Waders trickling back, plus 2 RVD

Showers first thing, then dry with sunny spells. A light west wind.

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked from Red Nab to the saltmarsh at high water (08:45) just after the last shower ended.

Little Egret 2

Redshank 6

Redshank

Wheatear 1 juvenile, possibly the same bird as yesterday, certainly at the same stage of moult.

Wheatear, moulting from juvenile to first winter plumage

It was feeding along the strand line on the west side of the saltmarsh 

Pied Wagtail in the Nature Park

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Peter and Rose Silvester checked the west side of the main pond at lunchtime 

Red-Veined Darter 2 males at least (several sightings, two seen at the same time on one occasion)

Male Red-Veined Darter

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer, also a male Emperor patrolling 

Common Blue Damselflies 

Heysham skear (Malcolm) 14:30 - 15:30

Gulls:

Herring 400, including 2 ringed birds, both previously seen here

Lesser Black-Backed 35

Black-Headed 20

Mediterranean 1 adult 

The Mediterranean gull was just a fly past to the south

The other gulls were either resting or feeding leisurely.......

.......until everything lifted. I knew what it would be, but it took a while to spot the relevant speck in the distance 

Osprey 1 fishing to the NW of the skear, it was around for about 5 minutes, but I never saw it dive.

Osprey

Waders:

Oystercatcher 250

Curlew 45

Redshank 13 in one flock

Ringed Plover 1

Ringed Plover

Also:

Little Egret 2

Great Crested Grebe 1

First autumn Wheatear

Mainly overcast with light showers. A SW wind

South shore (Malcolm) 09:30 - 11:00

Very little to see along the sea wall, there were at least 3 Peregrine Falcons and they had scattered the gulls far and wide.

Mediterranean gulls just one each, 2nd and 3rd calendar year

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull

Curlew 104 to the north plus several feeding.

A few of the northbound Curlew

Curlew

Shelduck 1 out from Red Nab

Little Egret 2

Wheatear 1 juvenile briefly by the saltmarsh 

Not immediately obvious as a Wheatear 

But the white on the tail is a giveaway 

This young Robin was feeding in the Nature Park a nice blackbird singing in the background.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

The sun came out briefly at 17:00 so I had a quick look at the main pond, couldn't locate the Red-Veined Darter.

Chiffchaff singing and a Cetti's warbler darted across the path

Swift 1 

Common Sandpiper 1 flew across the pond

Common Sandpiper 

Little Grebe

The only two dragonflies seen were an ovipositoring Black-Tailed Skimmer and a Common Darter.

Common Darter

Butterflies 

Large White 2

Small White 2

Green-Veined White 1

Skipper sp (likely a Small) 1

Gatekeeper 1 - first record this year

Gatekeeper - they'll soon be everywhere 

Peregrines causing disruption again, and RVD still around

A freshening SW wind became strong in the afternoon, dry till lunchtime then the rain started, very heavy rain!

These shots by Rosemary and Peter Silvester are from around the main pond at Middleton Nature Reserve yesterday lunchtime.

Male Red-Veined Darter near where the Swans rest on the west bank

Female Common Blue Butterfly 

Male Common Blue Damselfly

South shore (Malcolm) 09:00 - 10:30

Mediterranean gulls 4 adult, 1 2nd calendar year and 1 3rd calendar year 

One of the adults was ringed. It is a German scheme bird. Details awaited 

As the beach by the wooden jetty became exposed the gulls and Oystercatcher 
moved there to feed

3cy Med in flight an adult on the mud

Then two Peregrines turned up, likely juveniles as they began by chasing a small passerine, possibly a Rock Pipit. After failing with that one turned its attention to the gulls and Oystercatchers.

The only thing they succeeded in was to clear the shore!

When I checked the middle platform in the harbour there was no adult Herring gull and no sign of the chick. But when an adult arrived the chick emerged from hiding.

It is clearly being well cared for, it seems to have grown significantly.

Curlew 157 north in several flocks

Rock Pipit 2 near the waterfall 

This young Rock pipit still has hints of its gape

Roebuck 1 briefly in the Nature Park 

A Comma on brambles in the Nature Park.
The archetypal image of autumn!

I couldn't resist another walk along the sea wall this evening (Malcolm). The heavy rain was relentless and there was nothing to see. Us masochists really know how to enjoy ourselves! 

We'll see what the morning brings.

