A bit of movement in the air

A fresh SSE wind. Dry and largely sunny, the temperature rising all day peaking at 19°C by 16:00.

Seawatch report by Pete -  0720-0850 from back of harbour: 

just 6 Arctic tern 

20 common scoter

57 swallow

4 sand Martin

3 gadwall (!)

12 Bar-tailed Godwit

5 whimbrel

1 sandwich tern

tree pipit 5 plus lesser redpoll

Two female Whinchat on road from passenger terminal down to back of harbour sat on razor wire fence

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Tree Pipit over. 

Sedge Warbler in the reedbed. 

2 Lesser Whitethroat and a Common Whitethroat singing - Jean

Janet had a walk around later in the morning when the sun had warmed things up.

Large Red Damselfly - first of the year

Female Orange Tip

Male Orange Tip

Red-Tailed Bumblebee, covered in pollen

Heysham skear, low water 10:40 (Malcolm)

Eider 25 - no mergansers or grebes seen

Sandwich Tern 4 - this one settled on conger rock while its mate settled on the smaller rock to the south. Then the first one joined its mate.

Knot 350 no ringed birds seen

Whimbrel 5

Bar-Tailed Godwit 6

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Bar-Tailed Godwit with Oystercatchers

Swallow 3 - there are two in this clip, not much to see of the birds, but does provide a panorama of the shore to the south of the skear.

Peregrine Falcon 1 at least

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

The water level on the "no swimming" pond has returned to normal, and, somewhat surprisingly, the mute pair were repairing the lost wooden nest. To be fair even if they had nested amongst the reeds as they normally do, their nest would have been swamped. Another pair were eyeing up nest sites on the main pond.

Mallard 7 (1 female)

Gadwall 4 (1 female)

Moorhen 2

Coot 7 - these two look aggressive but they are probably a pair.

Herring gull collecting nest material

This male Pheasant was displaying to a female. Not sure what's going on with his tail.

A quick check of the central and western marshes saw/heard:

Cetti's warbler 6 (plus 1 at main pond)

Lesser Whitethroat 4

Common Whitethroat 2

Reed Warbler 3

Sedge Warbler 1

Willow Warbler 5

Chiffchaff 4

Blackcap 1

Reed Bunting 1

5 male and 1 female Orange Tip

This teneral damselfly was by the main pond

I struggle a bit with teneral damsels (Malcolm), but it looks to be a female Azure Blue

South shore (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent Geese 5 - initially seen by David Kaye out from Knowlys Rd. Later they were on Red Nab.

Pale-bellied Brent geese out from Red Nab

Wheatear 13 between the saltmarsh and Red Nab

Common Sandpiper 1 flew along foreshore towards Red Nab

Lesser Whitethroat still singing from the scrub behind Red Nab.

This Apple blossom is also in the scrub behind Red Nab - it smells even nicer than it looks!

2 possibly 3 Brimstone butterflies in the Nature Park.

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

Glossy Ibis - feeding at 0900 but not seen since, apart from a report from along the Snatchems road this pm.

All quiet on the Heysham front!

A strong south wind all day became even stronger in the afternoon. A dry morning but a showery afternoon.

Pete managed to stick out a seawatch for 45 minutes on the incoming tide.

Just 4 Sandwich Terns out

Porpoise 1 out from the harbour mouth

Wheatear 1 male near the lighthouse 

Howard took this fine shot of a Knot a couple of weeks ago.
At that time there was just a hint of their red summer plumage developing.

Heysham skear - low water 09:50 (Malcolm)

Didn't count the Eider, Mergansers or Grebes, but similar number to recent visits.

Shelduck pair (male on right)

By now, many of the Knot and Bar-Tailed Godwits are in partial to full summer plumage.

Knot in the foreground, Bar-tailed Godwits behind.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Knot 500

Bar-tailed Godwit 12

Whimbrel 5

Whimbrel

Other waders included: Oystercatcher, Curlew (just 3), Redshank, Turnstone and Dunlin .

The Dunlin were again after small shrimps.

Peregrine Falcon, two attacks while I was out, probably why there were less Knot than of late.

South shore (Malcolm)

Just a quick lunchtime check from Red Nab to the saltmarsh saw almost nothing.

Whimbrel 1

Linnet 3

Lesser Whitethroat singing from the scrub behind Red Nab. One held territory here last year.

