The morning SE wind switched to NW by lunchtime. Another warm sunny day, again topping 19°C mid afternoon.
Sea from back of harbour 0659-0850: slow but some stuff - Pete
3 - 2+1 dark morph arctic skua
flock 12 arctic tern
1 summer plumage red-throated diver
4 common scoter
150 plus 9 pink feet,
15 whimbrel
c20 sandwich tern
4 Canada geese
Middleton Nature Reserve
I only checked the eastern side, not the marshes today (Malcolm)
Mute Swan pairs on main and "no swimming" pond. At least 1 adult on Tim Butler pond, but viewing is difficult there.
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| The "no swimming" pond female back on her wooden nest |
Coot 8
Moorhen 4
Mallard 5
Gadwall 4
Tufted Duck male and female
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| Tufted duck, despite the female having no discernible tuft |
Buzzard 1 being harassed by crows on the eastern boundary
Jay 1
Pheasant 1 male calling (unlikely to be the same bird seen yesterday)
Singing warblers.
Cetti's warbler 3
Grasshopper warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 2
Lesser Whitethroat 3
Willow warbler 3
Chiffchaff 2
Blackcap 1
Janet checked the same area a little later and heard the same birds, but also managed a couple of shots.
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| Male Common Whitethroat |
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| Male Reed Bunting |
South shore
I walked out to the waterline out from Ocean Edge towards evening high water (Malcolm)
Whimbrel 8 - 2 on saltmarsh, 2 high from SE and 3 north along waterline. All different to Pete's earlier birds, so 23 in total today.
Curlew 6 - 3 on the saltmarsh plus 3 on the waterline
Oystercatcher 37 only along waterline.
The other waders were just south of me, still well within the recording area, but it made viewing difficult as the light was behind them.
Grey Plover 55 most in at least partial summer plumage.
Bar-Tailed Godwit 90
Knot 1,000
Dunlin 400
I had to wade out a little to get a half decent angle.
There was a small group of Bar-Tailed Godwits nearer the sea wall, but this clip isn't about them. The young Great Black-backed gull was in a playful mood. It had a waterlogged stick that it kept dropping, it eventually taunted a second gull to chase it. Unfortunately I only managed to capture the taunter.
Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall
Glossy Ibis - as yesterday, it was seen early morning (last seen 08:25). But not present at 10:00 or 11:45.
