A bit more variety

A dry mainly sunny day with a gusty west wind.

Heysham skear - low water 09:30 (Malcolm)

Little Egret 6

Eider 9

Great Crested Grebe 1 juvenile 

These are some of the Eider and ending on the juvenile Great Crested Grebe.

Juvenile Great Crested grebe

Herring Gull 120

Lesser Black-Backed gull - none seen

Black-Headed gull 20

Oystercatcher 500

Curlew 40

Redshank 30

Summer plumaged Redshank 

Turnstone 35

Summer plumaged Turnstone 

Turnstone moulting to winter plumage

Ringed Plover 11

Ringed Plover

Dunlin 1

Dunlin moulting from summer plumage

South shore

I checked Red Nab then a walk along the sea wall towards high water ((Malcolm)

Approaching Red Nab it was clear that there were loads of gulls feeding on the outflows.

Mediterranean gull 23 resting on Red Nab - 2 juvenile, 1 x 2nd calendar year and the rest adult or 3rd calendar year. There were three white ringed birds amongst them, but all seen previously this year.

Mediterranean gulls

Black-Headed gulls c200 - 150 feeding on outflows

Kittiwake 1 juvenile feeding on No.1 outflow

Juvenile Kittiwake

The Nature Park was sheltered from the wind and the insects were taking advantage of the warm conditions. I bumped into Kevin by the Buddleia and over a five minute chat we saw ten species of butterfly and three species of dragonfly:

Red Admiral 2

Peacock 1

Comma 1

Large White 3

Brimstone 3 (all female)

Meadow Brown 2

Gatekeeper several

Small Skipper 3

Common Blue 2

Speckled Wood 2

Red Admiral and a Brimstone 

Meadow Brown

Comma and a Brimstone 

Common Darter just 1 near the Buddleia but several around the  Nature Park

Brown Hawker 1 by the Buddleia plus another 

Hawker sp, zipping around. Likely a Southern Hawker as its head and thorax were predominantly green.

What sounded like a young raptor was whining in the trees between the Nature Park and Ocean Edge, after a while an adult Sparrowhawk flew to the trees and the whining stopped. 

A Norwegian visitor

An overcast day with a few showers, some very heavy. A SW wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet didn't have her camera this morning, but still managed some nice shots with her phone.

Speckled Wood

Shaded Broad-bar

South shore

I ventured out twice today and was rewarded with a good soaking both times! (Malcolm)

Mediterranean gulls c25 on Red Nab towards high water. This one followed the StenaLine into the harbour this evening.

I was fortunate with this white ringed Black-Headed gull this evening. It was on Red Nab as I was walking back in the rain. The rain just eased long enough for me to locate and read the ring, then the heavens opened big style! Two minutes either way and I wouldn't have even seen it.

It is one of a Norwegian ringing scheme - details awaited

Lesser Black-Backed and Common gull

Redshank and a Turnstone

One of many groups of Curlew heading north to their feeding grounds

Whimbrel 1 south

Peregrine Falcon 2 cavorting around the Power Stations 

Peregrine Falcons

Cormorants on the wooden jetty

Slaters being slaughtered

A fresh SW wind stirred up the sea. Overcast with a few light showers.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

Just a quick look at the two main ponds.

Wildfowl as recent although just one female type Gadwall seen.

Gadwall, front with Mallard behind

This young Little Grebe provides a tour past the Gadwall and feeding Coot, before the inevitable dive.

This is one of the two summer plumaged adults.

Kingfisher 1 - on the "no swimming" pond. I only saw it briefly, but it didn't move on, just out of sight behind the bushes.

South shore (Malcolm)

Wheatear 1 female/immature on the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 2 - 1 each Foreshore and Red Nab

Whimbrel 2

Whimbrel 

Mediterranean gulls c15 flew early from Red Nab this morning, several were on the mud this evening.

Adult Med flying along the sea wall this evening 

Oystercatcher on the heliport wall at high water

Sea Slaters are like a large fast Woodlouse. Like Woodlice, they like to rest in dark damp areas, only coming out to feed after dark. But they drown if submerged in water so as the tides get higher, as they have been doing this week, they are forced to move from their hiding place and find a new one, making them vulnerable. This first clip is from yesterday when the Red Nab Rock Pipit finds one scurrying up the sloping wall.