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

Glossy Ibis - feeding mid morning

Stork passes through!

A cold but light NW wind became fresher mid afternoon. A dry day with afternoon sun.

White Stork spotted by Janet - flying east over Middleton Nature Reserve just after lunch. She managed to get her camera ready just in time.

White Stork heading east

Seawatch from north seawall- Pete Crooks

A very uneventful sea-watch (8.20 – 9. 30 am):
c.45 Pink-footed Geese – a distant single group, presumably this species, flying north low over the sea in the offshore ‘heat haze’
6 Sandwich Tern
3 Whimbrel
1 Grey Seal

Heysham skear low water 09:10 (Malcolm)

There wasn't lot going on this morning.

Eider 60

Red-breasted Merganser 12 - there was a bit of squabbling going on

Great Crested Grebe 4 (2 pair)

Sandwich Tern 5 - initially resting on the sand bars but began feeding when the tide started making.

Whimbrel 8 most already on the skear

Bar-Tailed Godwit 80 - some already on the skear, others came in.

Other waders similar to recent

This Dunlin was trying to catch small shrimps, but came up empty billed this time.

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

Glossy Ibis - feeding at 09:00, but was seen flying west at 09:16. No sign of it at 15:15. Let's see what tomorrow brings.......

Worse than expected seawatch!

An early NE breeze drifted to east by late morning....... A sunny start.......

combined seawatching/vis 0700-0900 - Jean

Sand Martin 4

Swallow 2

Whimbrel 3

Sandwich Tern 7

Grey Seal 1

Worst ever!!

Heysham skear - low water 08:30 (Malcolm)

Little Egret 6

Eider 92

Red-breasted Merganser 8

Great Crested Grebe 4

Sandwich Tern 9 resting and feeding. These are 6 resting on a honeycomb worm reef with Eider drifting past.

For some reason this one decided to rest on the sea, it was there for a few minutes before resuming feeding.

Sandwich Tern

Peregrine Falcon 1 marauding the small waders

Knot 2,500 altogether flock of 1,500 on the middle skear

Dunlin 80

Turnstone 60

Redshank 30

Curlew 3

Whimbrel just 2 this morning

Ringed Plover 1 - it was resting along the waterline. Presumably it had just come in and needed a rest, it allowed the water to rise up around it before reluctantly flying further up the shore.

Ringed Plover

Sand Martin 1 north

Sand Martin 

I returned in the evening as the ebbing tide was leaving the rocks out from the play area (Malcolm)

At first the only waders on the waterline were a small group of Bar-Tailed Godwit, including a male in his red summer plumage.

Then, reinforcements arrived!

Bar-Tailed Godwit 120

Knot 2,000

Dunlin 300

One of the godwits had a yellow flag and red ring, identifying it as ringed in Norway. Unfortunately I didn't manage to read it.

Just after this clip the Knot took flight again, they are very flighty at the moment, so I didn't get a chance to check them for rings and they took the Godwits with them.

Whimbrel 8 , possibly including this morning's 2.

Whimbrel 

Sandwich Tern 4 - two fishing and two had been resting/preening. I had to get past them, as I came closer one eventually took flight, but the other stubbornly refused to move. This clip seems to be the flying bird seeing me as a threat and calling for its mate to join it. While the other was just saying "whatever"!

I managed to get past without spooking it.

Goldeneye 1 male - I was lucky to catch it preening to begin with, as after that it was constantly feeding and only brief glimpses of it diving. 

Male Goldeneye - it was still feeding when I left, by this time in the SE corner of the skear.

Female Red-breasted Merganser, also resting on a rock as I passed.

These Great Crested Grebes were reaffirming their bonds.

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

Glossy Ibis there at 08:45, but not seen when checked mid afternoon.

Osprey, best of the day. Although unlikely to be the view of its fish!

A freshening NE breeze till lunchtime when it swung to NE. A dry day with sunny spells till late evening showers began.

First, this from Kevin Singleton from yesterday.

Whimbrel 7 out from Whinnysty Lane.

Kevin also enjoyed the spectacle of the Knot on the heliport 

A few Bar-Tailed Godwits with them

When they settled they formed a perfect circle.

Although spectacular to watch, absolutely no good if you are hoping to see ringed birds. Pete advises that about 90 minutes before high water is best for that, before they settle in such tight formation.

