It rained all day, heavier and more continual in the afternoon and evening. A NE wind
South shore (Malcolm) 09:15 - 11:00
For once I timed my walk just right with regards to the weather! It was raining as I checked from the saltmarsh to Red Nab, then the longest gap in the rain all day, as I walked along the sea wall, some rain on the return leg, but not heavy.
Linnet 76 - 64 on Ocean Edge grass, plus 12 along the foreshore
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| Linnet on the foreshore "rocks" |
Wheatear 7 along the foreshore (just 4 on the return leg)
Meadow Pipit 3 grounded along the foreshore (none on the return leg)
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| Meadow Pipits |
I didn't see any more Meadow Pipits until I was at the end of the sea wall at 10:00. A short but heavy shower began and 10 more came in off the sea (8+2)
Swallow 33 - they all came in off the sea in the 10 minutes after the rain started. 16 in the largest group. A few of the Swallows took advantage of presumably copious fly numbers around the wooden jetty. It is covered in guano and likely the odd corpse. This clip shows swallows feeding, Cormorants resting, and there is at least one juvenile Shag, just to the right of the old lighthouse door. Possibly another to the left. Although, you'll probably have to take my word for it, both were resting with their heads tucked in out of the rain.
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| This juvenile Pied or White Wagtail also came in/off when the rain started |
Pink-Footed geese 250+ in 5 skeins but two waves, one around 09:30 and the other around 10:30. (At least three more skeins heard passing over my house around lunchtime).
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| The larger skeins were some distance out, but this one was closer |
Rock Pipit 3 - 1 at Red Nab and 2 singles along the sea wall. This clip was just after the early rain stopped, the Pipit is looking under every piece of cover on the sloping sea wall, where potential meals may have been sheltering.
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| One of the juvenile Herring gulls ringed at the Power Stations N:19P. Not all of them are hanging around though. N:18P has been seen at the Albert Dock Liverpool 70km south and N:12P at Queens Park Lake 43km SE |
When I got back to Red Nab there was a flock of at least 12 Long-Tailed Tits with a least one Chiffchaff in the scrub just behind Red Nab. Unfortunately a couple of barking dogs persuaded them to head back.
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| Long-Tailed Tit |
Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)
Just a passing afternoon check of the two main ponds.
Main pond:
Cormorant 3
1 adult Mute Swan with 7 cygnets
Mallard 5
Gadwall 5
Tufted Duck 20
Coot 19
Moorhen 2
Little Grebe 2 in summer plumage
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| Just managed to get both grebes in this shot. |
"No swimming pond"
Still 1m above its normal height, either the heavy rain lifted the level again or the regulator pump didn't lower the level as far as it used to.
Tufted Duck 4
Coot 1
Little grebe 1 not in summer plumage
