First Swallows zip through

A overnight air frost followed by sunshine all day with a very light and variable wind in the morning. A slightly fresher west wind after lunch.

Heysham skear - low water 07:30 

Jean and Pete did an accurate count of the birds on the sea:

Eider 154

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Mergansers 20

I had a walk out onto the skear (MD)

The unattached male Mergansers were trying to attract already paired females.

Little Egret 7

Grey Heron 1

Carrion Crow 19

Waders:

Oystercatcher c3,000 were very flighty early on. Redshank c150, Turnstone c70, Curlew 8, no Knot, Dunlin 3

Dunlin

Towards the western extent of the middle skear, the seed mussels are just beginning to form. They are less than 2mm across at the moment, but they grow quickly. I expect the gulls to start taking an interest by the next set of spring tides in a fortnight.

Tiny seed mussels

Swallow 2 north

One Swallow........not much of a shot,
but it made my summer! (MD)

Meadow Pipit 6 - none while I was out on the shore, but 3, 2, and 1 quickly past as I approached the sea wall on the way back.

Heysham Nature Reserve (Janet)

Chiffchaff 

Small Tortoiseshell 
There was also a small white butterfly, but too quick to confirm species.