A lot of miles, a lot of rain, and little to see!

A very heavy and prolonged mid morning shower, followed by a few lighter and shorter showers. The breeze picked up at lunchtime and freshened slightly from the west in the afternoon.

South shore

If I wanted to get as soaked as possible, I couldn't have timed my walk any better! (Malcolm). The morning rain was just beginning as I got to the saltmarsh, it lashed it down all the while I was on the shore, then eased as I returned to the saltmarsh.

This Mute Swan was grounded just out from the saltmarsh as I set off

It hadn't moved all the while I was on the shore,
then headed off north as the rain eased

A mixed flock of 71 Ringed Plover and 58 Dunlin were feeding high up the shore.

Grey Plover 6 summer plumage birds were the only waders along the waterline, and they left quickly.

Knot 3 resting halfway up the shore

Oystercatcher 300 resting in two groups

Curlew 50 scattered around

Shelduck 5 together flew south

Linnet 12 on the saltmarsh 

Robin 1 grounded along the rocks on the east of the saltmarsh (not normally one here)

Rock Pipit 2 along foreshore 

Wheatears 10 along the foreshore 

Janet checked Red Nab and the foreshore after lunch. By that time there was only 1 Rock Pipit and 3 Wheatears. But she got some nice shots.

Rock Pipit

I

Wheatear

Juvenile Ringed Plover

Oystercatchers at Red Nab

In the Nature Park 

Red Admiral 

Peacock

I had a (mercifully dry) walk along the sea wall after it reopened this evening (closed during weekdays for maintenance).

Mediterranean gulls 18 - 15 adult and a 1st calendar year resting on the beach by the wooden jetty. Another 1st calendar year feeding on No.1 outfall and another adult between the outfalls.

Six adult Meds resting on the beach by the wooden jetty

Wheatear 1 near the lighthouse, so a minimum of 11 today

Plenty of Wheatears and hirundines

Dark and overcast but dry till early evening, then steady rain. A very light east breeze.

South shore (Malcolm)

I went to check the shoreline again this morning on the rising tide. The fire brigade had just brought a fire in Ocean Edge buildings under control. There were ten fire engines plus support vehicles and ambulances, fortunately it seems the ambulances weren't required as there are no reports of casualties.

There was a lot of commotion and a large drone flying overhead. Probably just a coincidence, but there were almost no waders along the waterline, even further south towards Potts Corner.

Curlew 114

Whimbrel 2

Oystercatcher 120

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Knot 11

Bar-Tailed Godwit with some of the Knot
Not much of a shot, but it's only to be expected when there isn't much to shoot at!
The almost monotone effect reflects the greyness of the day.

Further up the beach a mixed feeding group of 48 Dunlin and Ringed Plover (roughly half each)

Linnet 25 on the saltmarsh 

Pied Wagtail 8 on foreshore and Ocean Edge grass

Grey Wagtail 1 east

Rock Pipit 3 along foreshore (1 + 2)

Wheatear 16 at least between saltmarsh and Red Nab

Male Wheatear

Female/immature Wheatear

Ruby-tailed Wasp, spotted by Kevin Eaves in the Nature park

Shaun checked the north side:

Nothing much on Heysham Head besides 4 Little Egrets and 9 Eider.

Heliport Wader Roost:

Oystercatcher c.1200

Lapwing 14

Turnstone 78

Common Sandpiper 2

Redshank 365

Curlew 12

Whimbrel 1

Also 8 Wheatear (24 Wheatear in total today)

5 Red Admiral 

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

There were at least 30 hirundines feeding, bathing, drinking on the main pond early afternoon. House Martins and Swallows, there seemed to be more House Martins.

Jay

Grey Heron

Nice day and a nice cosmopolitan mix of sightings

Another dry sunny day. Almost still till lunchtime, then an east breeze developed.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan:

Nets set from just around dawn this morning.  Three Grey Wagtails caught very quickly were the only ones caught or seen.  Three Swallows passing through just after nine o'clock were the only hirundines seen.  One Meadow Pipit came to the walk in trap.  Two large flocks of Goldfinches were roaming about during the morning.

 

Meadow Pipit  1

Grey Wagtail  3

Wren  2

Cetti's Warbler  1 retrap

Sedge Warbler  2

Reed Warbler  1

Lesser Whitethroat  2

Blackcap  3

Chiffchaff  3

Blue Tit  2

Great Tit  1 retrap ex Heysham nestbox from this year.

