Little change

Another warm and mainly sunny day with a light ESE wind

South Shore

A couple of shots by Janet in the Nature Park 

Greenfinch

Chiffchaff 

I checked the waterline just beyond the saltmarsh towards afternoon high water (Malcolm). Initially lots of waders but something spooked all but the Oystercatchers and they headed off towards Potts.

Oystercatcher 80

Bar-Tailed Godwit 150

Knot 300

Dunlin 200

Just a fraction of this afternoon's waders before departing to Potts

Two overwintering Small Tortoiseshell managed to find each other on the saltmarsh.
Hopefully the long wait will prove worthwhile.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

No sign of any Goosander today. Plenty of Chiffchaff and Cetti's warbler singing.

Heysham skear - low water 10:00

Third morning in a row I have checked here (Malcolm). Party hoping for something "good" to pass over, but also it is nice and quiet out here when everywhere else is busy.

No sign of any Brent geese today.

Pink-Footed goose a low loose flock of 51 were heading south along the middle of the bay. They looked to have been flushed by the rising tide.

Eider c60 many flying north

Red-breasted Merganser 8

Great Crested Grebe 1

Oystercatcher much fewer today c500

Curlew 2

Bar-Tailed Godwit 8. One was feeding along the mud just south of the skear and these seven came in from the south, joining Knot, Redshank and Oystercatcher.

Knot 1,000

Redshank 60

Turnstone 80

Dunlin 30

From Pete:

Red throated diver non breeding plumage off half moon bay

Eider 919 from harbour to teal bay 

A nice day, but nothing new.

A very pleasant sunny morning, some cloud cover later in the afternoon, but dry. A light SE breeze.

A nice shot of a male Eider by the wooden jetty - Kevin Eaves

Heysham skear low water - 08:25 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 - they were just resting on small islands on the western edge of the skear, till moved on by the tide. They then drifted round to the south of the skear. One of them has two white darvic rings. The clip begins with a few Knot coming in to land.

It wasn't possible to read the rings, but it is likely the Icelandic ringed bird seen earlier in the winter.

Pink-Footed goose 30 east.

Pinkfoot passing over, becoming a less frequent event now

Eider were similar numbers to yesterday. Pete managed to count 64 from Heysham Head

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Shag 1 feeding on the south side

There were a few more waders around today.

Oystercatcher 1,500

Bar-Tailed Godwit 3

Curlew 34

Knot 1,000

Redshank 60

Turnstone 80

Dunlin 50

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just the briefest of checks at the "no swimming" pond. Still 1 female Goosander, the male mute having given up trying to chase her off. For now.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing 

Chiffchaff 2

Just out of the recording area

Scaup 1 drake near Teal Bay (where most of the Eider are too) - Pete

 

Glossy Ibis in the horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall. This morning at least.

I didn't check today (Malcolm), but took this clip yesterday as its feeding habits have changed. It was feeling, not probing in the water. It catches something at the end of this clip which appears to be a tadpole.

Glossy Ibis with what can only be a tadpole. It has been such an effective feeder in
this terrain. It almost seems like it evolved specifically to live in this horse paddock!
Obviously, it's real skill is locating an area that it is ideally adapted for.

Not really "good", we'll go for reasonable Friday

A day of two halves, a lovely sunny morning with a light SE breeze. It clouded over in the afternoon and the rain, often heavy started about 14:00.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 13 minimum - there were 9 resting on the skear at low water. Janet saw 9 arrive at Red Nab, followed by 2 more. Later 13 were resting on the sea out from Red Nab.

9 Brent arriving at Red Nab

13 Brent resting on the sea out from Red Nab

Wigeon 4 at Red Nab

Also on the skear this morning (Malcolm) - low water 08:00.

Little Egret 3

Eider 88

Female and male Eider

Red-breasted Merganser 10

Female or first winter Red-breasted Merganser

Goosander 1 - in previous years this would be a significant record. But it doesn't feel so this year, there having been so many for so long on Middleton Nature Reserve this spring.

Female or first winter Goosander heading west.

Ringed Plover 3 flew out to the west, they are normally restricted to the inner skear here.

Other waders as recent.

Other stuff along the south sea wall (Janet)

One of two little Egret on Red Nab

One of many Redshank on Red Nab

One of two Rock Pipit at the lighthouse nest site

This Sea Slater was definitely not having a good Friday!
Caught by the sea wall Rock Pipit, but for some reason discarded 

Only to be eaten by an observant Turnstone 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick morning check of the two main ponds (Malcolm)

Goosander 1 female being chased by the male Mute Swan.

Little Grebe 4 at least. 1 seen and heard on the "no swimming" pond plus 3 seen on the main pond.

Pheasant 1 male calling

Swallow, stopped briefly for a drink from the main pond before continuing north

Cetti's warbler 3

Chiffchaff 3

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

Glossy Ibis seen in the morning, not checked later

First Swallow passes through

A fresh SE breeze. A few showers and some sunny spells.

Pete and Jean checked out the key areas this morning.

6 rook nests now at the Rookery (see yesterday's post)

shag 1 adult on wooden jetty.

