Ring Ousel........top bill

The morning showers eased by lunchtime, but it remained overcast. A light east wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

First John's ringing report from yesterday morning:

A ringing session at Middleton yesterday had a catch of just 18 birds, half of them being Goldcrest. The total catch was:

Goldcrest              9

Redwing               3

Blackbird              1

Wren                     1

Great Tit               1

Blackcap              1

Lesser Redpoll     1

Blue Tit                1

Today:

Cetti's warbler 3 - Janet heard one singing by Tim Butler pond this morning. I paid a brief evening visit (MD). There was one singing at the "no swimming" pond, plus this silent one showed briefly on the opposite bank (not a great clip, but you rarely get to glimpse them).

The evening wildfowl was as recent except just 3 male Teal in breeding plumage plus a female or immature male.

Male Teal coming in to land

Male Teal in breeding plumage

Female or immature male Teal

Jackdaw 23 looking like they were preparing too roost.

Heysham Head - Dan Haywood

Ring Ouzel 1 - lower slopes Heysham Head 0750 but flew SE towards paddock containing sheep and not relocated.

Full report from Dan:

Heysham Head (off-passage night migrants in italics);

Goldcrest 13
Blackbird 9
Song Thrush 9
Chiffchaff 1
Brambling 1
Redwing 1
Ring Ouzel 1
Wren 25
Greenfinch 14
Dunnock 11
Long-tailed Tit 11
Goldfinch 6
Rock Pipit 5
Coal Tit 3

Rising Tide waders in ‘Pre-Roost’;

Knot 260
Redshank 150
Turnstone 24
Curlew 18

Half Moon Bay - Kevin Singleton 

Grey Plover 2

Robin 3 close together by the old tree stump

South shore - high water 10:10 (MD)

Shelduck 9 north

Wigeon 156 around Red Nab before some flying to Potts and others to the saltmarsh.

This is Red Nab 1hr before high water. In stark contrast to yesterday's bright colours everything was
shades of grey. Most of the Wigeon have already moved on. The waders are mainly Oystercatcher
with Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone.

These are some of the remaining Wigeon feeding on the gutweed growing on Red Nab rocks. It is still quite lush and keeps growing through the warmer spells of winter. Even so it is like a billiard table cloth by the end of winter.

One of three Robin along the foreshore, at least one additional bird

Saltmarsh 

Lapwing 9 

Common Snipe 21

Linnet 58

Rock Pipit 1

Meadow Pipit 2