Dodging the showers!

Much cooler today. A fresh west wind and the day a mixture of sunny spells and very heavy showers, some starting as hail.

Heysham skear - low water 11:45

GreatCrested grebe - just one winter plumage bird seen

Red-breasted Merganser 6 female/immature in one group

Eider 2 male

Little Egret 14

Waders included: Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone, Ringed Plover (30), Dunlin (2) and Knot (100+).

This was the first time this autumn that a flock of Knot was seen feeding on the skear. One of them was orange flagged, but this clip shows how difficult it is on the skear to see rings. Most of the Knots' legs are hidden from view. Check the Oystercatcher at the end of this clip. 1. It extracts a mussel from a shell wedged in a crevice. 2. Sadly, it's right foot and leg appear gangrenous.

I eventually managed to get a clear look at the flagged bird, only to find that the flag was damaged, making it impossible to read, at least with my optics.

Knot with orange flag, remained unread 

The Cormorants were heading back to their wooden jetty roost, before this
storm arrived. I followed suit and headed for home, narrowly avoiding a drenching!

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a very brief check of the two main ponds

Mute Swan the pair plus 9 cygnets were all on the "no swimming" pond

Moorhen 6

Mallard 3 male, including yesterday's white bird

Gadwall 12

Little grebe 1

Kevin had some nice bright moths in his overnight trap. Adds a bit of colour to an otherwise largely grey day,

Pink-barred Sallow.

Merveille du Jour