Distant Skua tops the bill

A very light variable north breeze early on freshened and settled to NW. sunshine for most of the day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

John and I set nets at Middleton this morning. Conditions were fair although the sky cleared much earlier than forecast leaving the centre net on the east side in full sun almost from the start.

Wren 2

Robin 2

Reed Warbler 1

Lesser Whitethroat 6 ( one an adult)

Whitethroat 1 + 1 retrap (adult)

Garden Warbler 2

Blackcap 3

Willow Warbler 1

Blue Tit 1

Jay 1

Janet had a quick look 

Swallow bathing on the wing

Common Toad

I did a quick check of the two main ponds (MD)

Mute Swan 2 adult 8 cygnets 

Coot 3 adult and 3 young

Moorhen 2 adult and 1 young

Immature Moorhen

Mallard 6 female/immature 

Gadwall 1 female/immature 

Tufted duck 2 - male on the "no swimming" pond and the odd looking female on the main pond. This clip provides 360° views of the female. The soft piping calls are the cygnets preening.

Grey Heron resting with a Jay flying past just below it

Report from Pete:

Arctic Skua 1 dark morph miles offshore towards pylon chasing half a dozen feeding Sandwich Terns

Three other Sandwich Tern out

Mediterranean Gulls 7 - 5 on north side and just 2 around outfalls area.

Great Crested Grebe 8 in low tide channel 

Shelduck 12 north

Tree Sparrow 1 Heysham Nature Reserve 

I just had a short walk to No.2 outflow and back (MD)

Rock Pipit 3  - 1 on Red Nab and 2 feeding on the superstructure of the outflow. This is one of them.

This shot is one of Janets of the Dunlin yesterday. One of these is colour ringed, unfortunately not enough visible to identify it.

Colour ringed Dunlin