More Arctic Terns

A dry day with long sunny spells. The NE breeze occasionally shifting to NW in the evening.

North sea wall

0530-0730: (PJM later PC)

Flocks of 9 , 16, 6 Arctic tern in

c30 Sandwich tern in/fishing

18 Common scoter out first thing 

I checked for an hour this evening (Malcolm)

2 Sandwich Tern in

1 male Eider in

4 Ringed Plover heading south

Ringed Plover

South shore 09:30 - 11:00 (Malcolm)

Shelduck 2

Little Egret 3

Linnet 4 around Ocean Edge plus 1 near the lighthouse 

Linnet in the foreshore edge

There has been a male Blackbird hanging around the edge of the saltmarsh 

for a while. I suspected a nestling attempt. Today this female had joined him,

unfortunately I didn't see her collecting food. But she was busy eyeing me up!

Meadow Pipit 1 by the saltmarsh.

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit just 2 seen. Red Nab and sea wall.

Red Nab Rock Pipit

Common Sandpiper 1 feeding just below the sloping sea wall.

Common Sandpiper 

The only other waders seen were 20 Oystercatcher 

The main reason for this morning's walk was to see if the green ringed 2nd calendar year Cormorant was resting on No.2 outfall again. It wasn't at first, but there were several others. Then a similar plumage bird arrived but with its ring leg hidden. 

2nd calendar year Cormorant at the very end of No.2 outfall

Even so I was confident that this was the ringed bird. The other Cormorants were steadily moving on and I thought that the ringed bird was likely to join them. So I scampered down the sea wall and scurried out across the soft mud........perhaps not the most accurate verbs, but the bottom line is that I got to the waterline just in time.

One of a Puffin Island, Wales scheme Cormorant. More details awaited

On a serious note, I have many year's experience of walking on the shore. The mud in this area can be treacherous. It was all soft, but I could see sections that were dangerous. It meant taking a longer route than ideal. 

Do not attempt to go out here, unless you have the appropriate experience.

Six-spot Burnet caterpillar on the sea wall
(Thanks to Kevin and Alison for the identification)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Alison and Kevin checked the warblers. Eight species seen/heard.

Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Cetti's Warbler

Some shots by Janet

One of two Small Heath - first of the year

Common Blue

Common Whitethroat 

Robin with a bill full of grubs

All the cygnets looking healthy