Great White passes over

A dry day with sunny spells. A SE wind

South shore

Early am at ocean edge - Pete: 

One great white egret flew north quite high over Heysham ocean edge obvious migrant.  

Also flock of 9 meadow pipit in off 

Two Painted Lady, two Small Tortoiseshell, and a Red admiral flying in along the wall on my walk out to the lighthouse - Kevin

Janet:

Wigeon on the salt marsh

Solitary Knot on Red Nab

Rock Pipit and Knot

Painted Lady and a Red Admiral in the Nature Park

Janet also saw Common Darters on both sides of Middleton Nature Reserve

Heysham skear - Malcolm

Yesterday's Knot were interesting. The four flagged birds were this year's and last year's youngsters. The bulk of the other 3000 birds seen would have been the same. Three of the flagged birds had only been ringed in the last two weeks, providing useful information for the schemes. So I tried to find some more today. But some days things just don't work out.

I had a look on the rising tide this morning. As the tide moved the Oystercatchers off the skear they settled along the waterline. But when the Knot left the skear, they flew directly to the south.

Oystercatchers lined up along the waterline with one of two flocks of Knot
seen heading south. At least 2500 birds in total

I tried again this evening starting 16:00 in bright sunshine. The Knot began arriving from the south immediately, but in smaller groups (5 - 50) than yesterday. About 1000 had gathered when a Peregrine attacked and scattered them.

 

When the Knot began returning they were in larger groups, as yesterday. Perhaps a Peregrine had attacked before I started yesterday. But if there had been an attack yesterday it must have been successful, today's wasn't and as soon as a group returned it attacked again.

That's the Midland Hotel in the background 

Knot and a Peregrine 

By this time it was almost 17:00 and the light was already fading

It must have eventually managed to catch one as the Knot slowly returned and settled. But by this time the tide was a long way out and the returning groups settled in different areas. At least 1000 Knot and again mainly young birds, but I failed to find any flagged ones today.

Knot

Pink-Footed geese south:

1 skein of 78 10:15

3 skeins in quick succession this evening 13, 18 and 6

Some of this evening's Pinkfoot

Eider 9

Red-breasted Merganser 3

Great Crested Grebe 1

Little Egret 18

Grey Heron 1

Heron and Egrets

Oystercatcher c1500 on the skear this evening more along the waterline this morning 

Curlew 45

Redshank 100+

Turnstone 30

Ringed Plover 5