One regular Med returns, but still a lack of ringed birds

Mainly overcast with the odd light shower. A fresh west breeze 

Just my stuff so far - Malcolm

A walk along the south sea wall 09:45 - 11:15, just as the tide was starting to come in.

Peregrines 2 juveniles chasing gulls around the Power Stations

Peregrine chasing a gull

Two Peregrines 

Mediterranean gulls c25. I only saw them on the feeding beach by the wooden jetty. Today there were catching Sandmason worms, and they were joined by Black-Headed gulls and a couple of Carrion Crows having a go.

There were several Mediterranean gulls closer to the sea wall, including two 2nd calendar year birds.

This 2cy was on the same patch that it has occupied for the last 3 days

This 2cy was about 10m away and being tolerated 

Adult Mediterranean gull, there were also at least 2 3cy

As soon as I saw this adult I knew that when it moved it was going to limp

It was close to the sea wall, just below the side of No.1 outfall. There are Sandmason worms here, but it isn't a desirable feeding ground. But a limping Mediterranean gull last year developed a method of finding enough to eat here. It clearly wasn't nimble enough to compete with the other gulls in the better feeding areas. And sure enough, when today's Med moved it showed that it was almost certainly the same bird as last year.

One of several juvenile Black-Headed gulls around 

Rock Pipit 2 together flew past the roundhead towards the wooden jetty

Linnet several among the brambles and in the scrub near the lighthouse 

Linnet

This Grey Seal was inside the harbour, can't remember seeing 
one actually inside the harbour before.

One of the Jays that regularly visit my feeders. The peanuts in shells were
already gone when it arrived so made do, begrudgingly, with fat balls.

Meds on the increase again

 A dry, but mainly overcast day. A light west breeze.

South shore - Malcolm 10:15 - 11:30

A walk along the sea wall not long after low water

Osprey 1 

It had caught a fish and was eating it on the post at the seaward end of
No.2 outfall. Initially looked over by a Carrion Crow

It fed for 30 minutes then flew off to the NW

Mediterranean gulls 25 - 1 2nd calendar year, 2 3rd calendar year, the rest adult

There were 16 adult and a 2cy on the feeding beach by the wooden jetty. I said yesterday that I only ever hear them calling when they first return in full breeding plumage. I was wrong! Today the 2cy was calling as it chased away encroaching birds. When the feeding here is good they do bicker over feeding patches. Some ringed birds are often seen on the exact same patch every year. It is worth noting that the "patch" that this 2cy bird is defending, is where it was in yesterday's shot.

We are not quite at the "patch working" stage yet. I didn't see any
Sandmason worms caught, but the gulls were trying 

Adult Med and 2cy Common Gull

The remaining Meds were resting/preening on the beach between the outfalls.

Some of the resting Meds. It was good to see the Meds acting normally,
in previous years a passing Osprey cleared the beaches. Perhaps they are
becoming more relaxed about them now that they are more regular 

Middleton Nature Reserve southern section - Janet

Just a short exercise walk

Meadow Brown

Ringlet

Six-spot Burnet

Red Soldier Beetle

Worms weather the storm

Very strong onshore winds overnight with vicious gusts. A roadside tree was blown down on Heysham Rd, not uprooted, but snapped at the base! The wind continued all day only easing this evening by then it was more NW. Dry with sunny spells

South shore - Malcolm

I had a walk along the sea wall this morning on the rising tide. The only gulls feeding on the outfalls were a few Black-Headed and a couple of Common Gulls

2nd calendar year Common Gull

On the way out there were no small gulls on Red Nab, they were all hunkered down beside the outfall

Mediterranean Gulls at least 7 all adult or 3rd Calendar year

4 Mediterranean gulls amongst the Black-Headed by No.2 outfall

There were plenty of large gulls hunkered down on Red Nab, but others toughed it out on the open shore 

Herring gulls on the windswept mud

On the way back, the tide had covered the rocks by the outfalls and all
the gulls had retreated to Red Nab

It was a storm such as this last year that dumped 15cm of mud onto the feeding beach by the wooden jetty. So I returned this evening as it was about to be exposed to see how it fared. 

Many of the small gulls including Mediterranean were still hunkered
down on Red Nab

But as soon as the feeding beach began to be exposed the Mediterranean gulls arrived

I thought this adult was stood in deep water.....

.....but it was sat in shallow water!

At least 4 adults, a 3rd calendar year and a 2nd calendar year Meds turned up, presumably they were hungry after being hunkered down all day

This is the 2nd calendar year Med. You can see that not only did the storm
not cover the Sandmason worm tubes, but they are even more prominent 
than yesterday 

This adult was calling, although you could barely hear it over the wind. The
only time I hear them calling is when they've first returned in full breeding plumage

It seemed to be with its mate and still bonding

More gulls may have turned up later, but it is very difficult viewing this 
beach in the evening when the sun is shining

There are plenty of Bee Orchids along the western boundary of Middleton Nature Reserve with Ocean Edge - Janet

Bee Orchid

Pretty much the same stuff

Mainly overcast with the odd light shower. A light west breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

Silver Y, hovering to feed

Six-spot Burnet

South shore

Shaun managed a quick check of Red Nab and the outfalls this morning 

Mediterranean Gull 11 - 8 adults and 3 x 3cy. 

Janet checked later

One of two Little Egret

No Mediterranean gulls seen

Pied Wagtail with either a mate or young to feed

I checked from 15:45 - 17:15 - Malcolm

In the Nature Park 

Ringlet 6

Meadow Brown 1

Painted Lady 1

Peregrine Falcon 3 - an adult flew across the Nature Park. 2 juveniles were buzzing the gulls around the Power Stations 

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon

I went to watch the feeding beach by the wooden jetty become exposed. I know that there are hardly any Sandmason worm tubes high up the shore, but perhaps any arriving Mediterranean Gulls wouldn't. One adult did turn up as soon it the mud was exposed, but didn't stay long!

You can see that there are some embryonic Sandmason tubes just showing, but clearly no feeding opportunities yet.

It flew over to the beach between the outfalls.......

.......and joined 3 other adult Mediterranean gulls

As I was heading back a 3rd calendar year Mediterranean gull tried feeding
along the waterline of the beach by the wooden jetty, there are a few more
Sandmason worm tubes further out

Shag 1 2nd calendar year on the wooden jetty

Shag, second from the left, with Cormorants 

This shot is from 5 days ago. A Herring gull with 2 chicks on one of the
Harbour platforms 

This is one of the, slightly larger, chicks today. Its sibling was hiding 
behind a bollard, waiting for an adult to return 

Cormorant in the harbour have a spruce up

Gulls on Red Nab. Left to right: Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed
and Herring gulls

Curlew c150 in several groups north

Between the lighthouse and the waterfall:

Rock Pipit 1

Pied Wagtail 1

Linnet 7

Goldfinch 2

Most of the Linnet were on the perimeter fence, but this one obliged briefly 

Goldfinch having a drink

Kestrel 1 feeding over the saltmarsh