Not a lot, just a Little

The west winds strengthened overnight and were quite strong all day, although not gale force. Persistent rain for most of the morning with showers in the afternoon.

All I have is from my wet walk along the south sea wall to watch the lunchtime ferry arrive.

Wigeon 153 sheltering behind No.2 outflow

Some of the wigeon resting plus Black-headed gulls and Redshank shrimping 

It wasn't easy checking the gulls behind the ferry, the wind wasn't too bad, but driving rain made use of optics difficult. Still, I couldn't find anything of note, then just after the ferry entered the harbour an adult Little gull came from the direction of the buoys out from the north wall. It had either overshot or was just coming out of the bay. I followed it as far as the harbour mouth, but lost it when I switched from binoculars to my camera, but I think it must have entered the harbour. 

This Curlew was sheltering just below the sea wall, even though directly in the path of the wind, the sloping wall deflects it upwards, leaving a calm area at the base of the wall.

This Turnstone is feeding on something on No.1 outflow. I can't think what, the tide has just exposed it and you'd imagine that the rough waves would have purged it clean.

A pretty similar tally

No overnight frost, but the larger ponds remain ice covered apart from a few pockets. The wind shifted to the west then to WSW, quite light, but starting to freshen by evening. Forecast to become strong SW by the morning. Light showers for most of the day, becoming more prolonged by late afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Mute 2 adult 3+1 juvenile 

Coot 6

Moorhen 8

Little Grebe 1

Gadwall 30

Teal 1

Mallard 2

Water Rail 3

Goldcrest 1

North shore - towards low water

Eider 71

Red-breasted Merganser 3

Knot c1,000

Pale-bellied Brent goose- at least 31 - at 14:00, as yesterday, there were about 31 feeding around one of the central skeer pools (one that then feeds the drain to the skeer corner). They are not easy to see when feeding here as this panorama shows.

By 14:45 they were all gone from the pool, possibly influenced by a motorcycle going through the area! But there were still a group of 6 on the water on the south side of the skeer. There is no way of knowing if they were part of the original 31 or additional.

Well, I doubt there are many places In Lancashire that would regard 31 Brent Goose as a "slow news day", but I've decided to show you the fruits of my "trawling" yesterday anyway (MD).

On yesterday's post I showed the tiny net I'd made (actually I only fabricated the net, I had the frame, no idea from where or when or what for!). I wanted to see just how many and what size the shrimps, that so many birds are feeding on at the moment, are.

I selected a drain that wasn't being used by any birds, I knew this would likely indicate the density would be lower than the ones being used, but I didn't want to disturb feeding birds.

I placed the net so it was touching the bottom of the drain and just covering the net. I estimated this to be the feeding depth for Redshank, indeed this is the same drain where I videoed the Redshank feeding (see post 26/12/20).

I pushed the net quickly up the drain for 1 metre.

At first I though there was nothing, I needed my glasses to see the tiny shrimps, but I had caught at least 30.

This is a detail of two of them, plus a piece of detritus, probably what they were feeding on. Doubled up like this they were about 8mm, so would be 15-16mm when flat on the mud (not including antennae). This is a very early, probably the first adult stage, they spend the first year of their life as zooplankton, then up to a year in increasing size stages of adult form, shedding their exoskeleton at each stage. It will be September before these will be the size that you are used to seeing them in fishmongers.

Small as they are, they contain a lot of nutrients, the body muscle alone is 33% of the overall weight. And there are a lot of them, there needs to be, they are the staple diet of a large proportion of the area's Black-Headed gulls at this time of year, and this year there seems to be a glut and the waders are feeding on them too.

Reasonable, albeit patchy coverage

Another overnight frost with some light snow, by morning the wind had shifted to the south and with the sunshine made it feel quite pleasant (easily said when you're well wrapped up!).

Red Nab just after the tide had left it:

Wigeon 160

Shelduck 85

Rock Pipit 1

Saltmarsh 

Lots of passerines displaced from inland:

Robin 7 

Dunnock 4 

Wren 4

Reed Bunting 1

Song Thrush 4

Blackbird 2

All seemed to be finding food easily enough.

