Pied Flycatcher

 Light east to SE wind with plenty of sunshine till late afternoon then overcast with light showers.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

The highlight of today was a female/imm Pied Flycatcher.

Small birds were flitting about in the bushes but the nets were too visible in the bright sunshine so only a few were caught for ringing:

Chiffchaff 4 (1 was a retrap from Middleton NR)

Goldcrest 2

Robin 1

Blue Tit 3

Long-tailed Tit 1

Greenfinch 1

Robin 1

Goldfinch 1

Vis was also low key:

Chaffinch 25

Great Spotted Woodpecker 2

Grey Wagtail 3

Sparrowhawk 1 (plus 2 others seen which may have been resident ones)

Raven 2

Swallow 4

Meadow Pipit 12 (one flock)

Tree Sparrow 2

Seven Jays were on the reserve.

Also, from Pete (M)

White Wagtail 1 adult male at Ocean Edge

Common Whitethroat by Heysham NR Office

Middleton Nature Reserve 

John's ringing today included:

Cetti's warbler 1 

Chiffchaff 7

Blackcap 2

Grey Wagtail 5

Blue Tit 1

Robin 1

All new birds

South Shore

Report by Pete Crooks:

Morning incoming tide:

Wooden Pier – 1 2nd CY Shag, 125 Cormorant

Heysham Harbour South Wall – 2 juv. Wheatear, 2 Rock Pipit

Red Nab – 7 Mediterranean Gull (4 adult, 1 2nd winter, 2 1st winter),
2 Sandwich Tern (1 adult, 1 juvenile)
Oystercatcher – 3 colour-ringed (too distant for details) and 15+ metal ringed among large flock prior to Red Nab being covered by the tide.
Also: 2 Rock Pipit, 1 juv. Wheatear

I'd checked Red Nab earlier in the tide (MD), at that time a Kingfisher was feeding.

Another Goby, it seems to catch them readily. I suspect that after it has caught "enough", it flies off to wherever it is currently calling home, to rest.

Lapwing 26 flew south from saltmarsh long before the tide reached it.

Linnet c30 feeding on saltmarsh 

I checked the mud out from the saltmarsh. Once again the main large group of waders were along the water's edge moving south. Made up of, at least:

Curlew, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin and Bar-Tailed Godwit (just 4 seen)

There were 100+ Ringed Plover with c20 Dunlin feeding close to the shore.

This juvenile Ringed Plover found itself "left behind" and had to run to catch up.

This small mixed flock of Grey Plover and Knot landed along a drain.

Grey Plover and Knot in various stages of moult from summer plumage 

This is them landing

A  Curlew Sandpiper was also with the Dunlin close in. Unfortunately, the sun was not at a great angle, and I slipped in the mud as I tried to get a better angle. I went flying, and so did the waders!

Juvenile  Curlew Sandpiper