Goldfinch  15

Reed Bunting  1

These shots from Rosemary Silvester

Emperor 

Common Darters

Common Blue Damselfly

Speckled Wood 

The Mute family looking good

Heysham Head (David Yates)

At least 4 wheatear

1 Rock pipit 

2 Sandwich terns  

1 Kingfisher

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide again.

After their refusal to leave the mud spit at the southern edge of the recording area yesterday. Today the spit was deserted and the large flock of waders were further to the south.

Just a couple of gulls on the previously favoured mud spit

There were some waders within the recording area.

Curlew 150

Whimbrel 3

Oystercatcher 200

Grey Plover 45

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 flew south

Knot 42

Redshank 2 

Dunlin 81 - 30 along waterline 17 resting on mud and 34 higher up the beach feeding with....

Ringed Plover 50 

Sanderling 2 - this short clip shows the location of the Sanderling as they lead a small feeding party of Dunlin.

Sanderling 

Knot, Grey Plover and a Redshank 

These are some of the Dunlin that just rested on the mud. They didn't move
when I walked quite closely past them. Although they were keeping an eye on me!

One, briefly showed its impressive bill.

Some of the waders flying south when moved on by the tide.

Some of the Ringed Plover and Dunlin feeding higher up the beach

Grey Seal 1 drifted in with the tide along the shipping lane.

Shaun had a look along the sea wall this evening:

Heysham Outfalls 17:15-1845.

Med Gull  79 - Adult/3cy 72, single 2cy and a minimum of 6 1cy. 

Lots of gulls roosting on the beaches at the outfalls. These were then joined by a group from Red Nab, and then another group from the Middleton area (due to disturbance). Made the counting quite easy!

Ringed Plover 9 on the beach south side of Red Nab.

Wheatear 2 Harbour entrance. 

Autumn passage underway

Almost no wind early on then a light NW(ish) breeze freshened slightly during the day. Sunny all day.

South Shore

Pete had a morning check from Ocean Edge

Yellow Wagtail 1 in-off then south (only record so far this year, no records last year)

Greenshank 1 nosy juvenile just below the foreshore 

Meadow Pipits 5 also in-off then south

I walked out to have a look at the waders along the waterline on the rising tide. (Malcolm).

The waders were all on a mud spit at the very edge of the recording area. I was expecting the waders on the spit to move closer when moved on by the tide, but the spit is longer and higher than recent years and it wasn't even covered at high water. By that time the feeding area closer in was already covered. The waders returned to the spit twice after being flushed by Peregrines.

Some of the waders flushed by Peregrines

A sample of waders on the mud spit

Minimum numbers

Knot 1,000

Grey Plover 450

Bar-Tailed Godwit 40

Dunlin 50

Closer in

Ringed Plover 8

Mediterranean gulls 3 adult

Linnet c60 on the saltmarsh as I walked out, but on return it was strangely silent.

Any large number of small birds, invariably attracts small bird eaters!
Sparrowhawk 

Little Egret 8 on the saltmarsh 

Adult Little Egret with black legs and yellow feet.
Juvenile Little Egret with completely yellow legs 

Meadow Pipit on foreshore 

One of three Rock Pipits along the foreshore 

Heysham Nature Reserve (Janet)

Female Common Darter

Peacock

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by John

A ringing session this morning caught the first Grey Wagtails of the year, with hopefully many more to follow. The total catch was only eighteen birds, but all new ones. They comprised of;

Grey Wagtail    x4 

Chiffchaff          x6

Blackcap           x2

Reed Warbler    x2

Reed Bunting    x1

Great Tit           x1

Chaffinch          x1

Wren                 x1

These shots from Janet

Lesser Whitethroat 

Common Darters

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer

Male Emperor

Brimstone 

I checked out the main ponds (Malcolm).

An increase in wildfowl

Mute pair plus a cygnet on main pond another adult on the "no swimming" pond.

Mute Swan on the "no swimming" pond

Coot 13 including 2 small young

Moorhen 3

Little grebe just 1 summer plumage adult seen.

Mallard 24 mainly female/immature

Gadwall 6 - 3 male, 1 female and 2 female/immature

The males were scuffling over the female.

Teal 2 female/immature

Teal (left), two Mallard and an immature Coot

Cetti's Warbler 1 burst of song

Chiffchaff 2 calling

Swallow 2

One of Janet's shots from yesterday 

Other butterflies

Large White 1

Meadow Brown 1

Speckled Wood 2

Other dragonflies

Migrant Hawker 2

Brown Hawker 2 

Male Brown Hawker

Broad-bodied Chaser........

.........didn't quite make it today
but this male, dead on the surface can't have been there long.