Brents back to full strength, plus excellent Barn Owl shots

Another dry, overcast day with a very light NE to NW breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Paul and I set just one net in the Heysham feeder ride this morning. Although it was calm and the temperature not very low it felt quite cold, especially as we were there for nearly five hours with little physical activity. As on previous days there were more retraps than new birds although one Greenfinch was trapped wearing a ring from elsewhere.

Dunnock 4 retraps

Robin 1 retrap

Blackbird 1

Long-tailed Tit 6 retraps

Blue tit 2 + 3 retraps

Great Tit 1 retrap

Greenfinch 4 + 2 retraps

Goldfinch 7 + 1 retrap

Bullfinch 1 retrap

South shore - high water 09:50 (MD)

We're still on neap tides at 7.9m the tide doesn't cover the shore south of the saltmarsh 

High tide out from the saltmarsh 

Shelduck 93 here plus whatever was around Red Nab
Curlew 95
Oystercatcher 37
Redshank c200
No godwits
Knot c20
Grey Plover 4
Dunlin c1,000
Common Snipe 6 (lifted by something from saltmarsh but quickly landed again).
These are mainly Redshank feeding.

These Grey Plover came in with a flock of Dunlin and a few Knot, but the Dunlin were flighty and didn't settle.

Dunlin plus a single Redshank, you may need to open the shot to spot the Redshank

North Shore

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 77 at lunchtime (ref Pete)

A later check by Pete:

Mid-afternoon: Still at least 50 pale-bellied Brent visible from Knowlys road but many hidden by raised honeycomb worm beds. (308 Eider, 6 rbm, 9 gcg Heysham head to Morecambe town hall)

Just out of the recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Janet had a early morning walk and managed these excellent shots of the Barn Owl. Although these shots are on/around the Moss, Janet also saw it fly across to Imperial Rd.

Resting on the solar panels on the north side of bypass 

Resting in the Moss

Flying across the Moss. You can clearly see the ankle strap, but
all vestiges of jesses are gone

Heron also on the solar panels

Roe Deer 4 - 2 male plus 2 female

A nice shot a female with a male. The long rump tuft (it's not a true tail)
of the female showing the difference between the male's plain rump.

All four Roe Deer