 17:34 just flew low over a couple of rooftops and disappeared somewhere in or around Middleton village.

Wood Pigeon 35 went to roost

Stock dove 7 at least went to roost

Four Stock Dove with these Wood Pigeon

Goosander 1 male on the "no swimming" pond.

A nice view of his hooked bill tip

In this clip, first a Dunnock sings, then a Cetti's Warbler

This clip provides a more all round view.

The immature Swan in the above clip had just been exiled from the main pond by the two adults. Didn't see any ducks other than Mallard. Still at least 2 Little Grebes on the main pond.

Unexpected Canadas

A morning shower then dry till heavy rain started in the evening (exactly opposite to yesterday). A south wind.

South shore (MD)

I was half way along the sea wall when Janet messaged to say that Brent Geese were feeding out from the play area on the north side. The tide was rising quickly and I expected them to come past the roundhead at any minute. Sure enough a flock of 14 dark geese came into sight. But not the expected Brent they were Canada geese.

They continued low SE towards the Lune estuary 

Canada Geese

Pale-bellied Brent goose 27 - not long after the Canadas these too flew past the Roundhead and landed on Red Nab.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Wigeon 248 - none on the sloping wall today, they only seem to feed there when it is raining. Perhaps it just gets less disturbed when it's raining.

Shelduck 6

Little Egret 3 - this one was flying at head height along the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 3 - one on Red Nab and two on the sea wall between the outflows. The male here had been displaying, not seen one displaying at this spot before. The subsequent courtship behaviour can only be described as "making advances".

Not successful on this occasion (probably shouldn't have had a snack mid wooing) 

On this set of spring tides, the smaller of the two buoys out from the north wall has been sinking when the tide was running quickly. It was halfway sunk when I reached the lighthouse today.

The south (left) buoy is already half submerged 

Presumably there is something tangled on its chain that drags it down when the tide is running quickly. It was disappearing as I watched.

I bet you never expected to spend half a minute of your life watching a buoy sink! Exciting stuff. You don't get this on other blogs (Malcolm)

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis in the field next to the paddock this afternoon at least.

Ibis in the recording area again, albeit for just a few seconds.

The expected rain held off till mid morning, but then continued till 15:30. After which it cleared for a pleasant evening. The wind was from SSE to begin with but ended up SW.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm)

South shore

No sign of any Brent geese today, a passing check from Knowlys Rd couldn't see any out from the play area. None arrived at Red Nab later, although there was still time for them to turn up after I had left.

It was raining slightly as I walked out along the sea wall, not a problem with the wind at my back. But on the return leg it was lashing down and being driven into my face.

Wigeon 212 - most waiting to feed on Red Nab, but these were feeding on the slightly longer gutweed on the sloping wall, just beyond No.1 outflow.

And that was it really, no Shag seen again and not even any Rock Pipits seen today. A good soaking with little reward!

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Fortunately the clouds cleared in the evening and I had a very pleasant walk around the reserve.

Wildfowl as yesterday other than the adult Swans were back on the "no swimming" pond. At least 5 additional Moorhen (12 in total). A Little Grebe on Tim Butler pond was probably additional to yesterday's 3 on the main pond. Although I only saw/heard 2 on the main pond today.

Common Snipe 1

Cetti's Warbler 2 singing - one from the reed bed in the SE corner of the main pond and one from the "no swimming" pond. The main pond bird actually did a short burst at the end of this clip of the Tufted duck, but the camera didn't really pick it up. You might just be able to make it out.

Buzzard 1 to the east, almost certainly one of the Imperial Rd birds

Jay 1

I went up the hill on the south side of the reserve hoping that the Glossy Ibis might fly towards the harbour to roost this evening.  At 17:30 it began flying around and continued for about 3 minutes.

Glossy Ibis, clearly in moult.

This clip is where I thought it was going to fly over me and head to the harbour, but it changed its mind and flew back to the village, even so it was over the reserve for a while.

It appears to land in the above clip, but if it did it was soon flying around again. It did several sorties like this, this was the last one. Unfortunately, I lost focus just before it disappeared, but it was definitely somewhere in Middleton village.

Jackdaw 49 roosting in the reserve plus at least as many further east. Interestingly they no longer react to the Ibis flying around.

