Kingfisher and Grey wags brighten up a dull day

Very low cloud all day. Light fine rain began lunchtime and continued to mid afternoon. A SW breeze

This report by Jean of the ringing session at Heysham Nature Reserve, plus her and Pete's observations.

88 Pied Wagtails on the grass not far from the reception area at Ocean Edge were probably ex-roost from the power station grounds. A total of 985 Pink-footed Geese flew north in 3 flocks early on and later in the morning 500 were reported from Ambleside, so may be related? There was very little visible migration apart from the geese, just 29 Swallows, a Skylark, and 9 Grey Wagtails, six of which were caught and colour ringed. The photograph shows one of them which is sporting an orange colour ring. 

Colour ringed Grey Wagtail, see sidebar for scheme details

Other birds ringed:
Cetti’s Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 1
Chiffchaff 1
Robin 2
Blackbird 2
Great Tit 3 plus one retrap
Blue Tit 1 plus 2 retraps
Goldfinch 7plus 2 retraps
Greenfinch 1

A young (2CY) Shag was on the jetty.
A juvenile Marsh Harrier was just about in the recording area visible from Imperial Road.

South shore

Malcolm 10:00 - 11:30

Linnet 60+ feeding on the saltmarsh 

Robins 3 along the foreshore, 2 on Red Nab, slightly surprisingly, none between the lighthouse and waterfall 

Robin

Three of six Magpies that flew south from the saltmarsh 

No Wheatears seen and just 1 Rock Pipit on Red Nab

3 Pied and a White Wagtail along the sea wall

White Wagtail 

Little Egret 14 

Little Egret

Shelduck 6

Pink-Footed Goose - 3 skeins SE totalling 149

Pink-Footed geese

Mediterranean gulls 2 between the outfalls

2cy Mediterranean Gull (top) with a 3cy/adult

Guillemot 1 out from the harbour 

It looked to be paddling with just one leg. Surprised it wasn't going in circles!

The noise in this clip is a steam release valve blowing in the Power Station

When I walked back there were cranes and other heavy equipment at No.2 outfall. Access along the wall was closed.

Janet checked later 

Kingfisher one was fishing in the channel along to the salt marsh. These were the first shots from a long way off.

I was trying to get closer and hid behind one the large concrete blocks on OE but still not near enough.

There was a Cetti's warbler singing from the wood behind Red Nab. Earlier a Cetti's and Chiffchaff heard at Middleton Nature Reserve 

This is the work underway at No.2 outfall

Heysham skear - Malcolm 15:45 - 16:45

A very low neap tide so not far to walk today

Gulls just c75 mainly Herring Gulls

Eider 1

Red-Breasted Merganser 5

Red-breasted Mergansers

Great Crested Grebe 1

Great Crested grebe

Oystercatcher c1500

Curlew 9

Bar-Tailed Godwit 3 

Redshank 30

Knot 12

Turnstone 40

Ringed Plover 3

Bar-Tailed Godwits and Knot

The Godwits flew south. The Knot moved higher up the skear and joined 
10 others then they all flew north