Thursday, 8 October 2026

What a difference a day makes!

A clear night followed by a clear sunny morning. More overcast in the afternoon as the early NE breeze shifted to a westerly. Rain by evening 

Heysham Nature Reserve

Not a lot in crystal clear morning.  I only saw two small thrush spp take off from the tank farm and fly inland and the nets held very little but there were two chiffchaff caught first thing and a single coal tit notable for this autumn! - Pete


I took this photo as there are very few birds today!  - Jean
Fly Agaric, one of several interesting fungi around the reserve
100 Pink-Footed geese high to the south and 19 Wood Pigeons south

South shore - Janet
Just the regular stuff today.....
Linnets around the salt marsh
Redshank

Little Egret

Heliport - Janet
Oystercatchers on the Heliport wall

Knot, undecided where to roost

Lapwing 


House Sparrow picking Blackberries 

Middleton Nature Reserve - Rosemary and Peter
Shortly after arriving at Middleton, the clear blue sky of early morning was beginning to turn slightly hazy with the cloud already starting to move in and the breeze getting more noticeable.

Southern End:
Southern Hawker 1
Male Common Darter 8
Common Frog 1
Noon Fly 2
We didn't see any Migrant Hawkers, Lone Female Common Darters, Common Darters in Tandem or Ovipositing and no Speckled Woods.

Chiffchaff heard

Main Pond:
No RVD seen today 
Male Common Darter 4
Large Wainscot 1
Mute Swans 1 pr
Mallard 8
Coot 2
Heron 1 flying over

Long Tailed Tits heard

Southern Hawker on the south side 

This Common Darter settled on Rosemary's hand!

A more conventional, albeit artificial resting place


Mute Swans on the main pond

Large Wainscot

Noon Fly

Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:30 - 15:00
A flock of 30 Curlew were just arriving overland from the east as I set off
Eider 68


A handsome pair of Eider

Red-breasted Merganser 5
Red-breasted Merganser 

Great Crested Grebe 1
Great Crested Grebe looking scary 

Little Egret 3
Herring Gulls c50
They are still finding seed Mussels 

Waders similar to recent, although there weren't many Knot at first. Possibly they had already been dispersed by an attack as they were constantly arriving in small groups. At least 1500 by the time I had finished. Many young birds and only two previously seen colour coded birds seen.
This juvenile Knot settled at my feet. You can see the delicate patterning 
of its plumage 

This Curlew look like its looking up. But in reality it is both looking down
for food, and up checking for danger


The three Glossy Ibis again today at southern end of tidal road, Heaton Marsh