Plenty of stuff on the move

An early morning shower then dry and largely sunny. A very light variable breeze.

South shore

Pete did an hour ocean edge shore vis migging etc 0710-0810: 

Swallow 190 south

Meadow Pipit 18 south 

alba wagtail 49 grounded, 16 south

Grey wagtail 8 south

Yellow Wagtail - Juvenile grounded then it or another in flight possibly same scattered with albas by dogs, 

Pinkfoot 61 north!

61 Eider mainly resting at low tide on sandbanks off harbour then headed Into bay c0800

Shag on wooden jetty (seen earlier heading that way by David Kaye from Ocean Edge)

Jean saw an additional 670 south Pink-Footed geese in 4 skeins 

Malcolm 09:00 - 10:45 it was still cloudy 

Pink-Footed goose 36 south just as I was getting out of my car, later another 3 south.

Pink-Footed geese

Swallow 4 south over the saltmarsh 

Ringed Plover 4 out from the saltmarsh 

Linnet at least 12 on the saltmarsh, probably more, 2 along the foreshore and 14 on Red Nab

Robin 3 along the foreshore plus 2 near the lighthouse 

One of the foreshore Robins

This one near the lighthouse 

Wren 1 on the foreshore 

Wren

Wheatear 1 on Red Nab and 1 by No.2 outfall

Wheatear

Pied Wagtail 3 along the sea wall

Pied Wagtail 

White Wagtail also 3 along the sea wall

White Wagtail 

By this time the sun was shining and it was quite warm. This White Wagtail was catching the flies as they lifted off the wrack.

Meadow Pipits initially there were at least 11 grounded around the roundhead, then they continued south.

Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail 

Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore, 2 on Red Nab, 1 along the sea wall and 2 between the lighthouse and waterfall.

Rock Pipit on the harbour wall

Mediterranean gulls 4 individuals 

There were just two Mediterranean gulls on the beach by the wooden jetty
despite there being plenty of Sandmason worm tubes showing 

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull (right) with a Black-Headed gull
between the outfalls

Little Egret 4

Grey Heron 1

Heron on No.1 outfall

In the Nature Park 

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 2

Red Admiral 2

Painted Lady 2

Common Darter 3

Painted Lady

Heysham Nature Reserve - Jean

After a drizzly start, 48 birds were caught today, mostly young ones:
Goldfinch 13 (1retrap)
Grey Wagtail 8 plus 6 others over
Blue Tit 7 (2 retraps)
Robin 5
Great Tit 5 (1 retrap)
Blackcap 3
Chiffchaff 2
Wren 2
Cetti’s Warbler 1
Greenfinch 1
Dunnock 1

The mammal list was short:
1 Rat 
1 Stoat

Middleton Nature Reserve 

WeBS report by Jean

Main pond:
Grey Heron 1
Little Grebe 2
Mallard 23
Tufted Duck 9
Moorhen 4
Coot 2
Mute Swan 2
Black-headed Gull 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull 6
Cetti’s Warbler 1
Swallow 4 South

No Swimming Pond:
Mute Swan 1
Moorhen 2
Coot 2

These from Janet

Main pond

At least two Red-Veined Darters

Immature Red-Veined Darter on the main pond west bank

Immature Red-Veined Darter on the main pond spit

Common Darter - Someone was feeding the ducks as I took this shot.

Tufted Ducks

Moorhen

Cetti's warbler singing

On the southern section 

Southern Hawker

Common Darter

Sand Martin south at Knowlys Rd 13:00 - David Kaye

A touch of serendipity

Heavy rain all morning eased in the afternoon. A fresh wind initially from south ended up a westerly 

Middleton Nature Reserve - report from yesterday's visit - Rosemary and Peter Silvester 

Seen at the Southern End:

Male Common Darters 12

Migrant Hawkers 2

Female Common Darter 2 (1 ovipositing)

No Ruddy Darters

Large White 1

Red Admiral 1

Speckled Wood 2

Female Short Winged Conehead 1

Seen at the Main Pond:

Red Veined Darter 1

Male Common Darter 6

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Blue Damselfly 2

Speckled Wood 1

Mute Swan 2

Grey Heron

Heard at the Main Pond:

Robin

Long Tailed Tit

Cettis Warbler

Common Darters

Red-Veined Darter

Common Blue Damselfly 

Speckled Wood

Short-Winged Cone-head

South shore - Malcolm 14:15 - 16:15

There was still some rain in the air as I set out, but I returned in sunshine 

Linnet 30+ feeding on the saltmarsh, 8 on Red Nab

Ringed Plover 1 at the saltmarsh 

Ringed Plover amongst the Samphire 

Wheatear 1 along the foreshore and 1 on the sea wall at Red Nab.

The foreshore bird seemed more concerned about keeping out of the wind, although it was finding some bits to eat.

Wheatear on the sloping sea wall

Rock Pipit 2 at Red Nab, plus 1 along the sea wall and 1 heard near the lighthouse 

The only things feeding at the outfalls and along the sea wall on the way out were Black-Headed gulls

Plenty of Cormorants and one immature Shag on the wooden jetty.

Shag arrowed

This was just before No.2 outfall on the way back.

The Cormorant on the left has just swallowed a fish, but it was struggling 
to get it completely down

It was trying to swallow it for over three minutes. This is just an excerpt.

I had already checked the outfall and there were still only Black-Headed Gulls feeding. But after the watching the Cormorant for a few minutes, a second check saw a juvenile Arctic Tern. I would probably have missed it if not for the delay. Serendipity Indeed, but it was tempered by a touch of misfortune, as the sun chose this moment to break through, making seeing awkward as the sea turned silver.

Juvenile Arctic Tern

It was pretty nimble too!

By the time I got back to the Nature Park the sun was shining and the insects stirring.

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 2

Red Admiral 2

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 8

This gate is 50m past the small anemometer along the back track. There are
four Common Darters soaking up the sun in this shot at one point there were five.

Another RVD and Hummingbird Hawk-moth

A dry day with hazy sunshine. A light west(ish) breeze

Middleton Nature Reserve - Peter and Rosemary Silvester

Red-Veined Darter seen on the main pond

Not a very obliging one, it could be an immature male or female

A fuller report of today's sightings to follow.

South shore Malcolm 09:00 - 10:15

Linnet 30+ feeding on the saltmarsh 

Meadow Pipit 4 grounded and squabbling along the foreshore 

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit 1 along foreshore, 3 on Red Nab and 1 along the sea wall

Rock Pipit

Wheatear 1 along the foreshore 

Wheatear

Shelduck 29 out from the saltmarsh 

Little Egret 5 between saltmarsh and No.2 outfall, I didn't go any further

Mediterranean gull 3 adults on Red Nab

This green Ringed Mediterranean gull is one of the regulars.
Ringed as a chick in Germany in 2012.

Two more Meds and a Black-Headed gull

Common Gull on Red Nab

There were plenty of gulls feeding on No.2 outfall, but all Black-Headed

The maintenance work was to erect the temporary bridge along the sea wall. This is for vehicle access when the outfalls are to be serviced. The bridge is fenced off, but there is access past it.

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was in my back garden when I got home. But by the time I got my camera it had enough of my Busy Lizzies and I just managed a record shot before it moved on.

They move so quickly that the only bit in focus is its tongue! 

Tomorrow's weather is looking a bit grim