Plenty of waders

A cold start then a sunny morning, more overcast in the afternoon. An east breeze.

South shore

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh - Malcolm 09:00 - 10:30

There was ice on my windscreen when I set off.

Lots of waders on the shore, but the quickly rising tide wouldn't let them settle. 

Even the Oystercatchers where having to run in front of the tideline.

Oystercatcher 85

Knot c4000

Dunlin c2000

Bar-Tailed Godwit 240

Grey Plover 75

Some of the waders out from Red Nab, the line of waders in the water
are Bar-Tailed Godwits. 

Knot and Dunlin. One of the Knot with a reddish belly. Five colour marked
Knot were seen, including the first two from a Dutch scheme this autumn 

Bar-Tailed Godwit, Knot and Grey Plover

Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin

Janet checked from the foreshore on the ebbing tide in the afternoon. The waders had returned, but the light is behind them looking from that direction. Makes for some nice shots though.

Mainly Knot

The Black-Headed gulls were making a racket!

Curlew

Redshank

The Wigeon were leaving the saltmarsh 

Wigeon

Some of the Shelducks

Little Egret

Cormorant 

Reed Buntings

Short-Eared Owl best of the day

A sunny day with a light east breeze

Heysham Head - David Kaye

Short-Eared Owl 1 south

Grey Plover 2 on the shore

South shore

I checked out from the saltmarsh - Malcolm 09:00 - 10:30

Shelduck 110

Some of the Shelduck before they headed off to the south

Little Egret 3

Lapwing 28

Lapwing

Grey Plover 7 just out from the saltmarsh 

Grey Plover and a Dunlin 

Redshank, Dunlin and Grey Plover

The tide was coming in quickly when a load of waders arrived at the waterline, but after just a brief stay they headed back south again. At least 3,000 Knot with a few Dunlin plus 240 Bar-Tailed Godwit.

Just a few of the Godwits

Bar-Tailed Godwits heading south

Knot Heading south

Common Snipe 28 lifted from the marsh, some returning 

Common Snipe

Greenfinch 8

Linnet c60

Reed Bunting 6

Greenfinch and a Linnet

More Linnet arriving 

Reed Bunting 

This is the saltmarsh grass that the Reed Buntings are feeding on. The white
spikes are flowers, so presumably there are plenty of seeds too.

Janet checked Red Nab later on the ebbing tide

Mute Swans

Cormorant with Oystercatchers and a Redshank

Wigeon

Black-Tailed Godwit

Kevin had a walk along the sea wall

Common Darter and Small Tortoiseshell making the most of the warm sunshine on the sea wall this afternoon. 

Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Janet

Gadwall

Moorhen

Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:45 - 15:30

Eider 250

Male Eiders in breeding plumage 

Immature male Eider

Mature Eider along the front mainly immature ones behind 

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Female type Merganser

Teal (probably) 6

What look to be Teal, unfortunately the strong light was behind them.
Great Crested Grebe in front

They didn't stay long

Common Scoter 3 female type

They were feeding the whole time I was out. Unfortunately quite distant.

Great Crested Grebe 4

Oystercatcher c1500

Black-Tailed Godwit 1

Curlew 50

Redshank 250

Knot 300 - just one was colour marked and it has been seen here earlier this autumn 

Turnstone 40

Ringed Plover 13

Black-Tailed Godwit.......

........showing how it got its name

By this time the sun was low giving all the waders a nice warm glow

Turnstone

Knot

Curlew, Knot and Oystercatcher