Loads of Pinks

A very light north breeze. Sunny for most of the day.

Middleton Nature Reserve

Ringing and vis report Pete:

Ringing produced a good warbler catch this morning included a latish 1cy Grasshopper warbler and 3 Reed warbler, 14 chiffchaff, 2 willow warbler and 5 blackcap. But only 2 Grey Wagtails.

Stock Dove 1 over

vis other than geese blocked by a line of squalls just to the west

Pink-Footed goose 2,785 minimum south between 06:30 and 12:15.

(Minimum total for the day 3,145)

Some of the Pink-Footed geese passing over this afternoon 

Other shots from Janet:

Grey Heron

6 Tufted Duck on the main pond, 4 more on the "no swimming" pond

Male Migrant Hawker

Common Darters

I had a quick check at lunchtime (Malcolm)

Coot now 19 in adult plumage

Little Grebe 2 - 1 winter plumage on both ponds

Unfortunately the heavy rain yesterday has raised the water level of the "no swimming" pond by 0.5m. I couldn't see the Swan's nest, it was almost certainly underwater for the second time this year. The lone adult was still on the pond.

Heysham skear - low water 12:30 (Malcolm)

The Pinks were still going over, numbers included in the day total above, as are others seen by Janet over Heysham Head.

Little Egret 18

Some of the Egret with the Manxman coming into harbour 

Eider 2

Red-breasted Merganser 8 in one group

Red-breasted Merganser

Great Crested Grebe 1

Herring Gull 130

Oystercatcher 300

Curlew 80

Redshank 30

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Knot 150

Knot and a splendid view!

Ringed Plover 6

Turnstone 25

Turnstone "hiding" in plain view

Peregrine Falcon 1 - but not hunting, it was soaring high above the skear. It reached a height where it was almost invisible, then headed off east.