Wet, but worthwhile

Opposite to recent days, a dry night, the rain started mid morning and showers continued for the rest of the day. A freshening SW wind.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm) and it rained each time I got out of my car!

Ocean Edge/Red Nab

Dark-bellied Brent Goose 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 69

I could see there were high numbers of Brent on Red Nab from the foreshore, this was the best angle to see them all so I took this clip. I hadn't realised at the time that the Dark-bellied was with them. It wasn't there when I reached Red Nab so it must have moved on. It is in this clip, the last Brents in the clip are the two Canadian ringed birds and their first winter, although you can only see the rings of one bird.

If you didn't spot the Dark-bellied in the above clip, this is the location 16 seconds into the clip

Wheatear 1 on Red Nab

Male Wheatear

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick passing check of the "no swimming" pond

Goosander 5 (1 male)

The mute pair were acting all lovey dovey, I had a good idea what was going to happen next.......

This is the Rookery spotted by Pete yesterday. It is just across the road from the horse paddock where the Ibis feeds. Fortunately on the recording area side of the road. The clip starts on two of the Rooks then pans out to show the nests and more Rooks.

Three of at least six Rooks

It will be interesting to see how this colony develops

North Shore

Knowing that the Canadian ringed birds were with the Brent flock prompted me to check the gutweed situation out from the play area. Close in it is lush and clearly untouched.

Gutweed, just part of large swathes near the sea wall by the play area.
The Brent aren't keen on feeding here but do some years when there is no other option.

Clearly the Brent have had other options this year, perhaps they have found a food supply further to the north. This afternoon 65 at least were feeding close to the shore edge of the inner skear. There is not much gutweed there but clearly preferable to feeding so close to the sea wall, and obviously enough for them. It isn't that they don't know there is more gutweed here, the Canadian ringed birds have fed here many times in previous years. I didn't see them fly off, but as I was leaving they had moved on, but not to the play area.

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

We have a Rookery (just)

Overnight showers stopped by 09:00. After that dry with sunny spells. A light wind switched from NE to NW.

Pete did a check of the sea from Knowlys Rd:

Goldeneye 1 female with Red-breasted Mergansers, then disappeared. Possibly flew north.

Red-Throated Diver 2 distant 

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Goosander 4 (no males) on the "no swimming" pond.

Female Goosander

Coot nest building

Moorhen

Reed Bunting 

Female Bullfinch 

Two of several Chiffchaff, this one ringed

Precariously balanced Wood Pigeon

The food around the main pond feeding area attracts plenty of Brown Rats. Contrary to their reputation they do endeavour to keep themselves clean.

Brown Rat

South shore (MD)

Shelduck 4

Wigeon 27

Red-breasted Merganser pair

Knot c1500 feeding just out from Red Nab.

Redshank 150

Peregrine Falcon 2 - but just watching on, presumably they had already eaten.

Peregrine Falcon

Carrion Crow 10 south in ones and twos.

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty. Quite distant, but it put a bit of a show on today.

Wheatear 1 male on foreshore

Rock Pipit 5 (one each, Red Nab, sea wall and lighthouse, 2 at the waterfall). This is the sea wall bird.

This Herring Gull has a small fish in the harbour. Not a species of fish normally seen here. It seems strange that it appears reluctant to eat it and that the other gulls totally ignored it. They normally squabble over every morsel, perhaps these too have already eaten. The fish is still alive, you may prefer the still below.

The fish is upside down in this shot. As with most fish it has a dorsal fin in the
middle of its back. But this fish has a second fin between the dorsal fin and the 
tail (caudal) fin. This is an adipose fin, which means this fish is one of the salmon 
family. A smolt, either a Sea Trout or a Salmon. It has just moved to the sea from one
 of our local rivers, hopefully there are many more about and at least some will make
 it. If it is a Salmon smolt, any that do make it can head as far as Greenland to feed 
before returning to the same river to breed. Sea Trout stay in more coastal waters,
although not in the bay.

Redwing 1 near Half Moon Bay Cafe

Other stuff from Pete:

Stonechat 1 female Imperial Rd

Rookery on recording area boundary in wood north side of road from ibis (3 nests plus adults).  Historically, Rooks have only been seen in the recording area on occasional autumn passage. 

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

A bit of synchronised courtship displaying

Again, another dry day after overnight rain. Warm and sunny by the afternoon, with a light west wind.

