Top Meds count and a Swan rescued

Largely overcast with the odd sunny spell. Light rain showers early afternoon. A fresh south wind.

South shore (Malcolm)

I checked this morning 08:00 - 10:00

Mediterranean gulls an amazing 208! Far and away the highest count for the recording area.

At 08:15 there were c50 on Red Nab. Between 08:25 and 08:30 more arrived from the NE. At this point they clearly didn't like the density on Red Nab and decided to move to the shore. Nothing spooked them, they moved off without a sound.

This clip shows just some of the 184+ on the shore. There were so many birds, I had to shorten the whole clip by 15 seconds, and reduce the quality, to allow it to upload to the post. 

All this beach and one Med has to rest on another's "favourite spot"!

They were clearly intending to rest on the mud, so I didn't follow them. I had already read six ringed birds, including one new adult with a yellow ring.

One from German scheme - details awaited

Mediterranean gulls out from a now deserted Red Nab

They were all still resting out from Red Nab when I reached No.1 outfall. There were 2 juvenile Meds feeding at the seaward end of No.1 outfall and at least 22 Meds at the seaward end of the feeding beach by the wooden jetty.

When I returned past Red Nab, the resting gulls were still on the mud, but had moved further out. 

I returned on the rising tide at 12:30. There were still two resting groups on the mud 60 and 47 all sat down!

There were also 50+ on Red Nab. As the tide moved them on some moved to Red Nab before eventually flying back to the NE. Others flew directly to the NE. Presumably they are feeding on slurried fields in that direction. Fortunately before they left I managed to read another four ringed birds (ten for the day), including another new adult with a yellow ring.

This one is a UK scheme bird

Some of the Meds heading off to the NE

Curlew with a fine long bill. Females have the longest bills

Curlew with a Whimbrel sized bill. Males have shorter bills
and juveniles shorter still

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

The injured male Mute Swan was caught today by a Col Sproule a guy who rescues wildlife, with the help of Jo Bailey who has pestered everyone for help. On first inspection it looks like he has a puncture wound to the bone of the nub on the wing and maybe discolated? So he'll take it to his vets and the rescue centre which I think is somewhere near Widnes. 

It took a bit of a rugby tackle......

........but once caught he became really calm.

He gave it a shot of Metacam which kicked in quite fast.

A good job - well done!

A couple of visitors to the Heysham moth trap from Southern Europe.  - Alison

Scarce Bordered Straw - Helicoverpa armigera

Palpita vitrealis