The sunshine continues

Another warm sunny day. It just failed to reach 18°C again. A light variable breeze.

South shore Janet towards high water this morning.

At least 4 Chiffchaff in the Nature Park

This Song Thrush clearly has a young family to feed 

Lovely overhead shots of a Little Egret as it leaves Red Nab

Some of the Pale-bellied Brent geese and Wigeon at Red Nab

Redshank

Cormorant 

Curlew on the saltmarsh 

Heliport wall - Malcolm

I'd gone down as the sea was leaving the wall, hoping for the 1000 or so Knot to move to the mud. In the end just 200 did, but one was flagged. As I waited, I was entertained by a male White Wagtail - first this spring. 

You can see it watching the flies overhead before catching one in flight.

White Wagtail 

The resident male Pied Wagtail wasn't happy!

At least providing a nice comparison shot

Heysham skear - Malcolm

I checked twice (it was a nice day!) 07:45 - 09:15 and 14:30 - 15:30

Pale-bellied Brent goose 17 in morning, 9 in afternoon 

Eider 8 in morning 85 in afternoon 

Red-breasted Merganser 3 both sessions 

Little Egret 1 in the morning 4 in the afternoon 

Pied/White Wagtail 1 in/off this morning 

Knot 2500 in the morning 3000 in the afternoon some flags were read, but these tides move so quickly that they are soon moved on on the flood and the ebb exposes large areas of skear quickly for them to spread out in.

It is unusual for a flagged bird to obligingly stand on a promontory like this!
This is an Icelandic scheme bird, details awaited 

Most of the Knot soon moved towards the western edge. It is impossible to check them, and much else, against the afternoon sun.

Brent Geese, Eider and Oystercatcher along the western edge

Joined by Knot

Just out of the recording area, well quite a long way out really, but they are big birds.

Two Cranes (possibly the same two seen here yesterday) landed in fields near Bradshaw lane Pilling this pm. Keep looking upwards!