Wednesday 16 March 2022

Things pretty much the same.

The wind started as a very slight SE breeze then moved around west ending a quite fresh NW. some light showers throughout the day

Middleton Nature Reserve 
This is John's report from yesterday's ringing session.

Nets set by 6.45am. Seven birds caught in the first half hour, but then only three more, before nets taken down at around 9.45am.


Birds caught were

Blackbirds x 2

Goldfinch x 2

Goldcrest x 3 (1 retrap)

Long-tailed Tit x 2 retraps

Chiffchaff x 1


South shore

Both myself, Janet and Tim had a look at different times

Pale-Bellied Brent goose 49 on Red Nab- no sign of any dark-bellied today

Shelduck 27

Eider 2 near harbour mouth

Wigeon c100

Rock Pipits 6 including the ringed male at the lighthouse 

This is one of Janet's pictures 
If you open it you can see some of the ring detail

There seems to be three birds around the lighthouse territory, I suspect one 
is last year's young bird still in association with the female (MD).
I do like this shot, you can see the rain drops falling!

Shag 1 2nd calendar year in the harbour

Nature Park:
Chiffchaff 2 singing
Siskin 2 possibly 3
Goldcrest 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 male drumming before flying off


Heysham skear 
Just a quick check at low water
Brent geese similar numbers to this morning
Eider 220 around the skear, more in the distance 
Great Crested Grebe 6
Red-breasted Merganser 7