An overnight frost left the ponds with ice over much of them. A sunny day with a very light NE breeze.
Heysham skear - Malcolm 09:15 -10:30
Pale-bellied Brent geese 6 (3 x 2) around the skear, the higher shore not checked
 |
| Pale-bellied Brent goose |
Eider 4
Red-breasted Merganser 7
Great Crested Grebe 7
Little Egret 4
Shag 1 juvenile
Waders pretty much as recent, including just 150 Knot in small groups
 |
| Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone |
 |
| The recent set of spring tides has reset the course of the main drain, and it now once again runs along the northern edge of the skear. All we need now are some onshore winds to stir up the mud and attract large numbers of shrimp here. |
South shore - Janet
 |
| There were several Snipe on the saltmarsh , this one just managed to land before having its picture taken |
 |
| Linnet |
 |
| Robin |
 |
| Shelduck |
 |
| Goldcrest in the Nature Park |
Imperial Rd - Malcolm 15:00
Both the male and female Stonechats turned up as soon as I arrived.
 |
| Male Stonechat |
 |
| Female Stonechat looking pale in the sunshine..... |
 |
| .......but the side in the shade looking much darker |
 |
| This is a location shot. The female is centre shot, just beside my car parked on the road by the blocked entrance 50m from the bypass |
Green Sandpiper 1 - it flew from the edge of the road and headed to the horse paddock just beyond the roundabout
 |
| Green Sandpiper. Not a great shot, but it was calling as it flew |
 |
| I went to check the horse paddock, but the small pools there were completely frozen over and there was no sign of the sandpiper |
Little Egret 3
Great White Egret 1 - it was flying north over the fields to the east of Imperial Rd, unfortunately landing out of sight.
 |
| Great White Egret and Little Egret |
Middleton Nature Reserve
Janet checked at lunchtime. The main pond was largely frozen and the gulls were standing on the ice, unfortunately none of them were ringed.
 |
| Black-Headed gulls and Mallard |
 |
| First winter Black-Headed gull |
 |
| Teal and Gadwall |
 |
| Female Tufted Duck |
 |
| The Coot can't help but chase each other! |
 |
| Long-Tailed Tits |
 |
| Female Chaffinch |
I checked at 15:15 - Malcolm
 |
| Loads of gulls but still none ringed |
Gadwall 24
Tufted Duck 4
Mallard 30+
Teal 7 on the "no swimming" pond
Shoveler pair
 |
| Gadwall and Coot |
 |
| This pair of Shoveler wasn't here when Janet checked earlier |
 |
| Grey Heron |
I had gone to watch from the south side to see what was roosting. These seen between 15:20 to 16:00.
Jackdaw 100+
Wood Pigeon 24
Stock Dove 56. They came from the north, east and south, the biggest group was 7
 |
| Wood Pigeon |
 |
| Stock Doves, the earlier birds tinted by the setting sun |
 |
| Some of 49 Lapwings heading towards the River Lune |
Just out of the recording area Heaton Marsh - Jean and Pete
White-Fronted goose 10 adult and 4 juvenile
Easily visible from the high point Heysham end of Golden Ball road.
