Juveniles

A light variable breeze. Sunshine all day.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm), although I did get out more than normal, anticipating a washout tomorrow.

Imperial Rd 

Just stopped off in passing.

Common Buzzard 2 at least, constantly calling. At least one was a juvenile. Seeing is a little difficult at the moment, as the hedge has grown high and lush, and I never managed to see two birds at the same time. This is a juvenile.

Juvenile Buzzard

Stock Dove 2 - adult with a juvenile 

Stock Doves, juvenile on right

Heysham skear - low water 13:20

We are at the lowest of the current neap tides and low water was only 3.3m (high water was 7m, so only 3.7m tidal range today). Conger rock was just visible.

Eider 3

Eider

Little Egret 4

Herring Gulls 350 most immature 

Sandwich Tern 2 adult

Sandwich Tern

Only four wader species seen

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 70

Redshank 20

Turnstone 40

South shore

An evening check of the gulls

There were c450 small gulls on Red Nab and the surrounding beaches, most Black-Headed

Mediterranean gull 12 - 6 adult, 2 x 2nd calendar year and 4 juvenile 

Juvenile Mediterranean gull

There was nothing feeding on the outflows, but loads of, mainly large, gulls feeding towards the shipping lane, presumably something(s) below water was chasing small fish to the surface. There were Meds with them and probably additional to the ones seen resting.

Ringed Plover 2

Ringed Plover, legging it across the dry mud

Not a lot of time, quite a lot of rain!

Showers all day some heavy. A south to SW wind

South shore (Malcolm)

I didn't get out till early evening. A walk along the sea wall and back. It was lashing down as I walked out, but dry for most of the way back.

There were c150 gulls on Red Nab mainly Black-Headed and not easy sorting them out through the rain, but at least 7 Mediterranean gulls

We have received the update for the adult seen on the main Pond at Middleton Nature Reserve (see post 10/08/24). It was ringed as a nestling in 2019 in Holland. It was first seen here last summer and as since been seen in Portugal in December, and various Spanish sites in January and February.

Kittiwake 1 juvenile feeding on No.1 outflow

Juvenile Kittiwake

Grey Seal, looks to be a male, also feeding on No.1 outflow

Grey Seal, males have light patches on a dark background. Females have dark
patches on a pale background , but sometimes it is difficult to decide which
are patches and what is background.

Curlew c 30 on Red Nab

Whimbrel 1 heard

Redshank 115 flushed by rising tide from No.1 outflow

Turnstone 6 with the Redshank

Little Egret 4 - 2 on Red Nab and 2 on the saltmarsh.

Little Egret on Red Nab

Pied Wagtail 10 - one each on sea wall and foreshore plus a group of 8 feeding together on Ocean Edge grass.

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit

Cormorant 40 - 35 on wooden jetty

Cormorant on Red Nab

It had just stopped raining when I took this clip of Rabbits feeding near the lighthouse (I don't think they thought anyone would be daft enough to be out in that rain!)

In the Nature Park

Sparrowhawk 1 juvenile 

Chiffchaff 1 calling

Bullfinch 2 male and female

Peacock butterfly 2

Two Peacocks waiting for the sun......better luck tomorrow 

Rings and things

A very heavy early morning shower, after that mainly dry, with a couple of light showers. Some sunny spells in the afternoon. A light wind initially from SE but was from west by the afternoon.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report by Jean:

It was very quiet. 2 Robins were “ticking”, a Buzzard called somewhere to the south, 13 Goldfinches headed to the feeders and one Swallow flew SW. The only warblers were a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff. Ringing consisted of mainly young birds:

5 Goldfinch plus a moulting retrapped adult male, 

2 Greenfinch

2 Blue Tit

1 Wren

and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The adult Goldfinch. The red feathering extends behind the eye so it’s likely
to be a male. Usually the bristles above the beak are black but can sometimes
 be grey. It’s moulting its head feathers so its head is a bit spotty looking.
It was ringed as a juvenile last year.

Heysham Head

Adult and two juvenile Sparrowhawk - David Kaye

One of the juveniles 

Adult Sparrowhawk

South shore (Malcolm)

A mid afternoon check of the gulls on the shore. Not quite as many today, c500 mainly Black-Headed

Three main lots today, these out from Red Nab

Another group on Red Nab, this is just the tip of them,
plus lots still feeding on the outflows

Something lifted all the gulls on the beach, which in turn lifted the gulls
on Red Nab. It must have been a false alarm as the gulls that were on the
beach landed again a little further out and the Red Nab ones landed where
the first group had been. Mediterranean gull top centre.

