Very light SE breeze, low cloud/mist for most of the day (the sun broke through for 5 minutes early afternoon!)
South shore (Kevin)
Kingfisher 1 male on Red Nab
No sign of the Shag today
North shore:
Pale-bellied Brent geese 45 minimum. There were two groups feeding amongst the rocks near the children's play area, 41 (without the Canadian ringed birds) plus a more distant group of 4. This clip shows the same area, but later as the tide was reaching the rocks. You can see a group in the shallows out from the play area, plus another group on the water making their way to join them. (Thanks to Steph, via Janet for this clip).
This is the optimum, but unfortunately short lived, period for them to feed here. The gut weed floats on the rising water making it much easier for them to gather, but soon becomes out of reach.
Mediterranean gull 1 adult (doubles up as the lamppost bird). I mentioned the other day that what all birds seem to have in common, is that they all appear to enjoy having a bath. The Med was no exception!
It is bathing in a freshwater run off from the rocks just below the promenade to the north of the play area.
After its bath if flew over to join the Black-Headed gulls
 |
| Adult Mediterranean gull flanked by BHGs |
I have never seen this bird feeding, only resting here or on the lamppost, I suspect that the bulk of its meals are provided by the owner of the bungalow near the lamppost (MD)
Heysham skear
Great Crested grebe 3
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Eider 100+ Both these birds have something, the top one definitely has a crab, it throws it into the sea to prevent the marauding Herring gull from pinching it. I'm pretty sure what the lower bird has is also a crab, but one that has already been suitably subdued, enough to swallow.
Knot c1,500
Middleton Nature Reserve
I went down late afternoon to see how the Jackdaw roost is doing, it was already quite dark at 15:30, there were already c50 Jackdaw around, by 16:30, when I left, there were still only about 120, but plenty of time for numbers to grow.
Mute 7 adult plus 7 second calendar year
Gadwall 33
Mallard 15
Wigeon 2
Goldcrest 1 - this is a rubbish clip, but it shows what you typically see of this species. It was in the scrub below the pylon where the Jackdaw have been roosting, you can hear a few in the background.
 |
| Goldcrest |