The usual large flock of Lapwing was not present, but there were a few scattered around in ones and twos

When they are close in like this, with the sun on their back,
I prefer one of their many other names - Green Plover.

North shore towards low water

Pale-bellied Brent goose 42 - at 13:00 there were 37 around one of the pools in the middle of Heysham skeer plus another group of 5 were further inshore. By 14:00 the 37 were nowhere to be seen but 5 were on the water along the southern edge of the skeer.

Eider c50

Red-breasted Merganser 5

Goldeneye 1 distant female type

Knot c1,000

Mediterranean gull 1 adult on the lamppost again - see post 4/01/21

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Mute 2 adult 4 juvenile 

Coot 4

Moorhen 4

Mallard 4

Gadwall 16

The "no swimming" pond viewed from the eastern bank

This Robin was used to people throwing food.

The Pinkfoot have been feeding in large numbers in the fields next to Heysham Moss. They left early this evening and Janet took this shot from Meldon Road.

Although this picture was taken just east of the recording area, the lead birds of this flock would have already crossed over the eastern boundary.

As ever, with Janet's pictures, it's best to "open" them to see the full detail.

Finally, this is the post equivalent of a trailer, I made myself a tiny net. The next slow news day, I'll show you what I caught with it today. 

Regular post readers should be able to guess.

Iceland gull breaks two year duck - just.

Pretty much everything, except sunshine, in today's weather. It started out frosty in the night, but had turned to rain by morning, which eased to light showers later. Temperatures hovered around zero leaving some very slippy black ice. Later in the afternoon there were a couple of snow showers. The wind continues from NNE.

Pete had to be in the area this morning, so took the opportunity for a spot of, as it turned out, timely sea watching:

Iceland Gull. 1 juvenile out from harbour mouth, very distant to the west of the Kent channel. It was a small very attenuated juvenile with lightweight flight - no chance of confusion with Glaucous gull despite the range. Initially, probably just over Lancashire waters, but soon well into Cumbria.

This is the first Iceland Gull record for the recording area since 25/05/18.

The Iceland Gull was directly in line with this feature 

 - the  Rampside Light Tower

Mediterranean gull -  1 adult attending feeding concentration along A589 north of Oxcliffe lights but didn’t land on roadside lamp post this time. Technically just out of the actual recording area, but an area of easy access for any local readers.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 31/32 feeding in the skeer corner 11:20

Middleton Nature Reserve 

No swimming pond

Mute 2 adult 3 + 1 juvenile 

Coot 4

Moorhen 2

Little Grebe 1

Gadwall 27

Mallard 6

Grey Heron 1

This Heron was at the open water's edge. Not quite as hopeless a strategy as it looks. The amount of food that is thrown in here acts an effective ground bait, attracting any omnivorous fish in the pond. Unfortunately for the Heron, as far as I know, there are only Perch in this pond which are primarily carnivore, but perhaps there are Roach or Rudd in this pond as well.

A couple each, Mallard and Gadwall with the Heron

I'm not sure if this young Black-Headed gull is soiled or oiled. The number of oiled birds in and around the bay have reduced significantly over the last 20 years. Hopefully this is just some grime from one of the trampled puddles on the reserve.

Brent numbers higher as tides get lower

Another heavy overnight frost with mist till mid morning. Some sunshine later in the morning with light rain in the afternoon.

Just a quick check of the skeer corner at 10:30 located 34 Pale-bellied Brent geese feeding, including the two colour ringed Canadian birds.

This shot shows the inner skeer in the background and the geese feeding on the weed in the middle. In the foreground you can see the drain water continuing down to the sea. This is draining sea water from the inner skeer, but also includes fresh water which seeps onto the shore where it meets the clay boundary. This makes this drain brackish, which the gut weed favours. There are similar outlets of surface water out from the children's play area (focused on the low lying horse field behind), Half Moon Bay and Red Nab. All have growths of gut weed and all have been regularly used as feeding areas by Brent geese.

This clip shows the drain and associated weed a bit more clearly.

I didn't go on the skeer today, looking out from the shore located:

Eider c60

Red-breasted Merganser 2

I left the Brent feeding, but, as yesterday at 10:50 the bulk of them (30) stopped feeding and flew to the water. There was nothing obvious around to have spooked them.

