Yellow-Browed warbler and other goodies!

Generally overcast with the odd sunny spell. One heavy shower 08:30, other than that the odd light shower.

Middleton Nature Reserve

John was ringing, just a summary for now.

Yellow-Browed warbler 1 ringed

Yellow-Browed warbler

Other catches included an impressive for this time of year 11 Chiffchaff. 

Also Blackcap, new Cetti’s warbler and a single Grey Wagtail

Great White Egret 1 south from the direction of the main pond

South shore (Malcolm)

A mid morning walk along the foreshore then along the shoreline beyond the saltmarsh.

Wheatear 6 grounded

Rock Pipit 2 grounded

Meadow Pipit 45 - in off then SE

Skylark 5 individuals also in off then SE

Pied Wagtail 8 grounded 6 south

Linnet 41 feeding on samphire seeds on the saltmarsh 

Linnet

Swallow 3 south (plus 1 this evening)

Jackdaw 4 south

Raven 3 (2 + 1) south

Raven 

Two Raven and a pretend raptor

A real raptor lifted everything off the saltmarsh, a Marsh Harrier most likely a juvenile. Unfortunately it was quite distant with the light behind it, so no decent shots.

Pink-Footed goose 147 south in 4 skeins

Shelduck 26

Little Egret 4

Lapwing 37 lifted by the harrier

A walk south to the southern boundary of the recording area (the buildings around the faux castle) saw no small waders feeding in close, till I got to the castle. Just one small group 12 Dunlin and 10 Ringed Plover. I was just about to walk back when a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper flew in and joined them.

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, slightly darker than yesterday's pale bird

I do like it when a bird walks towards me.

Mediterranean gull 25 at least, including 1 2nd calendar year. They were mostly sat on the mud in two main groups, plus others scattered around.

2nd calendar year Med on right

The Med bottom left has a white darvic ring

Robin perched on the "What to see on the Salt Marsh" notice

I returned this evening hoping the light rain at that time would mean any Meds would be standing rather than sitting, and indeed it was. Shame there was only one and not ringed!

There were a lot of waders on the waterline and these neap tides only come in slowly and was unlikely to move them on.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 30

Oystercatcher 15

Grey Plover 80

Knot 300

Dunlin 500

And that was just the group directly in front of me, many more, still within the recording area were a little further south.

Knot, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Oystercatcher 

Some of the Grey Plover still largely in summer plumage

Only a few of the Knot still had any red from summer plumage.
The second from bottom Knot here has an orange flag. Too far to read yet,
but the tide was pushing it towards me. I only had to stand still and wait.

Then a Grey Heron flew north above the waterline and lifted everything!

Knot and Dunlin heading off

Suddenly I was alone on a deserted beach! So I walked back to check any inshore feeding birds. Just one small group of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, possibly the same group seen this morning. No Curlew Sandpiper with them now, but second prize wasn't bad.

Sanderling 2 juveniles 

The speed they move makes this clip look like a Charlie Chaplin film!