But today's higher tide, with high waves forced the Sea Slaters out in numbers. There were c50 Starlings feasting on them at the heliport.

This one caught quite a large one, and had to take it out of sight to eat in peace. The Oystercatchers had no interest in the bounty.

Flycatcher on the Head

 A warn sunny day with a SW light wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet and the insects were enjoying the sunshine.

Common Darters

Brimstone 

Gatekeeper 

Two of three Peacock

Common Blue

Shaded Broad-bar

Silver Y

Little Egret

Heysham Head

Spotted Flycatcher 1 reported anonymously on BirdTrack

South shore (Malcolm)

Two checks again, foreshore to Red Nab towards high water in the morning and a walk along the sea wall in the evening.

Wheatear 2

Wheatears, clearly different birds, along the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 3 on Red Nab (1 + 2)

Little Egret 4

Whimbrel 1 heard

Curlew 175 at least, groups constantly flying to the south.

One of many groups of Curlew

Dunlin c150 in one flock south this evening 

Solitary Dunlin amongst the sandmason worm tubes near the wooden jetty

Mediterranean gull 30 at least, there were 25 on Red Nab this morning, including 4 juvenile. But other Meds were flying directly towards the estuary, as they tend to do when the tides are high enough to flush them from Red Nab.

In the Nature Park

Gatekeeper several

Large White 1

Small White 2

Ringlet 1 faded

Meadow Brown 1 faded

Peacock 2

Speckled Wood 2

Common Blue 1

Small Skipper 3

Small Skipper

Brown Hawker 2

Common Darter 5

These Carrion Crows were on the small anemometer 

It isn't obvious what is actually happening here, it's a bit early for apples to be over ripe. I like to think it's mum, saying, "What have I told you about eating apples? Put it down and go and find some nice junk food to eat." (Malcolm)

A swift exit

A fresher south wind. Overcast all day with occasional light showers.

South shore (Malcolm)

Not much time today, just managed a quick look at Red Nab and foreshore towards high water, and a walk along the sea wall this evening 

Mediterranean gulls 40+ including 3 juveniles. Seen on Red Nab, resting/preening on all of the beaches and feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty and out on the sea from the harbour mouth.

Some of the Meds with Black-Headed gulls on Red Nab this evening 

This preening Belgium ringed Med has just dislodged a feather

This German ringed bird was the only other ringed bird seen today.
It is feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty, note the sandmason worm tubes are
more prominent again. Hopefully they will be providing good feeding opportunities
this set of spring tides - shame about the restricted access to the sea wall

There were a handful of young gulls on the waterfall, but no gulls resting on 
The platforms, which are normally filled with Black-Headed gulls at this time of year.

Whimbrel 1 heard this morning.

Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore 

Wheatear 1, presumably the same juvenile as of late. In the same central section of the foreshore, but looking a little more like first winter plumage today.

Wheatear

The evening was very warm and heavy, large numbers of small flies (not flying ants) were over the Nature Park. Inevitably attracting the attention of the passing fly eating birds.

Swallow 13 at least

Swift 8 at least

Pete also managed a quick check from Ocean Edge at high water.

3 juvenile Mediterranean gulls were feeding on No.1 outfall

Common Sandpiper 1 flew south

Lots of gulls again

Morning showers, followed by an overcast day, then rain again in the evening. A SW wind.

South shore

I just managed a quick morning check of Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore (Malcolm).

Lots of small gulls roosting on Red Nab including at least 30 Mediterranean gulls (4 juveniles). Just one white ringed bird spotted, but unable to read, although definitely a new one for this year.

Six of the Meds with Black-Headed gulls.
Including a 3rd calendar year bird, second from the right

Juvenile Med behind an adult or 3cy

The only sign of a ring seen, although many of the birds legs were obscured 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Wheatear 1 on Ocean Edge foreshore.

Juvenile Wheatear at similar stage of plumage to the one seen on Friday

One of three Linnet on the foreshore

Janet had a walk along the sea wall at high water. There were lots of gulls feeding on the outflows, but mainly Black-Headed, Herring and Lesser Black-Backed

Juvenile Black-Headed gull picking out what looks to be a small sandeel

Cormorants heading past a dredger on their way to the wooden jetty

Sparrowhawk visiting my garden (Malcolm)