Mediterranean gulls 20 - 14 adult/3rd calendar year, 1 2nd calendar year, 4 juvenile 

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull

Two of the Black-Headed gulls were ringed, one of the Norwegian ringed birds. And one ringed at Martin Mere

Ringed at Martin Mere 09/06/22.

Curlew

One of two Whimbrel 

Wheatear on foreshore

Four linnet on saltmarsh, three on Red Nab
This one has Goosegrass seeds stuck on its throat

In the Nature Park.

Sparrowhawk 1 juvenile, still whining

Brimstone 1

Peacock 1

Large White 2

Small White 1

Gatekeeper several 

Small Skipper 1

Speckled wood 1

Common Blue 2

Gatekeeper 

Common Blue

Brimstone 

Osprey and Sanderlings top a decent day.

A warm sunny day with initially a very light east breeze, it freshened later and shifted mor to SE.

South shore:

Report by Shaun Coyle

Red Nab to Harbour. 05:30-09:30.

Canada Goose low flying group of 27 over the harbour entrance, south towards Fylde.

Shelduck 28 (in three groups) into the bay.

Whimbrel 2 roosting on Red Nab.

Bar-tailed Godwit 5 on the  beach off Red Nab.

Sanderling 2 roosting on Outfall 1 with 2 Dunlin and 8 Turnstones.

Kittiwake juv on Outfall 1.

Med Gulls 8 adults/3CY and 6 juvs (also 6 juv Common Gulls). 

Sandwich Tern adult and juv briefly on Outfall 1, plus 16 into the bay.

Cormorant 34, plus 73 high into the bay (in three groups).

Little Egret 2 ads + juv on Red Nab.

Osprey fishing between the outfalls from 07:30-07:50. After catching a fish it then headed NE. Presumably, the same bird was back again at 09:15. Quickly caught another smaller fish (lots jumping between the two outfalls), before heading south. (So much for my theory about the Osprey(s) only feeding here as a last resort, today's conditions were perfect for large flatfish in the north side channels (Malcolm))

Swallow 5 east.

Wheatear female on seawall.

Single Rock Pipit at the Lighthouse.

Grey Seal 1

Heysham Nature Park 09:30-10:00.

Peacock 9, Red Admiral 6, Painted Lady 2 and 6 Speckled Woods.

I went down mid afternoon to check the gulls on the beach out from the saltmarsh (Malcolm)

They took some checking, there was over 600 and the majority sat down on the dry mud.

This is just one of the two main groups

Mainly Black-Headed Gulls, but at least 10 Mediterranean, one with a red ring sat down before it could be read. 

A couple of Meds with Black-Headed gulls

Managed to read a white ringed Black-Headed gull.
Another Norwegian ringed bird - details awaited 

The gulls started moving off to go anting. Many quite high, but this group low over the caravan site.

The 5 Bar-Tailed godwit were still on the beach.

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Curlew 150

Whimbrel 3

Swallow 7 south

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan:

I set three nets at Middleton this morning.  It was calm and cool with a high thin cloud layer and a heavy dew.  The sun soon cleared the cloud and warmed the air.

The catch of 22 birds was modest but comprised 13 species.

Wren  3          

Robin     2      

Blackbird 1         

Sedge Warbler 1   

Reed Warbler    3   

Lesser Whitethroat  2    

Whitethroat      2      

Chiffchaff        1 retrap   

Willow Warbler    3      

Blue Tit            1 retrap 

Great Tit          1    

Chaffinch         1

Reed Bunting    1

(Jean caught a Treecreeper in a short ringing session at Heysham Nature Reserve yesterday)

Janet had a short walk but was exercising two dogs and therefore was quite restricted.

Demoiselle sp - definitely a Demoiselle but it was too quick for a shot and to confirm species.

Hawker sp - possibly a female Southern Hawker on the south section of the reserve

Red Admiral

I had a quick check of the main pond this evening (Malcolm)

Emperor 1

Black-Tailed Skimmer 2

Black-Tailed Skimmers

Common Darter 5

A juvenile Mediterranean gull was having a bath again.

