Sunday 21 February 2021

A spot of rock climbing

The wind was still from the south but quite gentle today. Some sunshine and light showers.

Meadow Pipit 1 on the foreshore rocks near Red Nab
Rock Pipit 3 at least, on the same rocks, one was torn between chasing off the Meadow Pipit and displaying.
This picture isn't up to much, but there won't be many locations in Lancashire 
were you can watch a Rock Pipit "parachuting"

This one is "striking a pose", I don't know if it the male displaying or a female responding (MD)

Kevin managed another Stonechat near the harbour Lighthouse 
A male today

This report from Jeff Butcher (curtesy of the LDBWS website)

My first visit to Heysham this year. Knowlys Road at 09.40 there were at least 17 pale-bellied Brent geese and at least 59 eider.

Later, 39 greylag geese flew over going south along the coast, seen from Heysham Head.

Chaffinch, dunnock both in full song. House sparrows visiting roof sites in the village.


Heysham skeer - low water 12:30
I say low water, but the tide doesn't go out far on these low 6.7m tides, just a small section of the inner skeer exposed.
Pale-bellied Brent goose 7 - this is what today's title refers to. I wasn't really expecting any here today, as I knew there is virtually no weed to feed on. But, as ever, the birds know better than me (MD). The only remaining weed was attached to the rocks and they were climbing on top to feed on it.
Not just an isolated incident, they were all at it.

Unfortunately, not a limitless supply

Eider - I didn't try to count, most were out of range, but there were some small groups of unattached males trying to woo the few unattached females.
Not a particularly dignified process!

Looks like the males we're trying to establish a pecking order