Stock Dove 2

Several wagtails flew west mainly Pied but at least one Grey Wagtail.

Less waders, more Peregrine

A dry day with sunny spells. A light but chilly NE wind

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm)

South shore

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 31 - most in this clip just before they flew from Red Nab

Wigeon 120

Shelduck 10

When I set off the tide was just reaching Red Nab, but the mud beyond was already empty of small waders. Along the sea wall were 2 Peregrine Falcon. One just resting and the other idly flying around, neither looked hungry!

Peregrine Falcon

I struggled keeping the flying bird in focus, mainly as it is not easy filming something directly overhead, but at least this short clip shows the lack of purpose of this flight, it was effectively resting on the wing.

No Shag seen today, but still plenty of Cormorants 

Can't say I've ever seen a Cormorant resting inside the derelict lighthouse on the wooden jetty before

These two Cormorants were resting on the same rock on Red Nab, both last year's youngsters, but one appears so much larger than the other.

Grey Wagtail 1 feeding along the sea wall

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a short afternoon walk

Mute Swan 2 adult plus 2+2 immature being harried by the adults 

Mallard 16

Gadwall 5

Tufted Duck 1 male

Teal 6

Coot 6

Moorhen 7

Little Grebe 3 on the main pond. One near the reed bed on the eastern edge. Plus this one on the west side swimming towards a trilling bird in the opposite reed beds.

Jay 1

Stock Dove 2

Cetti's Warbler 1 burst of song from the western marsh

Pheasant 1 male constantly calling

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Both the Glossy Ibis and the Green Sandpiper were feeding in the field next to the horse paddock this afternoon.

They are both in this clip, with the sandpiper showing glimpses of its white rump.

Green Sandpiper

Sunday morning along the south wall, always worth a walk.

A cool night, just above freezing, followed by a dry sunny day. The light east breeze freshened towards evening.

South shore (PC, JP, MD)

Report from Pete Crooks:

Rock Pipit – 4 between Red Nab and Heysham Harbour.

Peregrine – 1 roosting on Heysham 2 Power Station.

Shag – adult-type roosting on one of the structures near the outflow pipe in SW corner of harbour. It disappeared when some workmen in a boat appeared in that part of the harbour.

Cormorant – 70 roosting on the wooden pier and the outfall railings.

Pink-footed Goose 160 (skeins of 75 and 85) flew north across the Bay.

Red-throated Diver – 1 distant offshore, drifting into the Bay on the rising tide.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose – 33 flew over the wooden pier towards Red Nab at 9.55 am and settled on Red Nab. None were colour-ringed.

Some shots from Janet:

Some of today's Cormorants 

Female Eider near the wooden jetty

One of four Rock Pipits

Knot out from Ocean Edge, as yesterday being attacked by a Peregrine Falcon

I was a bit behind Janet, and took this clip of the Peregrine attacking the Knot (Malcolm). The clip begins with the Peregrine skimming over the flock left to right. Then an attack from the upper left, followed immediately by it heading left again. It must have caught one otherwise its momentum would have carried it on to the right. May be better to watch in slow motion (Peregrine are quite quick).

The only other things that I can add to the above is that towards high water the adult Shag was resting on the wooden jetty.

Reed Bunting 3 on the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 

A few more hints of spring

A dry and often sunny day. A very light, occasionally breathless, southerly breeze.

South shore (JP, MD)

I checked the shore out from Ocean Edge and Janet had a walk along the sea wall.

Skylark 2 north - both quite close to the eastern shoreline, one as I walked out towards the waterline and another on the way back. Presumably more in between.

Reed Bunting 1 on saltmarsh 

Pink-Footed goose 73 NW

Shelduck 74 feeding on the mud

Waders:

I started off doing a precise count, then this lot, mainly Godwits, landed.

I was just going to do a recount when a Peregrine lifted everything except the Oystercatchers and Curlew.