Heysham Nature Reserve (JP)

Brimstone Butterfly 

Greenfinch

Great Tit

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

"No swimming" pond

Mute Swan 2 adults feeding

Goosander 6 (2 males)

This is one of the males having a preen while a Wren sings its heart out

Teal 2

Coot 2

Little Grebe 1 feeding - it has a small fish here. This clip ends with a burst of song from a Cetti's Warbler.

Cetti's Warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 2 singing

Stock Dove 1

Sparrowhawk 1 - chased off by a Carrion Crow

Main pond

Mute Swan 5 immature, 2 with white plumage looking like a young pair.

Mallard 10 - it isn't often that Mallard prompts the post title. This female Mallard is already paired up, but 5 more males were trying to impress, although they looked like they were as much about impressing each other than the female. (Malcolm)

Gadwall 1

Male Gadwall

Coot 3

Moorhen 1

Little Grebe 1

Cetti's Warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 2 singing plus 3 others seen

Bumblebee sp or possibly a Cuckoo Bumblebee 

Heysham Skear - low water 14:00 (MD)

Little Egret 2

Pale-bellied Brent goose 41 - they were scattered all over the skear, not feeding (there is no gutweed here, a green tinge to the outer rocks from the play area suggests that there is more there now).

Two adult and a first winter Brent goose

There was no path to the skear edge without having to pass too close to some of them, so I chose to pass the above three as they were the smallest group. They flew to the water about 50m away, I wouldn't have disturbed them if they had been feeding, but they just moved from resting on the skear to resting on the water. By now the tide was coming in and the others also moved to the sea, some to the south side, but most to the north side. This is the north side group, there is wisps of gutweed available from some of the submerged rocks, a few of the geese were seeking this, but most just milled about.

Shag 1 adult resting on conger rock.

Initially sharing with a Great Black-Backed gull

But it was pleased when the gull left

Only to be replaced by a Cormorant 

Eider just 12

No sign of Great Crested Grebes or Red-breasted Mergansers.

Waders were significantly reduced too with the exception of Turnstone 120. There were 45 in this feeding group, leaving no stone unturned.

Oystercatcher 500

Knot 8

Redshank 40

Curlew 5

Bar-tailed Godwit 3 on the beach to the south of the skear.

Grey seal 1 - a cloud of gulls gave it away. Seals are very messy eaters and the gulls know it.

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Brambling best of a good mix

A few showers ended by 08:15. After that dry with some prolonged sunny spells. A light SW wind.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Jean managed the first ringing session of the year, the pick of the catch was

Brambling 1 x 1st winter female

North Shore (Pete)

Shag 1 adult feeding near conger rock

Pale-bellied Brent goose 22 in the same area

 

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD, JP)

Goosander 6, but a different mix today.

2 males, and what looks to be an adult female with a first winter bird, plus two more adult females (Malcolm)

They were still present when Janet checked later and took these excellent shots.

Male Goosander

Female Goosander

This one still has some of the pale face markings of an immature bird

Singing Chiffchaff, there were some moving but none singing when I checked.
But the later sunshine brought them into song

Cetti's Warbler 3 heard singing

At least two Goldcrest

This Reed Bunting has taken to hanging around and using the
feeders in the main pond car park

The warm morning sunshine also brought out the insects, several queen Bees were seen but too quick to identify.

Hoverfly sp

Seven Spot Ladybird 

Great Spotted Woodpecker pair, flew together to the southern section of the reserve.

South shore (MD)

A 10 minute morning check of the foreshore just as the last shower was easing found nothing grounded, but 14 Meadow Pipit north.

An afternoon walk along the sea wall

Wigeon just 84, they will not be with us much longer so I took a clip of this pair looking fine in breeding plumage.

In the Nature Park

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 2

Great spotted Woodpecker 1 male

Redwing 2

Redwing

Pink-footed geese flying south over Janet's house this afternoon 

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Good coverage

Heavy overnight rain, then showers in the morning started at 008:30. A light south wind.

Shaun made an early start and covered most of the recording area:

Middleton NR 06:30-08:00 

No Swimming Pond.

Little Grebe pair,

Goosander 4 - 1 male + 3 female 

Teal 1 male

Great Spotted Woodpecker pair

Redwing 6

Cetti's Warbler 5, probably 6 singing, including one near the 'top car park'.

Chiffchaff 14 (all between Main Pond and Tim Butler, with just one singing).

Nature Park walk to Red Nab.

Chiffchaff 4, 

Goldcrest 2 

Long-tailed Tit 5 

Bar-tailed Godwit 7 feeding next to wooden jetty. 

