Middleton Nature Reserve
Mute swan 2+1 adult 3+1 juvenile - the additional adult is definitely a new bird in, it shied away from the regular feeder.
Coot 4
Moorhen 10
Water Rail 2
Gadwall 26
Shoveler 2
Mallard 6
Little Grebe 1
Cetti's warbler - good, but brief, views near the new shallow scrapes in the SW corner of the western marsh.
South Shore
Some nice shots from Janet
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| Little Egret feeding on Red Nab |
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| Grey Seal out from No.1 outflow |
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| Two Herring gull stowaways on the incoming ferry |
Heysham Skeer towards low water
Eider 103
Great Crested Grebe 3
Knot c1,500
Pale-bellied Brent goose - they were around the pool in the centre of the skeer, there isn't a great deal of weed in this pool (I checked on the way back when they had gone), so presumably the advantage is that it is underwater and so easier to crop. I counted as best I could from distance, 24, then skirted well past them onto the skeer. 10 minutes later I heard them in flight, there were actually 30, they set off west and I thought they were off to the west side for the night, but they doubled back and landed on the water just west of the skeer.
They then drifted back along the skeer edge and continued feeding from the water
I included this clip, mainly because it gives a good idea of the general activity around, what I regard as, the western edge of the inner skeer.
Finally, I like this short clip, the Eider appears to deliberately upset the gull
