Thursday 29 February 2024

Dock eating weevil found in the dock! And a nice variety of birds.

Another dry day, but mainly overcast. A light SW wind.

South shore
I had a walk out on the rising tide (Malcolm)
Pale-bellied Brent goose 28 flew from the north side to Red Nab. They are approaching the Roundhead (past the not very buoyant buoy - see yesterday's post)
Shelduck 2
Wigeon 230 
Little Egret 3
Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty
Adult Shag with Cormorants 

Redshank 80
Rock Pipit 2
Peregrine Falcon 2 both idly flying around. This one just hanging on the breeze as it is deflected up the sloping sea wall.

The other had somewhere to go.

This Carrion Crow was removing the last morsels from what little there remained of a
Starling. No doubt an earlier victim of a raptor. At least nothing is wasted in nature 


And this is what today's title refers to. Thanks to Kevin for the shot and Alison for the identification.
This Weevil is probably Apion frumentarium. One of the Dock Weevils.
It was in the scrub near the harbour wall. When Kevin said it was one of the "Dock Weevils", I imagined a weevil that preferred to live in docklands. Turns out that Dock is just their favoured food plant (sorry if today's title was potentially misleading. Malcolm)

Imperial Rd (MD)
A very quick evening check
Buzzard 1
Wood Pigeon 16
Stock Dove 1
Stock Dove

Goldfinch 25 - they were making a right racket in this tree, not feeding, just bickering.

Middleton Nature Reserve 
I went down this evening to see how the Glossy Ibis behaved today (Malcolm). 
Completely different to the other day when it flew around for at least 3 minutes. Today it lifted at 17:34 just flew low over a couple of rooftops and disappeared somewhere in or around Middleton village.
Wood Pigeon 35 went to roost
Stock dove 7 at least went to roost
Four Stock Dove with these Wood Pigeon

Goosander 1 male on the "no swimming" pond.
A nice view of his hooked bill tip

In this clip, first a Dunnock sings, then a Cetti's Warbler

This clip provides a more all round view.
The immature Swan in the above clip had just been exiled from the main pond by the two adults. Didn't see any ducks other than Mallard. Still at least 2 Little Grebes on the main pond.