Very light variable breeze again, from NE to west and back to NE again. Very warm in the almost constant sunshine.
Middleton Nature Reserve
Ringing report from John:
Another very quiet ringing morning. Although three nets set before 6.30am, no new birds caught in the first two hours. Just two retrap warblers a Willow and a Sedge.
The only other birds caught later were seven Lesser Redpolls, in two small groups.
Jean and Pete conducted a seawatch from the North wall, and the resulting tally looks impressive, but things weren't as hectic as yesterday.
Report from Pete:
Early morning seawatch heysham north wall:
52 Sandwich Tern
8 Red Throated diver - Nick had more rtd than us (10 in and 3 out)
1 Arctic Skua
32 Whimbrel
175 Pinkfeet
1 distant Osprey
141 Common Scoter
3 Gannet
9 Guillemot
2 Razorbill
2 Razorbill/Guillemot
5 Arctic Tern - The arctic terns we’re going up the Lune flightline this am - Ian Hartley had 60 odd in a short high tide seawatch from Cockersands.
5 Manx Shearwater
13 Swallow and 1 House Martin over sea
Nick Godden also a lot of Bar-Tailed Godwit (130 north plus 25 on the shore) which may have been feeding north of Heysham Head - they are on the move nationally in big numbers and strong easterlies seem to be diverting them from the usual English Channel route
Also:
1 Chiffchaff,
1 Wheatear,
1 Displaying Rock Pipit along wall
Redpoll and Linnet overhead.
Pete also checked Red Nab and located 2 x 2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull
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| Pictures of both Meds by Pete |
Also on south shore:
Kevin took these three pictures:
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| Linnet with nest material |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Two Whimbrel |
Grey Plover, there has been a couple hanging around the saltmarsh all winter, they are now well on the way to summer plumage.
Heysham skear - low water 17:00
Red-breasted Merganser 6
Eider 93 counted close in, there would have been more
Whimbrel 2
Teal 4 (2 male and 2 female preening before flying north)
Dark-bellied Brent goose - it was on the north side of the skear again 16:15. But further out, the same distance from shore as Conger rock (the largest rock of the skear located on the south side). It was still visible as I was making my way back at 17:00. No reason why it won't be there again tomorrow, but higher tides mean it will become increasingly difficult from the sea wall.
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| Just for the record - Dark-bellied Brent |