So I had to settle for estimates 

Oystercatcher 100

Curlew 40

Bar-Tailed Godwit 500

Knot 200

Dunlin 50

Grey Plover 1

Bar-Tailed Godwit, Knot and a Grey Plover

Pale-bellied Brent goose 30 flew from Red Nab to the south

The Brent geese fed for as long as possible on Red Nab rocks today 

Some of the Black-Headed gulls are well towards breeding plumage

Cormorants on the wooden jetty, Shag not seen today

Rock Pipit sat above the nest site near the lighthouse 

On the north side:

Mistle Thrush one singing in the trees at St Peter's church yard - ref Angela Gillon

31 Pale-bellied Brent

132 eider,

6 Red-breasted Merganser

3 Great Crested Grebe 

1515hrs from Knowlys - ref Pete(M)

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a passing check of the two main ponds

Mute 2 adult back on the main pond and 7 immature keeping their distance 

Mallard 10

Gadwall 5

Teal 3

Coot 6 

Moorhen 2

Little Grebe 1 - now moving to summer plumage.

Shortly after the above clip,p it caught a relatively large fish. It flew to the cover of the reeds before attempting to swallow it.

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard 1 - at this time (mid afternoon) there was almost no air movement. The pale morphed bird was just soaring and calling.

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming

Redwing 1

Redwing

Jackdaw 39 and Magpie 17 feeding in the field to the east of the road.

Teal 5

Moorhen 1

Roe Deer 1 

Fox (Vixen) 1. I know that at least one of the regular post readers, calls in to Imperial Rd when passing and sees most of the wildlife, but foxes keep evading. It's the right place, you just have to be lucky enough to be there at the right time.

Young Shag showing well, but not giving up its identity (just yet).

A dry and sunny day with a light west to SW wind.

South Shore (MD, JP)

I had a walk along the sea wall first on the rising tide (Malcolm). Janet was just starting as I was getting back.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 37 - this flock of 31 arrived first from the north side, followed a little later by 6 more.

Brent, Wigeon and Oystercatcher on Red Nab

Some of the Brent just before they flew off to the south

Wigeon 200

Even the Wigeon are arguing over grazing rights

Redshank 230+ were trying to fit on the wooden jetty planking (move along at the back please).

The Redshank weren't the only ones struggling to get onto the jetty. It looks like an earlier bird had pinched this Cormorant's "place".

There were several Cormorants feeding around No.2 outflow

Quite an impressive leap, but not up to Shag standards

Shag 1 first winter was showing very well in the harbour, it was swimming around the platforms when I checked.

1st winter Shag

It was close to the harbour wall, my initial thought was that it was indifferent to me. But it wasn't indifferent, it knew I was there and kept an eye on me, but just didn't care!

Later, when Janet checked it was on one of the platform's struts. Unfortunately, with its ringed right leg kept firmly out of sight.

Rock,Pipits 4 - one each Red Nab and lighthouse, two near the waterfall 

This Little Egret on Red Nab with the light behind it makes an interesting shot

On the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 2

Goldfinch 3

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Both the Glossy Ibis and Green Sandpiper seen today

Gutweed still in short supply

A few morning showers, then dry but overcast. A light SW wind

South shore (MD)

A check towards high water

Pale-bellied Brent goose 26 on Red Nab, but they left towards the south quite early in the tide. These are some of them, not long before they flew off. You can see how close cropped the gutweed is here, and tempers were becoming frayed.

Wigeon 140

Rock Pipit 2 - one on foreshore and a displaying male on Red Nab.

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard 2

Common Buzzard

This is it taking to the air, you can just hear a contact call above the Greenfinch chattering (the bird ziping past early in the clip is a Wood Pigeon)

Stock Dove 4 to the NW

Greylag Goose 29 feeding next to the road in the field to the east.

Pink-Footed goose two skeins - 24 south 58 north

Some of the northbound Pinkfoot flying over the pylons - it is glamorous here!

Heysham skear (MD)

A few more birds on the sea this evening.

Eider 36

Red-breasted Merganser 5

Great Crested Grebe 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10 rested in the SE skear corner a while, probably some of this morning's birds. Resting is all they can do here, there is absolutely no food for them. After a while they moved to the outer rocks from the promenade. You can see some green in this area where there is still some gutweed on the rocks. Not lush but at least there isn't 300+ Wigeon to share it with on this side.

Hopefully the longer and, possibly warmer, days ahead will allow the gutweed to grow faster than it is being eaten.

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

The Glossy Ibis was absent at 11:00 but seen at 12:00. Always worth waiting for if you want to see it.