Jack Snipe best of the day

Another freezing night followed by a bright cold day with a fresh NW wind

Shaun Coyle checked a few areas this morning:

Imperial Road marsh:

Water Rail 3 calling/squealing.

Single Little Egret & Grey Heron.

Stonechat pair.

Jay 2 and a roe deer.

Green Woodpecker flew from MNR to roadside trees at the end of Moneyclose Lane. Then showing well for 10 minutes.

Ocean Edge saltmarsh:

Wigeon 172.

Lapwing 24.

Grey Plover 1.

Common Snipe 42.

Jack Snipe 2.

Skylark 2.

Rock Pipit 1 and 4 Reed Buntings 

Red Nab: 

Turnstone 15.

Pair of Rock Pipit's, before they headed over to the power station.

Brent Geese group of c40 then 5 past harbour heading towards Heysham Head at mid-day.

Heliport - Malcolm 09:30

Knot c1000 mainly flying around, they settled briefly a couple of times, but were nowhere to be seen on a second check 30 minutes later

High numbers of Oystercatcher again

Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Malcolm

The pond was partially covered in ice, no Tufted Duck around, but still 8:Gadwall

Mallard, Gadwall, Coot and Moorhen

Plenty of gulls on the ice, but none ringed

Pink-Footed geese 20 south

Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:00 - 16:00

Pale-bellied Brent geese 35 minimum.

Brent Geese making their way to the play area rocks

Eider 50+

Male Eider, including an immature one on the left

Red-breasted Merganser 10

Red-breasted Mergansers

Great Crested Grebe 2

There were a lot more Oystercatcher on the skear than recently, c5000

Knot 2000 unfortunately two Peregrines were attacking today.

Peregrine over a Knot flock

At this time of year the light goes like someone turning off a switch. Still, we are on the right side of winter now.

Not quite sunset, but the light was gone before I got back to the seafront.