Another dawn start with the persistent and irritating moon still a prominent feature in yet another clear sky - we have been very unlucky this week
Grounded highlights
Wheatear - max of 21 Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Black Redstart - rather abraded female-type Red Nab early morning at least
Sedge Warbler - one singing briefly by HNR office and increase to 7 on Middleton
Reed Warbler - increase to 7 singing males Middleton
Willow Warbler - a trickle of migrants, mainly presumed females (7 ringed)
Vis mig and sea
Lesser Redpoll - just 3
Meadow Pipit - just 4
alba Wagtail - just 5
Swallow - very few early morning - just 8 seen!
Sand Martin - on north
Carrion Crow - flock of 5 north
Whimbrel - 5+3+H+1+1 north
Sandwich Tern - 6 blogging
Gannet - adult out
Arctic Tern - 7+12+3 in
Red-throated Diver - 2 sp birds out together
Common Scoter - pair in
Full Middleton list from Malcolm & Pete:
Mute 4 (including two sitting)
1 Stock Dove
8 tufted
8 tufted
7 gadwall
1 female mallard with 12 new chicks
2 shelduck
2 greylag
5 coot + 3 chicks
4 moorhen
2 little grebe
1 pheasant
5 linnet
5 reed bunting
1 wheatear
5 swallow
1 stoat
The reeds and scrub was awash with warblers. The following is just a list of individual birds heard in song.
10 Willow warbler
4 Chiffchaff
2 lesser whitethroat
11+ common whitethroat
7 sedge
7 reed
1 grasshopper (only heard on return trip)
Ocean Edge miscellany
2 little egret
28 Linnet feeding in short grass early am
285 Dunlin along the saltmarsh creek or on red nab
