Middleton Management Day

Heysham Obs
Middleton IE
Pond clearance work at Middleton put up surprisingly few birds. A pair of mallard, four tufted duck and a single snipe were the total sightings for the day, with the addition of a calling water rail first thing.

Harbour
Grey Seal therein at lunchtime

North wall area
Common Scoter - pair far offshore
Twite - c40
Goldeneye - one inshore
Med Gull - at least one adult

More vigils at Red Nab

Heysham Obs
Coastal areas
Snipe - 8 on Red Nab
Lapwing - 57 Red Nab
Twite - 52ish north harbour wall, including Askam-in-Furness-ringed bird and about 5 unringed birds
Med Gull - adult off Red Nab (flew in from south) and two other adults following the dredger

Elsewhere
Report of Bittern on Kellet Lane

Return of the Red-throats

Heysham Obs
Offshore/north harbour wall
Red-throated Diver - 4 Kent channel
Purple Sandpiper - one under wooden jetty
Med Gull - 2 adults (1 Czech-ringed)
Twite - 53 - at least 5 unringed

Middleton IE
Model boat pond
Tufted Duck - 16
Pochard - 3 males
Goldeneye - 3

Moneyclose Lane south
Redwing - 2 flew out of seabuckthorn just south of 1/2 moon bay car park

Elsewhere
Single Waxwing early morning Caton (10 on Sunday), no sign later with child cycling proficiency event centred on the relevant cotoneaster!!

Nothing yet

Nothing posted anywhere relevant to this area

Excellent Rook record!

Heysham Obs
Tawny Owl calling at Heysham Barrows at dusk - first of the year
Rook - one east over Lower Heysham in the morning - very good record!
Pink-footed Goose - 110 south

Elsewhere
Smew - Redhead presumably 'hopped' of the river on to Freeman's Pool late afternoon as the tide started coming in

Waxwing - single bird in Oxcliffe Rd garden for half an hour. Not seen subsequently. (per note left in Reserve letterbox)

Dewy fog

Heysham Obs
No chance of trying to locate the Brent - couldnt even see Red Nab

Reserve
Two Bullfinch by office

Middleton IE (ice-free)
Woodcock 1
Jack Snipe 1
Mute Swan 5 & dead bird on 'No Swimming' pond
Coot 4
Moorhen 3
Goldeneye 3 (2 males)
Tufted Duck 4
Teal 13
Mallard 5

Overhead in mist
at least 12 flocks of Pink-footed Goose - one seen contained c200

Elsewhere
Male Hen Harrier Burns Beck Moss

Pale-bellied Brent surprise

Heysham Obs
Med Gull - adult
Pale-bellied Brent Goose - one juvenile on the outer rocks - very unexpected at this time of year
Wigeon - 107
Shelduck - increase on recent low numbers to 26!

North Harbour Wall
Twite - 11 at feeding station, all ringed (including the Askam bird)
Med Gull - 1 adult

Insects
Dotted Border along Moneyclose Lane SD46A section this evening

Minimal

Heysham Obs
A quick check of Red Nab at high tide included the following:
Wigeon - 106
Grey Plover - 1
Med Gull - ad

19th and 20th January postings

19th January
North harbour wall
Tufted Duck - adult and 1st W male off the main skeer for short period
Twite - 22
Song Thrush - 1 mound
Med Gull - one adult

Red Nab area
Med Gull - different adult
Wigeon - 96

20th January
North harbour wall
Twite - 49, including three unringed and one with Askam in Furness site ring (Yellow over blue/white)
Goldfinch - 1
Song Thrush - 1 mound
Purple Sandpiper - one under wooden jetty

South of harbour
Med Gull - adult Red Nab
Wigeon - 96

Peripheral Pinks

Heysham Obs
7,380 Pink-footed Geese flying over the bypass - the usual influx to the adjoining fields is underway