Friday, 22 May 2026

Eight wader species, not bad for mid May

A warm, dry sunny day with a light variable breeze. It topped 20°C just before lunch.

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet
Adult Coot with chick

Since the aggressive male Swan has gone all the chicks are doing well.

There are five in this younger brood.

Broad-bodied Chaser


Four-Spotted Chaser

Common Bluetail Damselflies 

Green Veined White

Small Heath one of four - first records this year. 

Burnet Companion - also first record this year

Heysham Skear - Malcolm 13:30 - 14:00
The incoming tide was close to covering the skear. This concentrates whatever birds have hung on, but you don't get long to check them. 
A passing Osprey at 13:35 lifted all the Oystercatchers and Gulls



But there were other waders:
Curlew 4
Whimbrel 2

A constantly calling Whimbrel 
Redshank 3 
Redshank

Knot 1
Dunlin 4
Ringed Plover 8 (7 + 1 came in/off, possibly just returning after the Osprey lifted everything)
Sanderling 68 - initially on the north side then left to the south
Some of the Sanderling on what little was left on the northern skear edge


Then leaving to the south

Little Egret 3 
Eider 3 (1 female)
Great Crested Grebe 3
Great Crested Grebe
Not bad for a 30 minutes stroll

My garden gate had attracted another moth - Light Brown Apple Moth



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