Grey Plovers not as expected

Feeling much cooler today with a fresh NE wind. Sunny spells.

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

I walked to the waterline out from Ocean Edge towards high water. Based on recent days I was expecting to see Grey Plovers there. There was, but just a solitary bird!

Grey Plover in summer plumage 

Curlew 200+

Whimbrel 1

House Martin 15 together feeding above the shoreline as they drifted south

House Martin 

Linnet 30 feeding on the saltmarsh 

Little Egret 2

By the time I had got back to the saltmarsh it was 10:00 - high water. I looked back to the waterline and saw small waders arriving. Someone had driven to the waterline out from Potts Corner to walk several dogs. The disturbance sending the waders into the recording area. I walked back.

Grey Plover 200

Knot 40

Dunlin 5

Grey Plover, Dunlin and a Knot 

More were arriving from the south all the time

This was the last lot to arrive before some headed back south - I should have checked if the dog walkers had finished, but I didn't.

Those that remained were in the same spot where I photographed them yesterday 
from the foreshore. Today the foreshore rocks are in the background 

There are loads of tiny snails to feed on here. 

The Knot were feeding frantically, but as ever, the Grey Plover just stood around!

Dunlin

Mediterranean gulls 3 - 2 x 2nd calendar year and an adult 

Mediterranean gulls

After a bit of coaxing, I managed to persuade each one to stand up briefly.
Unfortunately, none were ringed

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

Female/immature Tufted Duck

Cormorants 

One of the young Cormorants is particularly confiding

The young Coot are diving for themselves now

Goldfinch

Male Common Darter

Small Tortoiseshell 

Green-Veined White

Red Admirals

Shaded Broad-Bar

Later Janet received a video suggesting that one of the adult Mute Swans has a damaged wing, hopefully nothing serious, but a bit worrying!

  

Swift Midd NR this evening also 50-60 swallow just before roost time -  Pete

Shag showing nicely

Still warm, but cooler than of late with a fresher east breeze and cloud cover for much of the day.

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

Just a quick check from Red Nab to the saltmarsh 

Swallow 3 south

Wheatear 3

Wheatear 

Linnet 12

Pied Wagtail 8

Curlew 150

Whimbrel 1 just out from the saltmarsh 

I would have gone onto the shore if there were many other waders around, but there was just one group near the waterline.

Grey Plover 18, just 2 not in summer plumage 

This is looking from the foreshore 

Heysham skear (Malcolm) 12:30 - 14:00

Eider 1 male

Great Crested Grebe 1

Little Egret 2

Shag 1 juvenile 

It flew from the south, presumably from the wooden jetty

Flying very low over the water, you can see where its wing clipped the surface

It landed on the north side of the skear, they normally dive almost immediately. So I took a clip, unfortunately it wasn't ready to begin fishing.

Juvenile Shag - it remained on the surface for the 15 minutes that I
had the area in sight.

Gulls, mainly Herring, 150 feeding on the skear, a similar number on and above the sea, further out where the channels run

Oystercatcher 300

Curlew 40

Redshank 40

Turnstone 60

Ringed Plover 6

Ringed Plover

First Grey Plovers return

A warm day with an east wind. Sunny spells, but more clouds by late afternoon 

Heysham skear (Malcolm) 10:00 - 11:00

Just a quick check as the skear became exposed.

Mute Swan 1 flew north

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Great Crested grebe 1

Gulls 150 mainly Herring, two of the regular ringed birds seen.

Curlew 80

Black-Tailed Godwit 1

Summer plumage Black-Tailed Godwit

Oystercatcher 500 - one Oystercatcher was dark, including its legs.

Easy to see in flight

Not so easy to see against the mussel beds.
Probably a melanistic bird as the dark colouration seems too uniform to be 
the result of staining. We'll see, if it hangs around.

Redshank 45

Turnstone 25

Dunlin 1 heard only

Ringed Plover 2

Pied Wagtail 1 east

Swallow 1 north 2 south

South shore (Malcolm) 16:00 - 18:00

I walked out to the waterline out from Ocean Edge.