The tides start to get higher again, after tomorrow.

On the way home I just had a quick look at the "no swimming" pond at Middleton.

The multitude of swans, ducks etc are maintaining the open area of free water. Two bits of good news:

The Gadwall seem to becoming more tolerant of the swan feeders, particularly when they feed from high on the east bank, as was happening on this visit.

At least one of the Little grebe is still around.

This clip shows the Little grebe and some of the Gadwall, but it's mainly so you can hear the commotion made by the gulls and Carrion Crow as they strive for a share of the bread being fed.

Mute swan 2 adult 3+1 juvenile 

Moorhen 2

Coot 4

Mallard 4

Gadwall 16

Little Grebe 1

Wrong......again!

Another overnight ground frost, light north wind and mainly sunny.

Unfortunately, but understandably, increased movement restrictions will result in fewer walks by me and less opportunities of records from others. I will maintain this blog as best I can, any observations from anyone exercising in the recording area are welcome. My e-mail address is on the side bar to the right. 

Malcolm

So far, just my records from a morning stroll on Heysham skeer.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 27 - this is what today's title refers to, yesterday I said that they were opting to feed on the water rather than coming ashore. Today, I went down earlier in the tide, at 09:30 there were 27 feeding well in from the water's edge along the brackish drain where the weed grows. I managed to squeeze 25 onto this frame, they include two Red Blue ringed birds, almost certainly the regular Canadian pair.

When I was leaving the skeer at 10:30, I thought they had all gone, but checking along the skeer edge found two groups of 9 and 5 close in, but on the water. I don't know if the others were still around or moved on. This is the point in the tide, where I started yesterday, so presumably they fill their bellies with weed then float a while to digest it, but can't resist an odd buffet snack.

Peregrine 1

Knot c2,500

Eider c70

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Goldeneye 1 male

It was regularly feeding, I caught a dive on this clip, but suspect it was more an escape response to the passing gull. Note the two Merganser behind

Warmer.....well, not as cold.

It barely got down to 0C last night, a couple of light snow flurries this morning with periods of sunshine. The light winds continue from the north.

Heysham skeer - low water 09:00

Eider c60 

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c1,000

Pale-bellied Brent 11 - they are feeding differently in the skeer corner to last winter. Then, they would make their way up the beach until they got to the feeding area, then fed until displaced by the tide. At the moment, they are not attempting to come ashore and prefer feeding when the tide is over the weed beds.

This morning there was a small group of 9 drifting slowly in. Two more flew in to join them. They slowly made their way to the corner and started up ending to feed.

Perhaps it's because the weed strands are longer so far this year. Feeding this way makes the Brent easier to see and count, but it's not currently possible to check for rings.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

The Mute, Mallard, Coot and Gulls remain on the open water on the "no swimming" pond.

The open water area continues to increase

Meanwhile the remaining 13 Gadwall wait on the ice.

This Great Tit seemed convinced that Spring has sprung

Some cold weather movement

Another freezing night, cold north wind shifting to NNE later. Some sunshine in the morning, with rain showers by the afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I checked early before the swan feeding shifts started.

Most of the ducks had returned to the open water with the Mute on the "no swimming" pond:

Gadwall 21

Shoveler 5

Mallard 6

Teal 1

No sign of the Little grebe, but I have overlooked them before.

This white ringed Black-headed Gull on the ice, on main pond is a new bird. Unfortunately the ring was in the worst possible orientation, and before I or the gull could move to a better position, someone started feeding the Mute on the "no swimming" pond, resulting in all the BHG flying over and the ducks flying off.

I checked again early afternoon, but no sign of the ringed BHG, but a walk around located:

Grey Wagtail 1

Woodcock 1

Water Rail 2. One squealing half way up the hill on the west side and one calling on top. Water Rail are not normally found here, so they have either moved up from the frozen marshes or come in from elsewhere.

Heysham skeer - low water 09:00

Pink-Footed goose c500 NE between 08:15 - 08:30

Pale-bellied Brent Goose 7 in the SE corner of the skeer

Eider c70

Great Crested Grebe 1

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c2,000

Peregrine 1 (Knot c1,999)

Fieldfare 5 - these stopped off in my garden in Heysham at12:00. They managed some berries from my holly tree, which I had thought was already stripped by the local Thrushes, before moving on again.

