The early bird catches........the icy blast!

The actual temperature wasn't too bad, it stayed around 4°C all night and throughout the day, but the NE wind this morning was bitter, slightly better this afternoon when it was more from the NW. sunshine pretty much all day.

Heysham Skear (Malcolm)

I checked twice today 07:30 - 08:15 and 12:30 - 14:30.

I was hoping the Knot would be feeding along the shore this morning as the tide pushed them off the skear, but there were two Peregrine Falcons after the 800 Knot that remained.

They eventually settled but in difficult terrain and I failed to locate 
any flagged birds

This afternoon c2,500 were spread across the skear but most hunkered down against the, still biting, wind. I did eventually manage a couple of new flagged birds.

Curlew 40+

Redshank 150

Redshank 

Other waders as recent

Pale-bellied Brent goose 15 out from the play area.

Some of the Brent geese in the background 

The sun was just rising and lighting the snow covered peaks of the Lakeland Hills

Eider none this morning 35 this afternoon 

Red-breasted Merganser 2 this afternoon 

Shag at least 2 juveniles both sessions.

Juvenile Shag, giving me a dirty look!

Little Egret 3

Heliport (Howard)

I visited the heliport this morning on the tide, c2500 knot on the outerwall when I arrived but were displaced by corvids soon after, they had a long fly round before finally landing over on the near naze where they stayed for over an hour without moving, so I only managed two sightings.

This one was also seen on the skear later, confirming local movement 

Imperial Rd (Malcolm)

I checked on my way back from the skear this morning and again on my way to the skear this afternoon.

Morning:

Roe deer 4, a female with two youngsters and a separate buck

Roebuck 

Pheasant 1 female type

Water Rail 1 squealing

Stonechat 2 a male and (presumably a) female clearly together.

Stonechats

There were also at least two this afternoon, there seemed to be four. But I think the same two were just following me around. They didn't see me as a threat and I no doubt disturbed a number of insects as I trampled around. They did all look the same and also the same as this morning's birds, although the lighting was different this afternoon.

Two in this shot, they were in this area this morning (just beyond the opening
 50m from the roundabout). They were here again when I set off this afternoon
and also when I returned this afternoon.

Buzzard 1