Black Redstart continues to entertain

Another dry overcast day with a light ENE wind.

North shore

Pete checked the sea but nothing moving.

Stonechat pair on gorse on the north side of the harbour

South Shore:

Black Redstart 1 female type. Still on Ocean Edge foreshore, initially quite mobile, but became more sedentary after a visiting bird photographer left it some mealworms (c150m along from the gate). Several observers saw it, at least till 13:30.

These shots by Edward Wilkinson ( not the mealworm provider)

Female type Black Redstart 

These fine shots of a Cormorant on Red Nab also from Edward

Rock Pipits 5

A "crest" flitting along the sea wall before being lost into the Power Station, was only seen from behind, but probably just  a Goldcrest (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 - there were 4 having a drink and a bath in the freshwater runoff at Red Nab, very early in the tide. They then flew to the north side. Later 31 flew to Red Nab from the north and later still joined by another 4. After high water, Pete Crooks saw 39 returning to Red Nab from the south, so there must have been two groups of 4. These are the 31 arriving on the rising tide.

Shelduck 67

Wigeon 200

Mallard pair in off from the south

Great Crested Grebe 1 feeding by No.1 outflow where the Shag has been feeding recently, there must be suitable prey there at the moment.

Shag 1 adult had been near the waterfall then flew to the middle of the harbour.

It then flew to the wooden jetty. It normally flies low over the water, but today it gained height and did a circuit of the harbour before flying out.

High flying Shag

2 goldcrest in the tallest fir tree by the white barrier in the Nature Park - Angela Gillon

Imperial Rd (EW)

Shots by Edward Wilkinson 

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Common Buzzard

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Still 4 Goosander on the "no swimming" pond.

One of the three female Goosanders

Cetti's warbler one singing from the reed bed in the SE corner of the main pond. Two birds seen flitting between the reeds.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at least 1

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker 

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

There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis at 08:55, but it was seen by several observers later in the day. 

This is a nice comparison shot by Edward Wilkinson.
Little Egret with Glossy Ibis

Not bad again.

An overcast but dry day. The east wind slightly fresher than yesterday 

South Shore

Black Redstart 1 female type was still on Ocean Edge foreshore this morning but mobile and elusive at times. Last seen just before lunch.

It was seen by several observers, these are my shots at 09:30 (Malcolm)

Black Redstart 

Great White Egret 1flew east over Red Nab - Kevin Shaw

Meadow Pipit 8 - 4 grounded on the foreshore rocks and 2 x 2 over to north

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit 3

For comparison - This is one of Janet's shots of a Rock Pipit earlier this week

Stonechat 1 male behind Red Nab.

Male Stonechat

Pale Bellied Brent goose 30 at least on Red Nab

Greylag Goose 3 SE

Shag 1 adult initially resting on the wooden jetty

Shag (left) with a Cormorant 

But not long after it was feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow again.

This Cormorant had caught a reasonably sized Bass near No.2 outflow. Too large to swallow easily when it is thrashing around. They drown them by breaking their gill filaments and taking them under. It doesn't take long, it was all over in a minute. This is a series of clips, you can see on its last dive the Bass is no longer moving, despite the Cormorant prompting it to. This time, when the Cormorant resurfaces the Bass is already in swallowing position and it is soon gone.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond confirmed that the 4 Goosander are still present.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Black Redstart best of a pretty decent day

A light east wind. Sunny till mid afternoon when it clouded over, but remained dry.

South Shore

Black Redstart 1 female type. 

Located at Red Nab late morning by Kevin Eaves

It was seen till 14:00 then moved off somewhere. But it returned later and was relocated by Alan Physick half way along Ocean Edge foreshore in the late afternoon.

It wasn't there when I checked earlier in the morning at high water (Malcolm). But on the scrub near the lighthouse there were

Stonechat 3 - a male plus two female, there were still two female when Kevin got there later, probably the same two. One flew across the harbour towards the sandworks.

This is Kevin's shot of the female that remained on the south side

These are the two earlier females, Kevin's bird is probably the
upper bird here. The lower female was a paler bird

This is the paler female

Male Stonechat

This is the darker of the two females

Pale-bellied Brent goose 38. They were hard to count on Red Nab as these neap tides barely reach it and there are many rocks and ledges to obscure view. I eventually decided there were 31, but when they flew to the north side there was actually 38.

Pale-bellied Brent geese flying to the north side 

Shelduck 55

Wigeon 200

Eider 1 male in harbour mouth

Shag 1 adult feeding along the seaward edge of No.1 outflow.

