Unexpected Canadas

A morning shower then dry till heavy rain started in the evening (exactly opposite to yesterday). A south wind.

South shore (MD)

I was half way along the sea wall when Janet messaged to say that Brent Geese were feeding out from the play area on the north side. The tide was rising quickly and I expected them to come past the roundhead at any minute. Sure enough a flock of 14 dark geese came into sight. But not the expected Brent they were Canada geese.

They continued low SE towards the Lune estuary 

Canada Geese

Pale-bellied Brent goose 27 - not long after the Canadas these too flew past the Roundhead and landed on Red Nab.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Wigeon 248 - none on the sloping wall today, they only seem to feed there when it is raining. Perhaps it just gets less disturbed when it's raining.

Shelduck 6

Little Egret 3 - this one was flying at head height along the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 3 - one on Red Nab and two on the sea wall between the outflows. The male here had been displaying, not seen one displaying at this spot before. The subsequent courtship behaviour can only be described as "making advances".

Not successful on this occasion (probably shouldn't have had a snack mid wooing) 

On this set of spring tides, the smaller of the two buoys out from the north wall has been sinking when the tide was running quickly. It was halfway sunk when I reached the lighthouse today.

The south (left) buoy is already half submerged 

Presumably there is something tangled on its chain that drags it down when the tide is running quickly. It was disappearing as I watched.

I bet you never expected to spend half a minute of your life watching a buoy sink! Exciting stuff. You don't get this on other blogs (Malcolm)

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis in the field next to the paddock this afternoon at least.