A newbee

An overcast morning with light showers. Brighter in the afternoon with a SE breeze

Heysham Nature Reserve 

This from Jean

It was fairly windy today from an ENE direction but it was still possible to do some ringing in the more sheltered net rides. We were expecting some winter thrushes and managed to catch:
Blackbird 5
Redwing 2
Chiffchaff 1
Yet another Cetti’s Warbler
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 2 (retraps)
Great Tit 1

Here is new Cetti’s Warbler no.15 according to our latest statistics. It was a male and sang constantly from a bush opposite the office when released. Usually a Cetti’s Warbler just gives one or two explosive calls “Chettee, chettee, chettee” but this little fellow warbled on and on for about an hour! Fun fact: Cetti’s Warblers have 10 tail feathers whereas all the other small passerines have 12. I don’t know why. Cetti’s are a bit like overgrown wrens and tend to stay hidden. Their call is very loud and you can be standing right next to one calling but you probably won’t see it. Not many years ago you wouldn’t see/hear one in our area but due to the warming climate they are spreading northwards. 

Cetti's Warbler

Overhead vis included:
A late Swallow N
11 Redwing N
20 Starling N
1 Sparrowhawk high south
50 Jackdaw S
140 Pink-footed Geese N (no Ross’s with them)
39 Woodpigeon S
36 Goldfinch E and S
11 Greenfinch 
4 Pied Wagtail S
1 Redpoll S
5 Siskin S

At least 24 Blackbirds, some flying over, some in the bushes
2 Goldcrest
2 Bullfinch
3 Long-tailed Tit
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker
2 other Sparrowhawks on the reserve

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

Gadwall and a Coot

Male Gadwall

Immature Moorhen

Dunnock

And on the feeders

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Bellow the feeders

Brown Rat. This one has just chased another into the pond

Only three seen, a few years ago this area was overrun by Rats.

South shore 

Kevin Had a walk along the sea wall

Small Tortoiseshell taking advantage of the shelter and sunshine on the wall

12 Pied Wagtails and 2 Rock Pipits catching flies on the wall just before the dip. I disturbed them when I passed.

I started at the saltmarsh as Kevin was heading back (Malcolm)

Once again no Linnet seen or heard.

12 Pied Wagtails were being chased from Ocean Edge grass by a dog. Possibly the same group that Kevin saw. But there were others along the foreshore and Red Nab and along the sea wall. At least 20 in total.

Pied Wagtail strutting its stuff along the wall around the lighthouse 

This one was along the sea wall. Clearly catching plenty of small flies.

Grey Wagtail 1 on Red Nab

Grey Wagtail 

Plenty of small flies for them to eat. These are easier to see, warming themselves 
on an old plank in the scrub near the lighthouse 

Pink-Footed geese 70 south (no white geese amongst them)

Shelduck 19 out from Red Nab

Wigeon 105

Wigeon making their way to Red Nab

Little Egret 5

I didn't see any Butterflies along the sea wall, but there was a Harlequin Ladybird and....

a Drone Fly, a big one!

This is an Ivy Bee. Not recorded in the UK until 2001. But they have 
spread quickly. They feed on Ivy flowers hence this is their flight season

They are still uncommon, although they have been recorded in Heysham before.
This is the first one that I have seen, a new bee for me.

Just out of the recording area.

Just a single barnacle goose with Pinkfeet along Clay lane, Heysham (flock flew ex-roost over Heysham golf course early am) - Pete