A day of two halves

A warm sunny day with very light variable breezes.

South shore (Malcolm)

A walk from the saltmarsh to Red Nab.

Wheatear 1 male along the foreshore 

Mature male Wheatear looking very smart

He seemed to be finding plenty to eat.

Rock Pipit 3 - one on the foreshore and two on Red Nab. It wasn't clear if the Red Nab bird was chasing another off, or just casing and the other not wishing to be caught.

Rock Pipit on Red Nab

Meadow Pipit 7 over to the north

Pale-bellied Brent 10 on Red Nab

Shelduck 28 

Wigeon 86 on Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

Heron coming in to land

Female Mute Swan

Mallard pair on Fence pond

Mallard drake on main pond, celebrating after seeing of another male

Male Reed Bunting 

One of several Chiffchaff seen/heard

Heysham skear (Malcolm)

Two checks again, but not a lot to report.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 in the morning 20 this evening 

20 Brent this evening, possibly including this morning's 10, but their
 behaviour was atypical for the regular Brent here. They flew past the 
regular feeding area and settled on the sea to the north. 

Eider 35

Red-breasted Merganser 7

Oystercatcher 1,500

Curlew 15

Redshank 200

Knot 600 this morning were lifted by something (likely a Peregrine) and they headed off south long before I got near. 350 turned up in the fading light this evening a few flagged birds seen, but no new ones. An additional 300 were arriving as I left.

Turnstone 30

Dunlin 10

Sunset on the Spring equinox was behind clouds, nevertheless still spendid!
This is what today's title refers to, half of today was daylight and half darkness.

Just out of the recording area. Mark Jones had a Stonechat past his holiday caravan at Middleton sands. It then flew off into the recording area.

Rooks have begun feeding on Mark's feeders again, probably from the 
nearby Rookery at Middleton 

Mark also pointed out that there is another Rookery on the bypass (Bay Gateway). 200m west of the Overton roundabout on the south side.

I had a drive past, there are at least 11 nests and I saw 7 Rook - Malcolm

This shot is looking west from just past the roundabout, it shows the location of the first tree.
This is a section of bypass where you can't stop in a car, but you can see them as you pass. 

This is only the second year that they have nested here - Pete