Seawatch this morning wasn't as impressive as yesterday - Pete

15 Sandwich Tern blogging skeer area but no passage

5 Whimbrel north 

Middleton Nature Reserve

Ringing report by Alan:

There was a heavy grass frost and clear sky early this morning and it was an unpromising start to my ringing session from 06.15.  However, things livened a little and 30 birds were caught in total.

 

Dunnock  1

Robin  1 retrap

Blackbird   1 retrap

Cetti's Warbler  1 retrap

Lesser Whitethroat   1 retrap

Blackcap  2

Chiffchaff  1 retrap

Willow Warbler   6

Long-tailed Tit  2

Blue Tit  1 retrap

Great Tit  2 retraps

Lesser Redpoll  9

Bullfinch   1

Reed Bunting  1 retrap

 

A further five Lesser Redpolls came down to the nets but were not trapped.  A small number of lone Swallows passed through northwards during the morning.

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked the waders along the waterline on the rising tide at lunchtime.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 320 were the only species, except for the odd Oystercatcher 

Shelduck 2

Whimbrel 1 on Red Nab

Wheatear 8

Wheatear

Osprey 1 - it had caught a large flatfish, probably almost as heavy as itself. It couldn't gain height with it. The gulls chased it along the foreshore then across the saltmarsh. It barely made it over the eastern shore and into the caravan park. Even carrying such weight it was flying quickly and was difficult to see against the foreshore rocks. Perhaps one to watch in slow motion.

Not a great shot of the Osprey, but it does give an idea of the size of its catch.

North shore (Malcolm)

I walked out quite early in the ebbing tide this evening, before the skear was exposed. There were a few Knot on the waterline so I went out beyond the waterline to check them out. The shore birds never seem to view you as a threat if you are in the water, particularly if you are still. And that proved to be the case today as c2,000 Knot came in and landed along the waterline all around me!

They immediately started feeding and were finding small molluscs, you can see one towards the end of this clip swallowing a relatively large bivalve.

The tide was ebbing quickly (we're back to spring tides now) and both myself and the birds were soon out of the water, I scanned them all and couldn't find a single ringed bird. By this time the skear was beginning to become exposed and they flew to there.

Other smaller groups also flew to the skear directly from further south. Surprisingly when I was on the skear I did manage to find one group of 50 Knot that included two orange flagged Knot over a pale blue ring (last year's hatchlings). Fortunately I managed to read them - details awaited. This is one.

Knot c2,500

Bar-Tailed Godwit 120

Dunlin c300

Oystercatcher 1,000+

Turnstone 50

Redshank 40

Curlew 2

Whimbrel 11 at least - there are three here with Knot and a Dunlin.

Eider c40

Red-breasted Merganser 9

Great Crested Grebe 2

Sandwich Tern 6 initially fishing, then resting.

Sandwich Tern

In this clip they were reacting to the calls of the other two who were still feeding.

Swallow three north

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

Glossy Ibis still there 

Better than expected seawatch

A couple of very early morning showers then mainly overcast. A freshening NW wind.

Seawatch by Pete:

Low/turning tide seawatch from back of heysham harbour as yesterday: much better than expected in routine sampling in unfavourable NW wind:  

75-85 Sandwich tern but only 11 in Lancs!, 

Arctic skua 1 dark morph low up Kent channel line, briefly chasing Sandwich Terns

Pink-Footed goose 19

30 bar tailed godwit

6 whimbrel

15 swallow.  

Most unexpected in nw winds was a group of 5 Arctic tern heading in.  

Went completely dead as wind got up and sandbanks covering with just 6 swallow and 5 sand tern in after 0830 and nothing 0840-0900 when left

Heysham skear - low water 07:30 (Malcolm)

Eider 45

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 6

Sandwich Tern 29 minimum, some were feeding but it was quite choppy as the wind increased and many passed straight through. These are additional to Pete's, most of whose were distant.

This is a sample of life on the skear this morning. Oystercatcher and Herring gulls foraging on the shore, Great Crested Grebe on the sea and a Sandwich Tern fishing.

Whimbrel 16, I didn't see any come in today, these were already scattered around the skear at low water, so again additional to Pete's

Bar-Tailed godwit 150+

These are 12 coming in, including one summer plumage male.

