The end.......of the calm dry spell........is nigh!

Another dry overcast day, probably the last for a while. The early SE breeze was light, but still fresher than of late and it continued to increase slightly throughout the day.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Report by Pete:

Much calmer then forecast for a short ringing session with Nick.  

The cloud level was higher than previous mornings this week so we were not expecting a huge number of night migrants. In the end better than expected with the following new birds:

Chiffchaff 6

Goldcrest 9

Blackcap 2

Cetti’s warbler 1

Blue tit 3

Singles of Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Coal Tit, song thrush, blackbird 

Vis mig included a southbound flock of 52 pinkfeet and at least 87 woodpigeon.  Only a handful of thrushes with no overhead passage and at least five lesser redpoll, four chaffinch and a grey wagtail over

South shore (Malcolm) 09:00 - 11:00

I started at the same time in the tide as yesterday, but already the waterline was as high as it reached yesterday. Today's tide was 8.5m just 0.5m higher than yesterday, but it ended up 200m higher up the shore. It just shows what a gradual gradient the shore has here.

Shelduck 170 most were already moving off further south

Some of the Shelduck moving on

Oystercatcher 100

Curlew 30

Redshank 120 (near the saltmarsh)

Most of the other waders were further south to begin with, but eventually the following rested/fed close to the foreshore.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 35

Grey Plover 75

Knot 300

Dunlin 550

Ringed Plover 13

Once again most of the birds remained in the water so little chance of checking for rings.

Ringed Plover and Dunlin

Grey Wagtail 3 in off the sea (obviously a bit of late movement today)

Siskin 1 south closer to shore

Linnet 78 on the saltmarsh 

Wigeon 75 on Red Nab

A small group of Knot resting on Red Nab

Rock Pipit on Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve 

No sign of the Pochard today and there are now six cygnets back on the main pond - Kevin Eaves

I had a quick look at the two main ponds (Malcolm)

Main pond:

Tufted Duck 31

Gadwall 9

Mallard 25

Coot 13

Moorhen 4

Little grebe 1

"no swimming" pond

Teal 8

Goldeneye 1 female

Female Goldeneye 

Unfortunately she wasn't there long. A group of horse riders along the track between the ponds spooked the Teal, which in turn lifted the Goldeneye 

Teal - the different angle of light on their speculum changes the 
colour from blue to, well......teal 

Imperial Road (Malcolm)

I call in regularly when passing, but there has been little to report since the early summer male and juvenile Stonechats seemed to have moved on. But today there was a male and female type Stonechat on the bush favoured by the breeding bird earlier this year.

Stonechats

Woodpigeon 25 milling around