Heysham skear - low water 13:30 (Malcolm)
I did a quick check early in the ebbing tide, just in time to see 49 Pale-bellied Brent geese arrive from the north.
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| Some of the Brent coming in to land. |
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| The recent warm weather has resulted in the gutweed growing quite lush again in a few places, including on the larger rocks. |
The geese quickly split into small groups, mainly pairs, and each found their own patch to feed on. Many choosing the larger rocks.
I didn't have much time this morning so I left and returned at low water.
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| These are the rocks that the Brent were feeding on/above earlier. You can see that each is an oasis of green in an a desert of barren stones. |
At least 45 of the Brent were still around the north side of the skear, but now more interested in preening rather than feeding.
Eider 14
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Oystercatcher 1,000
Curlew 8
Redshank 450
Knot 350 (just one previously seen flagged)
Turnstone 45
All the waders, with the exception of Turnstone were after shrimps.
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| This shot shows that even today's very light west breeze can colour the water in the shallows. Note the line beyond the feeding waders where the Water colour changes from blue to brownish. The small shrimps need this to bring them within range of the waders. The shrimps feed on the detritus mixed in the muddied water, plus the colour provides some cover for them. |
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| Curlew, Knot and Redshank, the smaller waders at least, shirmping. |
Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)
I checked the fence pond today as well as the two main ponds. The only addition to yesterday's wildfowl was an additional pair of teal. Two Moorhen and a Little grebe.
The only warblers heard were Chiffchaff 3, Cetti's 2.
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| This Long-Tailed Tit has a bill full of feathers to feather its nest. |