Red-throated Diver 2 distant.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 19 out from the play area on the north side. Later in the afternoon, presumably the same 19 were on Red Nab, but flew off quite early in the ebbing tide and looked to be heading west across the bay, rather than to the north side.

I had a morning walk out onto the shore on the south side (Malcolm). Nothing other than the waders today.

Oystercatcher 60

Curlew 33

Bar-Tailed Godwit 260

Knot 100

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 1

The light was difficult today, when the sun was shining all the waders looked white, it was easier when a cloud passed over the sun. This clip begins in full sun, but then in shade. The Sanderling is pretty much central throughout, at the end I pan out to show the location, not far beyond Red Nab.

Sanderling central. One of the Godwits is moving to summer plumage

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond (Malcolm)

Goosander 4 - 1 male. Unfortunately the male Mute Swan has decided to clear the pond.

Just a short while later, all four were flying and headed off to the east.

Male Goosander

Little Grebe 2

Cetti's warbler 2

Stock Dove 1

Jay 1

Swallow 1 male - a rain shower was just easing and the Swallow was feeding above the trees around the pond.

First Swallow of the year

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

Glossy Ibis seen in the morning, not checked later

Rookery and Goosander numbers increasing

A fresher and cooler SE wind. A mixture of sunny spells and showers, one in the evening of hail, accompanied by thunder.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 8 just south of Heysham skear this morning - David Kaye

South shore

I had a walk along the wall mid morning (Malcolm)

Shelduck 10

Wigeon 4

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty

Adult Shag

Rock Pipit 5 - one each at Red Nab and sea wall, three above the nest site at the lighthouse.

Rock Pipit, keeping out of the wind near the lighthouse 

Wheatear 6 - 2 on Red Nab quickly moved on. The other 4 were working their way along the foreshore.

male Wheatear

Female/first winter Wheatear

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the two main ponds (Malcolm)

Goosander 7 - 1 adult male plus 6 female and first winter birds. They are all in the clip, with the added bonus of first a Cetti's warbler singing, then a Little grebe trilling.

Little Grebe 4 - 2 each pond

Gadwall 1 male

Mallard 4

Coot 4 

Moorhen 1

Cetti's warbler 4 

Chiffchaff 3

The Rookery at edge of the recording area (the line of trees to the north of Middleton road opposite side to the horse paddock)

There are now four nests and what looks to be the beginning of a fifth. At least 10 Rooks (previously rare in the recording area), but they were difficult to count as these trees have been used as a roost for the Jackdaws, and they weren't best pleased when they started turning up this evening.

Rooks and Jackdaw

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

Glossy Ibis seen morning and evening 

Whoopers on the move and the first Terns arrive

Very light east breeze early on freshened during the day. It remained dry but largely overcast, although hazy sunshine at times

David Yates had 2 distant tern probably sandwich yesterday evening.

Morning Seawatch by Pete:

30 Whooper on mudflats till moved on by the tide to north west early doors, 22 whooper later floating in distantly on the tide  

Flock of 5 summer plumage red throated diver in early on and a non breeding plumage singleton out later.  

Two sandwich tern out early on, later a distant bird in.   

No passerine movement north wall area.  

Shag 1 wooden jetty (probably adult) at ht 

Distant flock of Whooper Swans resting on the mud

From Knowlys Rd.

First thing there were 29 carrion crow together on skeer.  15 flew high WNW across the Bay, 10 then flew high NE towards Morecambe leaving four on the skeer. Vis migrants joining local non breeders? 

I checked from the shore out from Ocean Edge (Malcolm)

Whooper Swans 37 (bringing total for this morning to 89). 4 flocks (7, 8, 8, 14) on the same flight line, from SE overland, crossing the shoreline north of Potts Corner and continuing NW. It wasn't easy seeing them against the white sky, just as well they are noisy! This is the largest flock, unfortunately for some reason you can't really hear them.

No Brent Geese seen

Shelduck 12

Wigeon 3

Eider 2 south

Teal 10 resting on sea.

A little later they got swept along a channel by the rapidly rising tide (these are the channels that you must be on the shore side of on these high spring tides)

Enough was enough 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 340

Bar-Tailed Godwit. Easily visible from the sea wall

Knot 200

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 1

Sanderling with Dunlin (bottom centre both shots)

Knot, Dunlin and Sanderling in this clip. A few of the Dunlin were moving to summer plumage. These are also technically visible from the wall or foreshore, but the Sanderling would have been obscured by the other birds on this occasion.

Meadow Pipit at least 36 north in ones and twos

Wheatear 1

The insects were enjoying the warmth and the pollen. Janet took these shots in the Nature Park.

Small Tortoiseshell 

Comma

There are a lot of these Hoverflies around

Bumblebee 

 

Seven-spot Ladybird 

Also

Goldcrest

Chiffchaff 

Heysham Nature Reserve

Report by Jean:

I was ringing and caught 24 birds, 15 of which were new: 

4 Greenfinch

2 Chiffchaff

2 Goldcrest

2 Bullfinch

then singles of Robin, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit and Blue Tit. 