Rock Pipits 6, including 2 near the lighthouse being surprisingly tolerant of the Stonechats

Peregrine Falcon 2 at least

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Male plus 3 female Goosander 

Male Goosander

Female Goosander

This one was taking a drink

This one was trying to locate a fish to dive for

Two of five Gadwall on the "no swimming" pond

Gadwall pair

Male Mallard

Male Pheasant 

The pair of Mute Swans are progressing with nest building

Cetti's Warbler 3 at least singing

Goldcrest 1 

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

Glossy Ibis plus Green Sandpiper feeding in the afternoon at least.

Four Goosander and a Zebra hunting clip

A dry and sunny day with a light SE wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve

Otter - spraint seen by the main pond yesterday, first one for ages. Linda Renshaw.

I just did a quick check of the "no swimming" pond (Malcolm)

Goosander now 4. A male plus 3 female. I've still not seen one feeding, but that surely must be why they are here.

Little Grebe 1

Grey Heron 2 - unusually, they were flying around together and making soft calls, unlike their normal hoarse croaking. You can just make out a couple of calls at the start of this clip.

Cetti's warbler 4 singing - central marsh 1, "no swimming" pond 2 and main pond 1.

Sparrowhawk 1

Song Thrush

Janet checked the main pond a little later.

Tufted Duck

One of several Mallard

One of many Black-Headed gulls

Small Tortoiseshell

Heysham skear - low water 14:10 (MD)

Little Egret just 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 resting on the sea to the west of the skear.

(Later 29  per David Yates)

Eider 16

Red-breasted Merganser 4. These are a pair preening together

Great Crested Grebe 1 in summer plumage feeding close to the shore.  These are two clips joined together, the first is just it diving. The second, resulting from this dive it catches a small fish, but for some reason it wasn't going down properly, so it brings it back up and then swallows it again without a problem.

Shag 1 adult resting on Conger rock. 

Initially it had to play second fiddle to a Cormorant 

When the Cormorant left the Shag took the top spot

And it wasn't for relinquishing top spot when another Cormorant arrived. It looks quite pleased with itself when it is accepted as being dominant.

It was facing the wind most of the time, which tended to flatten its crest.
But it was more obvious when it looked the other way.

Waders similar to recent.

Alba Wagtail 1 north

The water must be warming slightly as the anemones are opening again

This is the Zebra hunting clip, not some intrepid "white hunter" bravely slaughtering Zebras on the Serengeti. But a Zebra Spider tackling a fly almost twice its size on the south sea wall. Taken by Kevin Eaves today, it was the first he's seen here this year. (Not one for arachnophobes!)

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

Glossy Ibis - it wasn't there during a quick passing look in the morning, but it was entertaining several birders in the afternoon. 

Rock Pipits return to the Head, 3 Goosander and first butterfly of the year.

Another dry and largely sunny day. The light wind initially from SE but ended up from the west.

Brimstone butterfly 1 male flew through Janet's garden this morning.

Heysham Head 

Report from John Dent:

I noticed a couple of weeks ago you mentioned looking for rock pipits on Heysham Head.

My daily walk is usually round the Head and I have also been looking for the pipits.

Today is the first day I have seen any there. At least three birds possibly four were around the usual nest site.

One was being territorial and chased off one of the others.

No sign of the Kestrel this last few weeks, it was a regular through the Winter.

Imperial Rd (MD)

Mute Swan 2 adult

Greylag Goose 3

Mistle thrush 2 - one had been singing. It attracted another, they both perched on the pylon near the bypass roundabout.

This is the bird that had been singing perched high on the pylon

The second one perched lower but was keeping an eye on the other bird.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond, there was a lot of noisy landscape work underway around the main pond.

The Mute pair were preparing a nesting platform.

Goosander 3  - a second female had joined them. Can't say the male looks overly enthusiastic 

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

South shore (JP, MD)

Shelduck 49

Two of the Shelduck on Red Nab

Wigeon 150

Little Egret 3

This bird resting on the divider in the middle of No.2 outflow looked "interesting " (Malcolm)

Turned out to be just a Redshank resting in an unusual manner 
Possibly ill, but there had been a lot of frantic wader activity further out and they were clearly being
attacked, probably by a Peregrine. Perhaps this Redshank had been hit but escaped and needed a rest.

Rock,Pipit 5

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

Glossy Ibis - Janet took some stunning shots today.

It has a grub in this shot

This one shows the current stage of its moult