A change of diet

Quite a fresh breeze between NEN and NE. Overcast, but dry all day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look around the main pond mid morning. 

Cetti's warbler - male singing from "no swimming" pond

House Martin 3 feeding low over the main pond

Heysham skear - low water 15:50

It was unusually quiet today, as the bulk of the gulls and Oystercatchers were on the outer skear, which hasn't been exposed for over a week.

Curlew c20 were the only other waders.

Great Crested Grebe 3

Eider 3 - female/immature 

Little Egret 4 - this is what today's title refers to. They have been catching shrimps and common gobies in the shallows, but today it was young flatfish. This one caught c10 as I watched, the elongated body suggests Dover Sole. Young Dover Sole have always been common in the bay, but adult fish are quite rare, although they seem to be more regular in recent years.

Even so, it is unusual for them to be in such shallow water when the water is clear (it's clear as this was on the south side with the wind coming from the north). Presumably the labyrinth created by the honeycomb worm reefs delayed them leaving to deeper water with the quickly ebbing tide.

Kevin sent me this nice shot of a Bee Orchid a few days ago. I know I posted one from Jeff yesterday, but they are an attractive flower, and won't be in bloom for much longer.

Bee Orchid Heysham Nature Reserve
A walk around the central plateau should locate one.