Dozy but content

A light west breeze mainly overcast with the occasional bright spell.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing and vis report from Alan:

Apart from five new Grey Wagtails and three Meadow Pipits the only other captures this morning were singles of Wren, Robin, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. A retrap Cetti's Warbler and a Robin were also caught.

Very little was seen in the sky - a single swallow and Meadow Pipits only just into double figures. Six Grey Wagtails escaped capture.

Heysham Head,

Report from Jean:

Generally pretty quiet today.

Seen from Heysham Head 0830-0900:

Meadow Pipit 10

Pink-footed Goose 120

Alba Wagtail 1

Grey Wagtail 1

A flock of 10 Linnet had gathered.

Great Crested Grebe 11 in the low tide channel

Eider 42 on the sea

Little Egret 6 on the skeer

South shore

This is what today's title refers to. Janet took this excellent sequence of a male Grey Seal dozing in the harbour mouth.

The Grey seal seemed quite happy in the harbour mouth and never moved 

far when the ferry passed by.

It took a look at me then went back to snoozing!!!!

You really should open Janet's shots to see the detail, you can get
 that close to this one that you can almost smell his breath
Not that you would want to!  (MD)

No Wheatears today

Meadow Pipit 3 south

Rock Pipit at least four around Red Nad area. This short clip shows four feeding on their favoured spot, the tide line between Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore.

Mediterranean gulls Pete had a quick check early in the tide, the long staying German ringed adult was on the mud.

Two adult plus three first calendar year were on Red Nab rocks at high water, making for easy viewing. You don't need to be a gull expert to recognise the "juvenile" behaviour!

This next bit is also from Red Nab at high water, but it was from yesterday (I forgot to post it yesterday, but may be of interest if we get more warm sunny days(MD)).

This is the pool below the sea wall at Red Nab, it is formed when the spring tides reach
this height. It is then topped up by any rainfall, sometimes making it brackish.

There hasn't been much rain since the the last spring tides, so the water would still be quite saline. But that hasn't stopped it being occupied by dragonflies, yesterday there was one Migrant Hawker and at least four Common Darter on this pool, including this pair ovipositoring. 

Back to today

Linnet 19 on saltmarsh 

Skylark 1 grounded near slipway.

Skylark