Shag still shunned

South shore at high water
The 2cy Shag (see Monday's post) was the only bird roosting on the isolated middle section of what remains of the wooden extension, at the end of the south harbour wall. In comparison, there were 104 cormorant roosting on the end section, less than 20 metres away!
232 widgeon flew from Red Nab towards Lune estuary in 7 groups

Ocean Edge salt marsh
38 Common snipe
1 Jack snipe
1 Reed bunting
MD

Bit better at Middleton

Middleton Nature Reserve
The male Pochard was back on model boat pond and Cetti's warbler obliged with a couple of bursts of song from western scrape (just to west of fence pond). Also three greenfinch were the first I've seen here this winter.
Mute swan 4 adult + 4 immature
Moorhen 4
Coot 3
Gadwall 7
Pochard (male) 1
Tufted (male) 2
Mallard 7
Teal 18
Snipe 4
Little egret 1
Cetti's warbler 1
Greenfinch 3
MD

2cy shag

Had about 30 minutes today most of which was spent talking to Reuben about the office which seems like it will be ready on 1st March

A surprise was 2cy shag between red bab and the loads of cormorants
feeding in the out fall channels - almost like it had been forced to one side

The rest was a bit useless; road blocked down to gate 38, two female joggers along seedy alley on the north wall, so no finches which left the model boat pond seemingly stripped of its main asset, the drake pochard

Gadwall - 7
Mallard - 5
Tufted duck 3

Cold easterly continues - for now

The cold wind was still mainly from east this morning, but starting to move more southerly now. Checked Ocen Edge salt marsh at high water.
84 Common Snipe
3 Jack Snipe
2 Reed Bunting
12 Ringed Plover

1 Skylark behind bund on foreshore was the first I've seen here this winter. Not sure if it came from salt marsh or elsewhere.
MD

Chilly Wind

Heysham North Harbour Wall

A visit this morning from 10.45 to 12.30 to put down more seed on the feeding area.
The finch flock paid a couple of visits to feed during that time.  Although there were no other people or cars there and no disturbance in the adjacent Centrica yard the birds were very nervous and flighty as they have often been this winter.  Although the windmill was operating in the moderate breeze the sound of the blades and generator are constant and unlikely to affect the birds.  However, as the wind direction alters slightly the windmill head yaws to face the wind - the turning mechanism does make a variety of nasty sudden noises that might upset them. When viewed from the feeding site at low level there did not appear to be any undue reflection light flashes from the blades.

Linnet - 20, approx 40% ringed
Goldfinch - 1
Robin - 1
Dunnock - 1
Feral Pigeon - 2


ajd

Coot join Mediterranean

Mediterranean gull still showing well on model boat pond at Middleton Nature Reserve. Also today were, to my knowledge, the first coot of 2017 for the reserve, one on the model boat pond and two on Tim Butler pond.

4 adult + 4 immature Mute swan
7 Gadwall
6 Mallard
1 Pochard (male)
5  Tufted
5 Teal
3 Coot
3 Moorhen
1 Little egret
1 Mediterranean gull
MD

New bread med

A scoot round in the early afternoon saw:

Model boat pond
Med gull - large ad m coming to bread
Pochard - male
Tufted 4, gadwall 6, mallard 5

North wall
Linnet 18, twite 1-2. Song thrush 1, dunnock 3, starling 11

Solitary Pochard

Presumably the same male Pochard, displaced from Middle Nature Reserve model boat pond last Saturday, has returned. But no sign of the female that was accompanying it.
Also on MNR ponds.
9 Tufted duck
7 Gadwall
6 Mallard
10 Teal
MD

Another Dull Day

Heysham Nature Reserve
A low key ringing session by John this morning at the Hut feeding station caught just 21 birds:
Blue tit - 4, no retraps was surprising
Long-tailed Tit - 1 plus 4 retraps
Great Tit- 3 retraps
Chaffinch - 1 plus 1 retrap
Goldfinch - 1 plus 3 retraps
Robin - 1 retrap
Greenfinch - 2

NHWall Feeding Site
17 Linnets there mid morning with 1 Goldfinch.

23 Linnets, 1 goldfinch there on Monday 16th and on Sunday 15th there were 10 Linnet, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin and 2 Rabbits at the seed.
No sign of any Twite and no further information on the reported flock from last Friday.


ajd

Ratty webs

A rat was a pain today as it disturbed the heliport roost necessitating a recount and backtrack to sites already counted!  The webs was otherwise fairly routine with just a single ad med gull on fishers roof of note - presumably the Czech bird.

North Harbour Wall - low tide a.m.
No sign of Twite reported on  Friday.
On feeding area:
Linnet - 10, 3 of them wearing rings
Robin - 1
Dunnock - 1
Rabbit - 2