The retraps were fairly recent apart from a Robin from 2022.

Vis consisted of a Siskin, 3 Pied Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits - so very low key. 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Goosander 6 still, 1 male plus 5 female/1st winter

Heysham Skear 

Just a quick evening check (Malcolm)

Little Egret 9

Pink-Footed goose 31 high to the south

Eider 65

Red-breasted Merganser 14 - the males now displaying (at anything!)

Didn't try and count the waders as a constant Peregrine presence was keeping them highly mobile.

Just out of the recording area

Osprey seen south of the recording area heading our way.

Glossy Ibis still feeding in horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Not (quite) as wet as forecasted

Heavy rain was forecasted for most of today. Reasonably accurate for the morning but it was dry for most of the afternoon with just a few late showers. A light SE wind.

Saltmarsh to Red Nab towards morning high water. (MD)

Pale-Bellied Brent goose 17 on Red Nab (later there were 19 milling around the skear towards low water.

Shelduck 8

Wigeon 0

This is just after the Brent arrived at Red Nab, note the Sheldrake displaying at the end of the clip.

Wheatear 2

Middleton Nature Reserve "no swimming" pond

A quick morning and evening check of the Goosanders saw the same on both visits (Malcolm)

Goosander 6 - 1 male and at least 1 first winter 

Two female, this one practicing her disappearing duck trick

They're all in this clip (Chiffchaff and Great Tit in the background)

Little Grebe 1

Coot 2

Mute pair - for some reason the female decided to switch the nest site to a totally inaccessible one amongst the trees. Perhaps there has been more fox activity than in previous years. This has required using twigs not reeds as the building material. She has done very well, despite not quite mastering the technique of working with twigs. She was trying to position this one when I arrived, and was still at it when I left five minutes later! (Great Tit in the background)

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 1 singing

Stonechat 1 male had arrived by the evening 

Male Stonechat 

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

Glossy Ibis still present at lunchtime 

More Goosander

A bright sunny day with a fresh NW wind.

South shore

I had a walk out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide to check out the waders (Malcolm). It was obvious from a long way from the waterline that the Peregrine were also checking out the waders, they kept lifting but after a while became more settled, presumably the Peregrine had made its/their catch.

Sanderling 1 - only seen from distance early on, no sign when I got closer.

Sanderling -  lower middle

I managed a reasonably accurate count of the larger waders

Curlew 20

Oystercatcher 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 180

Grey Plover 19

The small waders were so mobile that only an estimate was practical.

Knot 600

Dunlin 250

Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin

These clips gives a sense of the chaos

This is what the small waders are feeding on. Each pimple of mud covers a tiny mollusc 

Meadow Pipit 6 over to north

Wheatear 7 between saltmarsh and Red Nab

Wheatears

Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 feeding on Red Nab

Shelduck 10

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD, AG)

Goosander 5 female/1st winter

In the morning there were just two female and a 1st winter (left side)

When Angela checked in the afternoon there were five (a good record shot with a mobile phone).
So a minimum of eight different birds seen here this spring, as there has also been three adult males.

Gadwall 3

Cetti's Warbler 2

Chiffchaff 2

Brimstone butterfly 1 male 

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

Glossy Ibis still present morning and afternoon 

Rapid ringing response

A very strong wind, but there was a bit of north in it making it a WNW. It threatened rain all day with some short showers, particularly in the afternoon.

Pete (M) checked the heliport roost and managed to read a ringed Oystercatcher. Remarkably he received its history within 20 minutes.

Ringed as a nestling in Norway 2022, this was its first sighting 

Report from Pete Crooks:

50 minute seawatch from the North harbour wall 9.20 - 10.10 am. 

Just c35 Kittiwake flying out of the bay at 9.40 am

Earlier Pete (M) saw flock of 20 out, 10 and 25 in prior to the 35 out so possibly same birds in separately then out together

South shore

I had a walk along the sea wall on the rising tide this morning (Malcolm). It was hard walking against the wind, but the wind too much from the north to blow anything into the bay.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 53 flew to Red Nab from the north side.

Shelduck 4

Wigeon 9

Wheatear 5

Wheatear battling against the wind to reach the foreshore rocks

Rock Pipit 2

This Curlew was struggling to stand against the wind, but is eventually rewarded with a snack.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick look at the "no swimming" pond to check on the Goosanders, but none seen today.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 2 singing plus this one flitting through the bushes above the pond. This time of year is easiest to see them before the foliage emerges.

Heysham Nature Reserve (JP)

Janet managed this nice sequence of Roe Deer

Female Roe deer. Only the females have this rump tuft.
It's not a true tail, just a tuft of hair sported over winter

Jean passed on some interesting statistics. So far this year 90 species have been covered by this blog. But more importantly, there have been 30 contributors. All records and any photographs are always welcome and gratefully received. See contact details on the side bar.

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

Glossy Ibis still present at 09:00 at least.

Mark Jones noted the record of the new Rookery just beyond Middleton Village and sent this phone camera shot of a Rook visiting his Middleton Sands holiday caravan feeding area. This is the first visit on 7th March.