An old friend returns

Sunny spells and a light SW wind

South shore (Malcolm)

I was busy this morning and didn't manage to get out till 11:45. The tide was well out and the gulls scattered and flighty. I only managed to spot 9 adult, 1 3rd calendar year and 1 2nd calendar year Mediterranean gulls.

Gulls between the two outfalls, there were 6 Meds amongst these

Adult (bottom left) and 3cy (bottom right) Mediterranean gulls

There were another 5 Meds on the beach by the wooden jetty including this
veteran. Ringed as a chick in the Netherlands 2010. First seen at Heysham in 2018
it has visited every year since. Unfortunately, since 2022 it has not been recorded 
wherever it has been wintering/breeding. Hopefully it will have been seen since it
left us last year. But either way, it is always good to see an old friend.

In the Nature Park:

Ringlet 2

Meadow Brown 2

Small White 7

Large White 7

Red Admiral 3

Small Tortoiseshell 1

Small Skipper 1

Large White

Small Skipper

This clip shows the Skipper drinking nectar from this Greater Knapweed

Imperial Rd (Malcolm) 15:30

Kestrel 2 both the male and female were hunting.

The female landed on the road with this kill. Unfortunately a passing vehicle
moved it on before I could see what it was

Raven 4 drifted north

Two of the Ravens

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm) 16:00 - 16:45

I really went to check on the Red-Veined Darter status, unfortunately this was the only time in the day when there was a light shower. I only saw two dragonfly species.

Common Darter 2

Black-Tailed Skimmer 5

This female Black-Tailed Skimmer was ovipositoring 

It all looks very sedate, but it really wasn't - don't blink!

Red admiral 1

Meadow Brown 1

Green-Veined White 5

Comma 1

Speckled Wood 1

Mute Swan pair plus 7 cygnets 

Mallard 13

Gadwall 1 female on the fence pond, with at least one chick. 

The chick, was keeping out of sight, this was the best shot I managed.

Female Gadwall

Coot 6 adult plus 4 young and 2 older chicks

Coots with 4 young chicks 

Moorhen 4

Little Grebe 1 on the main pond. I tried to get a shot but it was only surfacing briefly. So I took this short clip, it shows twice mid frame.

Grey Heron 1

The resident Heron

Weasel 1 ran across the path in front of me.

It felt like autumn!

A dry day with a freshening west wind, some sunny spells.

South Shore (Malcolm) 08:00 - 09:30

Grey Wagtail 1 on Red Nab

Grey Wagtail

Young Pied Wagtail along the sea wall 

Whimbrel 1

Whimbrel between the outfalls

Curlew, having a bad hair day!

Common Sandpiper 1 

Common Sandpiper 

A solitary Redshank

Rock Pipit 2 - one trying to chase the Grey Wagtail from Red Nab and one on the lower tiers of the wooden jetty

Sandwich Tern at least one heard but not seen

Mediterranean gull at least 20 including 4 2nd calendar year and 3 3rd calendar year 

Mediterranean gull coming in to land with other Meds and Black-Headed gulls

Osprey 1 it arrived at 09:00, marked by all the gulls lifting off the beach

All the gulls that were on the shore took to the air.

I was on my way back by this time, I didn't see it catch anything while I was there.

Still three chicks on the far platform 

And one on the middle platform, you can just see it sheltering from the wind
behind the box. There is always an adult keeping and eye on it.

One of two Little Egret

Peregrine Falcon being chased by gulls

Not a great shot, but it does suggest juvenile plumage 

I returned to watch the tide reach Red Nab, this normally allows a more accurate count of Meds. But as soon as the gulls began gathering two Peregrine buzzed them and lifted everything except the large gulls. After this happened twice, both the gulls first, then I, gave up.

Curlew 150+ in three flocks from the north side, only one of the flocks landed on Red Nab, but c130 lifted when the Peregrines zipped past. So at least 200 altogether.

In the Nature Park

Young Dunnock

Red Admiral 4

Common Blue 2

Large White 2

Comma 1

Red Admiral

Comma

Imperial Rd (Malcolm)

A quick check after leaving Red Nab early.

Buzzard 1

Kestrel 1

Buzzard, being mobbed by a Kestrel and a gull

The only warbler heard singing was a Cetti's warbler 

No sign of any Stonechats

One of two Moorhen chicks seen,  there were likely more

Green-Veined White 8

Meadow Brown 3

Common Blue 2