Later in the afternoon there were 2 Goldcrest in the scrub by the lighthouse - Kevin Eaves

From Knowlys Rd

Pale-bellied Brent Goose 32 off play area

Shag  on the smaller rock close to Condor Rock 

I just managed a couple of short morning checks (Malcolm)

Ocean Edge foreshore during a shower (not much!)

Meadow Pipit 4 and Pied Wagtail 1 grounded

Imperial Rd 

I just called in between showers mid morning, there was a lot going on.

Peregrine Falcon 1 south

Kestrel 1 male north

No sign of Buzzards today

Greylag Goose 4

Greylag coming in to land

Shelduck 3, although not for long, on this occasion 3 was a crowd.

Mallard 2

Teal 2

Gadwall 6 south

Wood Pigeon 21

Redwing 1

Jackdaw 25

Magpie 13

Carrion Crow 4

Meadow Pipit 5 north

Chiffchaff 1 singing

Greenfinch 15 seemed to be waiting for the rain to stop, these are just some of them.

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Chiffchaff arrive.....in numbers

A dry morning with a warm sunny spell. Overcast in the afternoon with light showers.

Myself (Malcolm), Shaun Coyle and Josh Hedley covered roughly the same areas at different times today. The following is Josh's report amended with aggregate counts when there is definitely no overlap.

Middleton NR 

Mute Swan- 8 (2 adult each No Swimming and Tim Butler ponds,  4 immature Main)

Gadwall- 1 (Main)

Mallard- 5 (Main)

Goosander- 2 redheads (No swimming)

Little Grebe- 2 (1 each No swimming and Main)

Coot- 4 (2 Main, 2 No swimming)

Moorhen- 5

Cetti's Warbler 6 singing males

Chiffchaff- 16+ (8 birds in song)

Goldcrest 2

Song Thrush- 1

Reed Bunting- 1 

Stock Dove- 3

Meadow Pipit- 5 over

This is one of the Meadow Pipit taking a break to spruce up

Harbour/ Outfalls area

Red-breasted Merganser- 2 drakes near wooden jetty

Rock Pipit- 3 (1 Red Nab, 1 Waterfall, 1 sea wall)

Waterfall Rock Pipit by Josh

Wheatear 2 males grounded on the roundhead during an afternoon shower

Pale-bellied Brent goose 28 (24 and 4) arrived at Red Nab from the north side towards high water.

Pink-Footed goose a lone, and lonely sounding, individual flew north

Pinkfoot, calling so much that I was expecting a flock to fly over (Malcolm)

These three Long-Tailed Tits were on the wispy willow growing out of the sea wall at Red Nab. 

Wren soaking up the morning sun in the Nature Park

Chiffchaff 3 together by the small anemometer in the Nature Park. Just one visible in this clip.

Ringed Chiffchaff (nice to have them back)

Heysham NR

Sparrowhawk- 1

Peregrine- 1 

Goldcrest- 4 along dog walk track

Chiffchaff- 1 dog walk track (bringing the absolute minimum this morning to 20)

Meadow Pipit- 1

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Arrivals and departures

A mainly dry day after overnight rain. A fresh SW drifting to NW breeze.

Heysham skear - low later 09:10 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 44 - they had been resting amongst the honeycomb worm reefs along the north edge of the skear. There is nothing for them to eat here. As the tide was making, first 37 then 7 flew off but only settled along the southern edge of the skear, where again there is nothing for them to eat. These are the 37 flying off, it provides a nice view of the reefs on the north side.

Eider 220 - this is a nice clip of a female, demonstrating how water runs of a duck's back.

Wigeon 4 on the sea before flying north (departing?)

Red-breasted Merganser 7 (2 males)

Great Crested Grebe 6 (3 pairs)

Shag 1 adult feeding

Knot only c100 other waders similar to recent.

Carrion Crow 22 along the honeycomb worm beds on the south side. These are a few of them.

Alba Wagtail and Meadow Pipit one each flew north early in the walk when I was still quite close to shore.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Goosander 6 - another male has arrived. I suspect this is the new male as he greets the others as he joins them.

Six Goosander!

Also at the "no swimming" pond

Little Grebe 1

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing

South shore (MD)

The 37 Brent turned up at Red Nab.

Wigeon 220

No sign of the Black Redstart 

Wheatear 1 male on the foreshore - first of the year.

Male Wheatear

Rock Pipit 6 - one each on Red Nab and foreshore, plus four together feeding on the spring tides flotsam on the saltmarsh.

Redwing 1 skulking in the Elder bush near the waterfall (definitely departing)

Redwing

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Janet checked this morning. A mobile group of seven thrushes contained at least two Redwing

Redwings