Just my stuff so far (Malcolm)
I went to check the south shore after a heavy morning shower. Hoping it had grounded a migrant or two. But there wasn't a single passerine of any description from the saltmarsh to Red Nab. Not even a Wren! It didn't bode well for the day.
Middleton Nature Reserve
Just a quick, wet, look at the two main ponds. Interestingly, there were no Mallard on either pond.
Main pond
Mute Swan pair
Gadwall 14
Coot 6
Moorhen 1
"No swimming" pond
Gadwall 11
Tufted duck 1 male
Coot 3
Moorhen 1
Imperial Rd
Just a quick drive along
Wood Pigeon 40+
Buzzard 2
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| The one at the back was just finishing off a morsel. |
The front bird left when the last of the morsel disappeared. The other had something else to do, before wiping its beak clean on the post.
North shore
It cleared up a bit this afternoon so I went down to watch the tide cover the skear (very slowly now that we are back to neap tides).
Pale-bellied Brent goose 33 - a main flock of 26 occasionally joined by others.
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| Brent geese |
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| Little Egret - only one seen today |
Knot 3,000 - they left the skear in three separate flocks and each spread along the shore to feed before moving further south. Unfortunately most were too distant to read flags in such poor light. Some flags were seen but no new birds today.
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| Knot feeding along the shore |
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| The Knot bottom left is just about to swallow the small bivalves that they feed on here |
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| This one, trying to reach a bivalve, is an Icelandic ringed bird |
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| Curlew and Knot |
The sun returns tomorrow!