Finally, a good one to watch out for - from Pete

Mediterranean Gull waiting for bread from a lamppost vantage point alongside A589 north of Oxcliffe lights.  Presumably the bird which is sometimes on the beach by the play area or on the horse paddock at high tide 

Nothing startling, but interesting none the less

Another overnight frost, but no more snow. The north wind was fresher and cold, but the air temperature was higher and the sunshine made it pleasant.

Heysham skeer - low water 08:15 (MD)

The sunrises in Heysham are rarely as splendid as the sunsets, and today was no exception. However, the rising sun did light up the South Lakes hills nicely.

Touched by the rosy fingers of dawn
Lovely words, but not mine - Homer (no, not that one)

Despite the beautiful backdrop, something didn't feel right - I didn't like it......it was too quiet!

Then I realised why. Today's low water uncovered the middle and outer skeer. On recent visits only the inner skeer was open and all the birds were there, today there was nothing on the, almost exhausted, inner skeer, but also no birds on the middle skeer. They were all on the outer skeer beyond the first channel. 

This is why, the middle skeer is largely covered by this year's new honeycomb worm colony.

It looks like, and effectively is, a desert, particularly for the Oystercatchers. Later when the tide covered the outer skeer, the Knot fed here, but nothing else.

Eider c60

Great Crested grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c1500 - later there were 3,400 Knot roosting on the Sunny Slopes Groyne. 5 of these were colour ringed and read (ref Pete).

No Brent again today, but I did check the weed beds, there is still plenty left.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I just popped in for a quick check on my way home, unfortunately, just too late!

The hole on the main pond had been deserted by the Mute swan. As I approached the "no swimming" pond I realised where they had gone. 15 Gadwall were flying around, the Mute had joined the wildfowl on  the "no swimming" pond.

It wasn't the Mute that flushed the ducks though, it was those who feed them, which necessitates going down to the waters edge where the open water is.

A few hardy Gadwall toughed it out on the ice this time, but there are several regulars who feed the mute, and I knew it was only a matter of time before all the Gadwall left. Sure enough a quick look in the afternoon there were only: Mute, Coot, Mallard, plus at least one Little grebe left. 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult behind the ferry.

Red-Throated Diver - 1 out 

Both the above from Pete

Saltmarsh area - high water 14:00

There were several cold weather displaced birds around the saltmarsh. All seemed to be readily finding food.

Reed Bunting 3

Blackbird 2

Song Thrush 3

As all good reference books (google now I suppose) will tell you. Song Thrush eat snails

Robin at least three additional birds, 5 in total, all managing to coexist without too much bickering. This one's ring matches a sequence used on Middleton during 2020.

Like the Rock Pipits the other day, it seemed to be finding plenty of bits on the high water line. 

Also:

Dunlin c40

Ringed Plover 1

Grey Plover 1

Rock Pipit 2 + 1

And finally, while I was watching the above, look what was above, watching me!

It seems to be carrying a lame back leg, it will have to rely on scavenging.

It started, not too bad

Another overnight frost with a light dusting of snow. The sun came out in the morning, then a very heavy, but fortunately short snow storm at lunchtime. After that it threatened snow again a couple of times. So I chickened out and stayed at home in the afternoon (MD).

Heysham skeer 08:30 1 hour after low water.

Eider c 70 drifting past on the flood tide.

The mature male Eider are in full breeding plumage.

Great Crested grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 3

These two Merganser regularly search this pool in the middle of the skeer, and I suspect they are the same pair that feed in the pool at Red Nab. They will be after small crabs.

Note the Oystercatcher, bottom left, carrying a smallish mussel around, in case it can't find a larger one. They can't open the full sized mussels, there must be an optimal size to provide maximum return for a reasonable effort. The mussels don't actually require much "catching" but do anchor themselves quite effectively to the skeer and to other mussels, so do require some effort to prise free.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the two main ponds. Both areas of open water are still being maintained, but no sign of either the Shoveler or Teal today. All the rest as Thursday.