The aggressive male mute, lives up to its name!

Very heavy early morning showers. What air movement there was early on was from NE, but by 10:00 it was westerly and remained so and freshened during the day. Overcast till late morning then mainly sunny.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Ringing this morning was interrupted by a very heavy 45 min rain shower. Nets were set before 06.00 but had to be closed between 06.45 and 07.45. After the rain there were plenty of birds moving around within the reserve but the catch was low.

Grasshopper Warbler 1 retrap from earlier this year. There were two singing birds in the western marsh.

Sedge Warbler 2 plus 3 retraps, one of which was from 2020

Reed Warbler 2

Common Whitethroat 1 plus 1retrap from 2020

Willow Warbler 1 retrap from earlier this year

Blue Tit 1

The female mute is still on the "no swimming" pond with her 9 young

This striking pose from Kevin

Meanwhile Janet took this shot of the male trying to clear the main pond of the other mute.

Janet expects the male to relocate his family here soon.

A nice shot of a Song Thrush.

This tree is just west of the reserve on the southern boundary of Ocean Edge
(There is a public footpath that runs along here and the south of the reserve)
Yesterday, this male Great Spotted Woodpecker was resting on its tail.

Today, in the same tree, this female was looking for food.

South shore 

A check just after the heavy shower located

Wheatear 2 together at 07:45

By 10:40 there was just one

A particularly chunky individual 

By 14:20 there were 2 individual birds

A more streamlined bird but quite rufous

So a minimum of 4 different birds.

House Sparrows disappeared from the saltmarsh area just a week or so after lockdown started. Today two had returned

Whimbrel 2 near Red Nab

Rock Pipits 2

It was strangely quiet near the lighthouse, no sign of activity near the waterfall, the lighthouse bird moved on the ringed male when it came too close, but for the most part the ringed bird was feeding in the scrub, then flying into the Power Station grounds. Unfortunately I didn't see it carrying any food away. 

This clip is the ringed Rock Pipit feeding with a Starling, it always amazes me how much food the birds find here, from such a spartan area. The Starting finds a grub, probably a leather jacket.

This male Linnet is keeping an eye on  me as I approach it's nesting area (MD).

Report from Pete:

Female Whinchat horse paddocks.  

Single Sandwich Tern and 8 Swallow north on seawatch.

Female Wheatear north harbour wall (at least five Male linnet on the mound on gorse)