Just the eastern edge of the saltmarsh checked:

Pied Wagtail 4

Linnet 5

Wheatear 3

There were a few small waders at the waterline:

Grey Plover 9

Dunlin 15

All the Grey Plover were in what looked to be full summer plumage, except one 

Dunlin with the light behind them

The strip they were feeding on was quickly disappearing as the tide came in

Then they were off - that's Piel Castle in the background 

Curlew 266 resting around the middle of the shore, at least 30 more on Red Nab

Black-Headed gulls feeding in a drain as it fills up

They were feeding on small invertebrates as they were released from the mud by the incoming tide. Encouraged with a bit of paddling by the gulls

Mediterranean gulls 4 - 1 adult flew over to the east and at least 3 more on Red Nab

Great Black-Backed adult and juvenile 
The difference in shade of the two shots shows the difference between,
lit from behind and lit from in front 

Just out of the recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve (Janet)

Painted Lady on the lane to the Reserve

Green Dock Beetle grubs.......

.......making short work of the Dock leaves

Black Darters

Stop, start insect migration

Another hot sunny day. A light east breeze till 10:00 then 30 minutes NW breeze, before switching back to SE.

These shots by Janet from the Nature Park yesterday 

Common Darter

Red Admiral

Common Blue

Emperor on the pond along the dog walk path

Immature Moorhen on the same pond. There has been three chick broods
this year

North shore - David Kaye

Osprey over Heysham Skear 

Sandwich Tern on beach 

South shore - Malcolm 09:15 - 10:30

Pied Wagtail 4

Wheatear 4

One of three foreshore Wheatears, the other was along the sea wall

Rock Pipits 3

Whimbrel 1

Whimbrel on the edge of Red Nab

Redshank 55 near wooden jetty

Turnstone 4

No Mediterranean gulls seen. 

This blue ringed juvenile Black-Headed gull was on No.1 outfall

Ringed at Martin Mere 16/06/25 - this is its first sighting 

Even at 09:30 there was a steady flow of butterflies coming in off the sea.

Red Admiral 8

Small Tortoiseshell 4

Small White 1

But by the time I reached the end of the wall at 10:00, the breeze had switched completely, and suddenly, to the NW, and incoming butterflies on the way back were just the odd Red Admiral, which could have come from the scrub near the lighthouse.

There were still lots of butterflies in the Nature Park

Red Admiral 15

Small Tortoiseshell 10

Small White 3

Large White 1

Speckled Wood 3

Migrant Hawker 1

A second check from 14:30 - 15:45.

Mediterranean gull 2 - an adult between the outfalls and a juvenile flying along the sea wall.

I was expecting quite a lot of insects to be moving through, but that wasn't the case. Possibly as there was more south in the breeze or perhaps it is just that they have to arrive from somewhere, and leave at some point. It can't be a perpetual conveyor belt of insects.

These were seen to come in/off along the sea wall

Red Admiral 5

Peacock 1

Painted Lady 1

Meadow Brown 1

Small White 1

There were several Red Admirals and Meadow Browns on the scrub near the lighthouse. Also Small Whites 5. Painted Lady 2

Painted Lady

There were small black flies everywhere, particularly towards the end of the sea wall. Most will be locally bred kelp flies. This is an example of the density here, you have to try to not breathe!

Not all the flies were home grown, there were some larger ones as well.
This one has a great name! red-thighed St Mark's fly

In the Nature Park

Similar to this morning, but more Meadow Browns and Common Blues. Plus: 

Painted Lady at least 1

Clouded Yellow 1 female flew past me heading towards the white barrier. Unfortunately not relocated. She was moving quickly with apparent intent, so unlikely to be the same as the one Janet saw yesterday

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

Just two Cormorants on the main pond today, doing a spot of snorkelling 

Small Tortoiseshell