Stonechat movement begins!

A very cold SSE wind early on freshened a bit during the day. High cloud with plenty of sunshine.

Pete(M) said this morning that today's conditions looked right for Stonechat movement, an hour later Pete Crooks reported the first sighting for the reporting area this winter.

Full report from Pete Crooks visit this morning:

Red Nab – Heysham Harbour (9.30 – 10.45 am)
1 2nd CY Little Gull – Heysham Stage 2 Outfall (it was still feeding on the wall side of No.2 outflow as it was going dark at 18:00 (MD))
1 2nd CY Shag – Heysham Harbour
4 Rock Pipit – 2 Heysham Harbour, 1 Heysham Stage 1 Outfall, 1 Red Nab
1 male Stonechat – Red Nab – early spring migrant?
90 Pink-footed Geese – high across the bay heading north

Knowlys Road, Heysham
42 Pale-belied Brent Geese – widely spread along the outer edge of the foreshore off Royds Avenue
540 Eider – just offshore, spread along tideline between Heysham Head and Sandylands Promenade

Earlier, the Little Gull was on the seaward end of No.1 outflow. This clip just shows the location, probably favoured when the water level is low.

Janice Sutton also visited the area again today.

2nd calendar year Shag in the Harbour 

2nd calendar year Shag flying out of harbour

1st winter Great Black-Backed gull

Rock Pipit at Half Moon Bay

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

A lot of the wildfowl had returned

Mute Swan 3 adult plus 7 immature on main pond, 3 adult on "no swimming" pond.

Moorhen 4

Mallard 3

Gadwall 27 (5 on main pond)

Tufted Duck 1 male

Pochard 1 male 

Male Gadwall with male Pochard 

Pochard with male Tufted Duck on "no swimming" pond