Wet, but worthwhile

Opposite to recent days, a dry night, the rain started mid morning and showers continued for the rest of the day. A freshening SW wind.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm) and it rained each time I got out of my car!

Ocean Edge/Red Nab

Dark-bellied Brent Goose 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 69

I could see there were high numbers of Brent on Red Nab from the foreshore, this was the best angle to see them all so I took this clip. I hadn't realised at the time that the Dark-bellied was with them. It wasn't there when I reached Red Nab so it must have moved on. It is in this clip, the last Brents in the clip are the two Canadian ringed birds and their first winter, although you can only see the rings of one bird.

If you didn't spot the Dark-bellied in the above clip, this is the location 16 seconds into the clip

Wheatear 1 on Red Nab

Male Wheatear

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick passing check of the "no swimming" pond

Goosander 5 (1 male)

The mute pair were acting all lovey dovey, I had a good idea what was going to happen next.......

This is the Rookery spotted by Pete yesterday. It is just across the road from the horse paddock where the Ibis feeds. Fortunately on the recording area side of the road. The clip starts on two of the Rooks then pans out to show the nests and more Rooks.

Three of at least six Rooks

It will be interesting to see how this colony develops

North Shore

Knowing that the Canadian ringed birds were with the Brent flock prompted me to check the gutweed situation out from the play area. Close in it is lush and clearly untouched.

Gutweed, just part of large swathes near the sea wall by the play area.
The Brent aren't keen on feeding here but do some years when there is no other option.

Clearly the Brent have had other options this year, perhaps they have found a food supply further to the north. This afternoon 65 at least were feeding close to the shore edge of the inner skear. There is not much gutweed there but clearly preferable to feeding so close to the sea wall, and obviously enough for them. It isn't that they don't know there is more gutweed here, the Canadian ringed birds have fed here many times in previous years. I didn't see them fly off, but as I was leaving they had moved on, but not to the play area.

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

Glossy Ibis still feeding