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