There were loads of hirundines zipping around, difficult to get a precise count, but at least:

Swallow 6

Sand Martin 5

House Martin 3

Swallow and a Sand Martin

A change of venue was all it needed.

A hot sunny day with a light west wind.

South shore (Malcolm)

I went along the sea wall late morning hoping to see some ringed Mediterranean gulls feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty. There were 10 adult and 2 juvenile on the beach, a couple were feeding on sandmason worms, but most were just resting and preening, presumably having already eaten their fill.

Preening adult Mediterranean gull, this shot shows how prominent 
the sandmason worm tubes are again

There were three ringed birds, but all previously seen this year. Other Meds were resting/preening on the other beaches.

Mediterranean gull total 23 - 20 adult/3rd calendar year, 3 juvenile 

Peregrine Falcon 1

In the Nature Park

The juvenile Sparrowhawk was whining again, unfortunately silent in this short clip.

Juvenile Sparrowhawk 

Painted Lady 2 - first record this year

Painted Lady

One of three Small Skippers

Male Large White

Red Admiral 4

Meadow Brown 2

Gatekeeper 5

Speckled Wood 2

Common Darter 5

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

An early evening check of the main ponds, really just to see what dragonflies were around.

Brown Hawker 4

Emperor 1 male

Broad-bodied Chaser 1 male

Broad-bodied Chaser

Black-tailed Skimmer 1 male

Black-tailed Skimmer

Common Darter 10+

Not many butterflies 

Large White 1

Meadow Brown 2

Gatekeeper 6

This young Little Egret seems to be developing its skills nicely.

Swallow 2, House Martin 3 south

By this time gulls were arriving for an evening bath, including 4 Mediterranean gulls, an adult, a 2nd calendar year and two juvenile.

This is one of the juveniles, I am just sat on the seat in the lower car park for this and the following shots.

This is the adult and a juvenile. If you watch closely (or in slow motion) you can see the adult has a white ring.

Fortunately, it kept lifting out of the water while it was bathing, and it was just possible to read the ring.

After checking so many Meds along the shore, this is the first new ringed 
bird seen this month! 

This is the 2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull

A bit more variety

A dry mainly sunny day with a gusty west wind.

Heysham skear - low water 09:30 (Malcolm)

Little Egret 6

Eider 9

Great Crested Grebe 1 juvenile 

These are some of the Eider and ending on the juvenile Great Crested Grebe.

Juvenile Great Crested grebe

Herring Gull 120

Lesser Black-Backed gull - none seen

Black-Headed gull 20

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 40

Redshank 30

Summer plumaged Redshank 

Turnstone 35

Summer plumaged Turnstone 

Turnstone moulting to winter plumage

Ringed Plover 11

Ringed Plover

Dunlin 1

Dunlin moulting from summer plumage

South shore

I checked Red Nab then a walk along the sea wall towards high water ((Malcolm)

Approaching Red Nab it was clear that there were loads of gulls feeding on the outflows.

Mediterranean gull 23 resting on Red Nab - 2 juvenile, 1 x 2nd calendar year and the rest adult or 3rd calendar year. There were three white ringed birds amongst them, but all seen previously this year.

Mediterranean gulls

Black-Headed gulls c200 - 150 feeding on outflows

Kittiwake 1 juvenile feeding on No.1 outflow

Juvenile Kittiwake

The Nature Park was sheltered from the wind and the insects were taking advantage of the warm conditions. I bumped into Kevin by the Buddleia and over a five minute chat we saw ten species of butterfly and three species of dragonfly:

Red Admiral 2

Peacock 1

Comma 1

Large White 3

Brimstone 3 (all female)

Meadow Brown 2

Gatekeeper several

Small Skipper 3

Common Blue 2

Speckled Wood 2

Red Admiral and a Brimstone 

Meadow Brown

Comma and a Brimstone 

Common Darter just 1 near the Buddleia but several around the  Nature Park

Brown Hawker 1 by the Buddleia plus another 

Hawker sp, zipping around. Likely a Southern Hawker as its head and thorax were predominantly green.

What sounded like a young raptor was whining in the trees between the Nature Park and Ocean Edge, after a while an adult Sparrowhawk flew to the trees and the whining stopped.