Pinkfoot heading north all day

Very light breeze again, from east in the morning before switching to SW after lunch. Overcast for much of the day, but some sunny spells, becoming prolonged in the evening.

Pink-Footed goose 

Early morning summary from Pete - 6121 northbound, the combined total from Heysham and Middleton with no duplication.  These birds were spread over 2.5 hrs, not a low flying mass ex roost flight to eg Oxcliffe road feeding areas.  Therefore almost certainly a readjustment by overshooting birds heading back to perhaps the Solway area.   

David Kaye also recorded 5 skeins totalling 474 from Knowlys Rd again all heading north (between late morning to early evening)

I had 4 skeins late evening (MD) 267 again heading north, although one was very low

So the total today 6,682 - all north

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

An interesting morning. Only 20 birds captured in the nets for ringing:

Grey Wagtail 4

Wren 3

Robin 3

Blackcap 4

Chiffchaff 4

Reed Bunting 2

Only one other Grey Wagtail seen other than the four caught. 46 Swallows passed through the reserve but no Meadow Pipits seen (or attracted to the MP3 lure) in contrast to yesterday's catch of 15.

I just had a quick passing check of the two main ponds (MD)

Main Pond

Mute pair plus 7 cygnet 

Mallard 2 pair

Moorhen 2

"No swimming" pond

Gadwall 18

Moorhen 2

Shoveler not on the pond, but one flew over. There aren't many ducks that can be identified from a silhouette from below. Shoveler can be!

Shoveler 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

Apart from the Pink-footed Geese there were 4 Chaffinch south, 1 Skylark south and 36 Swallows north. A flock of 8 Mistle Thrushes landed on one of the pylons before moving on. 

Ringing

The highlight was a Cetti’s Warbler

Another 3 Grey Wagtails caught and colour ringed 

Chiffchaff 2

Robin 3

Goldcrest. 1

Blackcap 1

Goldfinch 6

Greenfinch 4

Blue Tit 1

Great Tit 3 new and 1 retrap

Dunnock 1

Wren 1

South shore

Little Egret 6 on Red Nab (typically just 3 here) - Kevin

I had a walk out on the shore again, the tide was coming in but still had a long way to go so plenty of wet mud towards the water line (MD)

Rock Pipit 2

Wheatear 1

Shelduck 15 (3,1,4 & 7) all south

Shelduck 

There was a large feeding mixed group of waders towards the waterline, but the bright sun was low and made seeing nearly impossible. Eventually I managed to get near enough and at an angle to be able to pick out individual birds there were:

Bar-Tailed Godwit c60

Grey Plover c50

Knot c40

Dunlin c100

Sanderling 6

Even so it was still very difficult viewing. These are five of the Sanderling 

Sanderling along the waterline 

I was just wondering what my next move was going to be, when the only low flying flock of Pinkfoot all day, flew north just above the waterline

Pink-footed geese also silhouetted against the strong sun. 
They were only a few metres above the waterline, perhaps they had been resting on the beach.

They lifted all the waders which also flew north, I originally cursed the geese, but the waders landed about 50m north, allowing me a corridor to get to the waterline and wade out a little. Now I had the opposite problem, the sun was so bright as to tint the birds!

These two clips contain the Sanderlings (there is an option to view in slow motion that you may find beneficial)

Other waders

Redshank 15

Turnstone 1

Ringed Plover 18

Oystercatcher c400

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

This Bar-Tailed Godwit was feeding and a Black-Headed gull pinches its lugworm, all to easily in my opinion. It will lose the next one too!

David Kaye took this shot of a pony in the paddocks at Knowlys Rd. Presumably the Magpie is finding something to eat, but only room for one. The other bird has to wait!