A SE switching to SW wind. Overcast with regular showers very heavy by evening
Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)
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| Male Common Blue from yesterday |
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| Roe Deer today |
Heysham Head high cliffs from the shore (Malcolm)
Just a quick check in the morning when the tide was out. This shot, later at high water shows the location.
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| Heysham Head high cliffs, just left of centre - the cove is actually called Blaise's Bathtub |
Rock Pipits 3 at least, 2 were taking food to nest sites.
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| One of the nesting areas is near this "dog's head". A Rock Pipit makes a fine dog's ear! |
Common Whitethroat 3 singing males between Half Moon Bay and the high cliffs.
Linnet several
Goldfinch several - presumably these are feeding, but sure on what.
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| Adult with juvenile Wood Pigeon |
Heliport - just a quick passing check at high water (Malcolm)
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| Knot and Oystercatcher on the sloping sea wall |
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| Male Eider resting on the Near Naze rocks - no sign of his mate |
I checked the inner skear rocks as they became exposed this evening (Malcolm).A very heavy shower had just finished, and another was clearly on the way, but for five minutes the sun shone creating striking lighting conditions.
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| Knot under dark skies and the first beams of light |
Suddenly we were in full sunshine and the Knot were coming in to land.......but not for long.
Osprey 1 - it must have rested through the previous shower, possibly on Heysham Head as it came from that direction lifting everything in its path. It then turned around and flew out over the sea into the onshore wind. The Oystercatchers after their initial panic, were continually "bothering" it, although to be fair, it wasn't much bothered!
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| By this time the sun had turned the sky white |
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| I couldn't see any rings |
The Osprey continued west and was lost in the sun, it didn't return.
Oystercatcher 600
Knot 800
Curlew 1
Bar-Tailed Godwit 1
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| Bar-Tailed Godwit |
The waders were just beginning to return, but the black clouds had again covered the sun, it was time to leave. The heavens opened as I was heading back, but fortunately with the wind and rain to my back. Quite an enjoyable 20 minutes!
