Goose movement continues

A reasonably dry morning with light showers in the afternoon. A light SW wind

South shore (Malcolm) 08:30 - 10:15

A check of the shore out from the saltmarsh, then along the foreshore to Red Nab.

Pink-Footed Goose 48 in three skeins heading south, all before 08:45.

Canada Goose 3 with one of the Pinkfoot skeins

Three Canada with Pink-Footed geese

Shelduck 10

The only waders were

Curlew 30

Oystercatcher 15

Grey Plover 3 south

Redshank 23 on the saltmarsh 

Lapwings 7 on the saltmarsh 

Lapwing

Little Egret 5 on the saltmarsh and 1 on Red Nab

Little Egret and Lapwing

Carrion Crow at least 29 on the shore, probably more, they were very mobile

Some of the Carrion Crows along the saltmarsh fringe

Linnet numbers continue to grow as the saltmarsh plants start to produce seeds in quantity. At least 90 today on both sides of the saltmarsh and along the foreshore. They usually attract small raptors when there are this many.

This pile of flotsam looks quite sterile, but it is alive with Starlings and Linnet

The above shot is the opening frame of this clip. 

Linnets

Goldfinch 6 along the foreshore 

Grey Wagtail 2 south

Wheatear 3 along the foreshore 

Wheatear

Rock Pipit 3 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit

Mediterranean gull 2 - adult and a 1st calendar year, on Red Nab

Sandwich Tern 1 on Red Nab

Both Meds and a Sandwich Tern

Red Admiral trying to catch as much of the weak sun as it could.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Cetti's warbler 2 - one singing in both the southern and northern sections - Janet

I did a quick check of the two main ponds (Malcolm)

There were 31 Tufted Duck on the main pond, I was expecting a new high count with whatever there was on the "no swimming" pond. But there was nothing on the "no swimming" pond whatsoever! The water level was dropping, so the regulating pump must have kicked in. That wouldn't disturb the ducks though, they clearly prefer the main pond.

Tufted Ducks

This clip shows just some of the Tufted Ducks. The new fencing preventing disturbance has certainly made a difference.

Also on the Main pond

Mute adult with 7 cygnets

Mallard 15

Gadwall 6

Coot 15

Moorhen 2

Little grebe 1

Cormorant 1

Grey Heron 1

A lot of rain over the next few days, sightings might be thin on the ground.