As the incoming tide flushes the waders from the skear, many settle on the shoreline where freshwater drains into the sea. A wash and preen before heading for their high water roosts. These are Knot, Bar-Tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher (the yellow markers are to show where it isn't safe for the dinghy launching tractors to go)

Look how lush the gutweed is now out from the play area. No wonder the Brent were reluctant to leave.

A couple of shots by Janet, just to show how difficult it is to identify any ringed Knot roosting on the heliport.

Many Knot, but not many legs!

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

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least

Arctics and Swallows choose overland route, just north of the harbour

The light morning NE wind switched to NW after lunch. Dry with plenty of sunshine.

Pete managed a seawatch:

Sea from back of heysham harbour looking out through harbour mouth 0728-0930: all flying in unless stated otherwise: 

Osprey 1 fishing at distance (0755)

85 Arctic Tern in/overland (inc 20 distant where common not def ruled out)

63 sandwich tern In

9 common scoter

1 Red-Throated diver

1 Kittiwake

two seemingly migratory Bar tailed godwit flock high to north of 44 plus 24

12 whimbrel

6 Sanderling

Several Dunlin and knot flocks

187 Swallow

2 house Martin

5 Sand Martin

c60 small passerine.  

Porpoise 2 

Friday looks good and the event day on Sunday interesting forecast but wrap up well!

Heysham skear - low water 07:00

I was on the skear as Pete was seeing the Arctic and Swallows (Malcolm). No Artic Tern reached the skear and the only Swallow I saw was one close to the sea wall as I set out.

Eider c50

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 3

Sandwich Tern 12 at least at any one time, they were constantly around, but it wasn't obvious which ones moved through. This clip gives a sense of them feeding, they are a graceful bird, but their entry into the water has all the finesse of a kid throwing a brick in!

Sandwich Tern with Oystercatchers

Bar-Tailed Godwit 150+

Whimbrel 13. This clip begins with a Curlew and a Whimbrel, and ends on two more Whimbrel.

These four came in high from the south. They looked to have travelled some distance as they didn't move from where they landed till shifted by the tide 20 minutes later (you can hear the Sandwich Terns calling behind me)

Curlew 10

Oystercatcher 1500

Knot 2500

Dunlin 28

Redshank 40 (only south side of skear checked)

Turnstone 40

Herring gull c50 on the skear, the seed mussels haven't materialised yet, but it won't be long

One of several 2nd calendar year Common gulls milling around 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet took these excellent shots this morning

Grasshopper Warbler 

Lesser Whitethroat 

Chiffchaff 

Grey Heron

Gadwall drake

Peacck

Speckled Wood

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

Glossy Ibis there till mid afternoon at least

Have the Brent finally all gone?

A light, but cool, NE wind. A dry day with sunny periods.

Heysham skear - low water 06:30

An early start, but I wasn't the first visitor (Malcolm)

A fox was foraging between the honeycomb worm clumps on the south of the skear - just left of centre

The sun had just risen and was directly behind me, the fox was squinting to make me out

Eider only 40 close in but many more further out

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Great Crested Grebe 2

Sandwich Terns 14 at least, fishing, resting and passing through. It is difficult when you are close to tell which are moving through.

This one had been fishing then settled down and had a preen.

Sandwich Tern

Bar-Tailed Godwit 250+ heading north, but many stopped off for a quick meal and preen.

Bar-Tailed Godwits

Whimbrel 22 north, but again some stopping off briefly, most in ones and twos, but one flock of 14. These are some of them.

Whimbrel 

Pete did better scanning at distance:

Arctic Tern 14 north

Sandwich Tern c40

Red-Throated Diver 2 summer plumage birds in

South shore high water 12:00

I checked saltmarsh to Red Nab towards high water (Malcolm)

No sign of any Brent geese on Red Nab today.

Ringed Plover 8, with Dunlin 9 on the foreshore 

Ringed Plover

The Dunlin were at all stages of moult to summer plumage, the last two quite advanced.

Linnet 6 - 3 pairs one seen mating on the saltmarsh 

Wheatear 4 - these two were feeding on the foreshore grass.

Janet checked along the sea wall

Four Eider south

A distant Grey Seal, but earlier it had been seen closer in with a Bass

There are large numbers of Gorse weevils on the Gorse bushes on Heysham head - Alison Haywood 

Gorse weevil Exapion ulicis

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

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.