Hobby joins the raptor movement

Another fine day with a freshening SE breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Jean:

We caught 51 birds this morning. The main aim was to catch Grey Wagtails to fit them with colour rings. I managed to catch 2 out of 7 that flew over (Alan at Middleton NR caught 5 out of 6). 
The by-catch consisted of:
30 Goldfinch (only 3 retraps)
2 Greenfinch
2 Robins
3 Chiffchaff
1 Cetti’s Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
1 Wren
4 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
3 Dunnock
The only “vis” apart from the Grey Wagtails was a single Swallow.
A Peregrine appeared from the coast with prey.

Two Roe Deer above the reserve office

A yellow butterfly flew/blew high to the north as the wind was really getting up. Almost certainly clouded yellow - Pete

At least 20 Swallows off Clay Lane near Heysham Moss - Janet

North shore (David Kaye)

Juvenile Hobby in off the sea Heysham Village beach plus 

Whimbrel 1

Wheatear 1

Sanderling 7

South shore (Malcolm)

08:45 - 09:15 saltmarsh to Red Nab

Swallow 2

Linnet 35 around the saltmarsh 

Linnets on the wing

Linnets on the roof

Little Egret 8

Little Egret

Mediterranean gull, just 2 on Red Nab

Osprey 1 flew south

Osprey, unwavering in its flight south

Interestingly, it lifted all the Oystercatchers off Red Nab, but the gulls were unmoved. It seems they are becoming accustomed to the increasingly regular Ospreys. The Osprey isn't in this clip, just its aftermath.

15:15 - 16:45 along the sea wall

Osprey 2 more, almost certainly additional to this morning's bird which looked determined to continue south.

One was resting on the post at the seaward end of No.2 outfall

It looks to have a blue ring

The second was fishing way out from the north wall

This clip gives an idea of location 

Mediterranean gulls 14 at least. 6 at least on Red Nab, 1 second calendar year on No.2 outfall another on No.1 outfall and 6 adults on the feeding beach by the wooden jetty.

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull (left) with a Black-Headed gull

Some of the Meds on the feeding beach. The Sandmason worm tubes showing
well now. Hopefully they will provide some good feeding opportunities over this
set of spring tides

The Martin Mere ringed juvenile Black-Headed gull is still around 

Rock Pipit just one along the sea wall.

The warn SE wind was promising for insect migration, as I drove to Ocean Edge there were numerous Red Admirals and Large Whites on the move, so I was quite expectant. But there were fewer butterflies in the Nature Park than of late, and just a trickle coming in off the sea.

Small White 5

Small Tortoiseshell 1

Peacock 1

Janet took these in the Nature Park 

Comma

Female Common Darter

 

More Ospreys on the move

A dry day with a light west breeze. Sunny spells.

South shore

Pete scanned from Ocean Edge towards high water:

Mediterranean gulls, at least 15 on Red Nab. Including 4 juveniles and a green ringed adult

Shag at least 1 on the wooden jetty

Osprey 1 between the outfalls

I checked from the saltmarsh to Red Nab (Malcolm) 09:45 - 10:15

Osprey 1 (same as Pete's) - it flew high from the Lune estuary area towards the outfalls, fortunately I got a decent view as it approached Ocean Edge. 

The dark streaking on the crown showing it to be a juvenile 

There were four Ospreys on the sands off Sunderland Point per Ian Hartley, watching from Cockersands, probably where the above bird came from

Many of the birds on Red Nab lifted when the Power Station suddenly blew
off (it's an age thing!). Most of these gulls are Black-Headed, but there is at 
least one adult and juvenile Mediterranean gull amongst them

Heysham skear (Malcolm) 13:30 - 15:30

Osprey 1 flew south, almost certainly additional to this morning's, so at least 5 through the area today.

Shag 1 juvenile flew past the skear to the north

Great Crested Grebe 1 juvenile 

Juvenile Great Crested grebe

Eider 1 male

Little Egret 3

Gulls 250 mainly Herring gulls. Two ringed birds seen, one hasn't been seen since May.

Ringed at Bowland in 2020, the only other sighting was here in May

Oystercatcher 600

Curlew 70

Redshank 320

Turnstone 40

Redshank. A bit odd, it is facing the wind yet its belly feathers were stuck
out. Hope it wasn't a lump.

Turnstone 

The shore everywhere is in a state of flux, there is loads of extra mud coming from somewhere, probably higher up the bay, where there has been a lot erosion. Today there was a 50m wide strip of mud running right across the middle of the skear. I've never seen it like this before!

A 50m wide strip of mud running North-South across the skear.

A few Meds before bed.

Heavy morning showers, then fine in the afternoon with sunny spells. A light west(ish) wind.

This is one of Janet's shots from yesterday. A Small White and a tiny wasp!

The Small White is easy to see, but you will have to open the image to see
the detail of the parasitic wasp.......it isn't there to smell the flowers!

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

Just a very quick check from the saltmarsh to Red Nab at high water

Wheatear just 1 on the foreshore 

Quite a stocky Wheatear, it was reluctant to move. In fact it didn't move,
I left it where it was

Just 2 Linnet and a Rock Pipit on Red Nab

No Mediterranean gulls seen.

Something spooked all the Oystercatchers from Red Nab. There was no
human disturbance and no raptor seen. Nothing else lifted, just the Oystercatchers.

Leaving just a scattering of gulls, Curlew and a Cormorant 

Male Chaffinch in the Nature Park, collecting grit from the path

Janet had a walk along the sea wall in the afternoon 

Little Egret

Redshank

Turnsone

This Oystercatcher has a Sandmason worm. It has grabbed the tube and
pulled it clear of the mud. It is then just about removing the worm from its tube

I have no idea why more waders, particularly the ones with long bills,
don't feed on the Sandmason worms like this (Malcolm)

Lesser Black-Backed gull making short work of a shore crab

In the Nature Park:

A very faded Small Copper

A very bright Red Admiral

Large Whites

Painted Lady

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

I checked again this evening 19:00 - 20:15 (Malcolm)

There were loads of gulls on Red Nab......

.......but I had to go out on to the shore to get the low sun behind me
before I could see them properly 

Nearly all Black-Headed gulls, there were some Mediterranean gulls on the mud. 5 adult and 2 juvenile.

Adult Mediterranean gull (right)

Juvenile Mediterranean gull (centre)

By this time the sun was setting

The gulls flew south to wherever they were going to spend the night

The gulls were not the only ones heading off 

Curlew

Cormorants 

The moon was out as I squelched back (the mud is soft everywhere at the
moment). A waxing gibbous moon, a sure sign that we are moving to spring
tides again. A potentially interesting set of tides ahead.

Just out of the recording area - Andrew Cornall

Lots of clouded yellow just to south of Heysham on fleabane