A good day - something for everyone to enjoy!

Very light east wind early on again switching to west by mid morning. Sunny for most of the day.

There was plenty of stuff moving over the sea, plus all 8 regular warblers are now around to be seen/heard.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

Another frosty start, was this the last one ??

Very quiet ringing session with only nine new birds ringed.

Lesser Redpoll  2

Willow Warbler  3

Blackcap  2

Robin  1

Grasshopper Warbler   1 (first of the year)

Plenty of Willow Warblers singing around the reserve plus at least two Sedge Warblers. No Whitethroats heard this morning.

A single swallow fed over the reserve and then moved on.

Two sparrowhawks circled high towards the northwest.

6 Carrion Crows that came from the direction of Ocean Edge and flew northeast were possibly part of the flock that Pete saw grounded in that area.

Jean and Pete had a fruitful morning seawatch then quick check of the reserves. Report from Jean:

We watched the sea from 0715-0915. I was on Heysham Head, Pete at Ocean Edge

Sandwich Tern 246

Arctic Tern 31

Manx Shearwater 11

Gannet 1

Fulmar 1

Auk sp 5

Razorbill 1

Guillemot 2 floating out

Common Scoter 11 (7 and 4)

Red-throated Diver 2 out

Whimbrel 8 on Red Nab plus 2 others flying past

Vis

Linnet 33

Lesser Redpoll heard 6 times

Meadow Pipit 2

Tree Pipit 1 (Ocean Edge)

Carrion Crow 28 on the shore and 5 flew inland.

Heysham NR

Grasshopper Warbler reeling 

Lesser Whitethroat singing (first of the year)

Middleton NR

Reed Warbler 1 (first of the year)

Ocean Edge 

Rock Pipit displaying

Heysham Head foreshore - mid morning (MD)

I just went down to see how the Rock pipits were doing, most of the sea passage stuff was beyond my range, but I did see several of the Sandwich tern.

Whimbrel 10 (these almost certainly additional birds to Pete and Jeans)

Whimbrel

Rock Pipits - there were at least two solitary birds "standing guard" between Half Moon Bay and the high cliffs.

This is the "I'm on guard" pose. This is the high cliffs bird.
The implication being there are two nesting territories along this stretch.
With, possibly, a female on the nest.

There were a pair just below the northern point of the Head. The male was very agitated and noisy (including displaying) at my approach, meanwhile the other bird was looking for food, hopefully for some nestling chicks, in what would be a third territory.

This one, is stalking a Whimbrel, I initially thought it was the male "seeing it off", and it may well be, but it is also taking advantage to eat the invertebrates disturbed by the Whimbrel.

It could be busy this year, if all three territories result in chicks!

Heysham skear - low water 15:00

Eider not counted but at least 50

Red-breasted Merganser 3

Wigeon 2 (male and female, presumably off passage)

Whimbrel 4

Dark-bellied Brent goose 1

This immature bird was feeding on, the now plentiful, weed on the north side of the skear

Sandwich Tern 10 - popular slabs appears to be a recurrent theme at the moment, most were resting on this one. Sometimes you see a male bring the female a fish, I got the impression that this returning bird is being told to go and do just that!

There are reports of further tern movement this evening, involving over 100 birds. But it isn't clear yet what species. This post will be updated when more details become available.

Manx Shearwater

A much cooler NE breeze first thing, moving due east by evening. Mainly overcast with a few sunny spells.

Jean made a valiant effort from Heysham Head, but there was nothing over the sea and not much moving overhead. Still she managed the following in 50 minutes.

Linnet 14

Redpoll 1

Siskin 1

North shore

An evening check by Nick Godden (18:15 - 19:15) located

Manx Shearwater 2 (first of the year)

Sandwich Tern 30

South Shore

Bar-Tailed Godwit flock of 3 heading in to the bay.

Nothing at all heard overhead, but there were 5 Wheatear grounded

These two males were near the lighthouse (I do like pictures of land birds
with the sea as a backdrop - you can see it's much choppier today (MD))

Rock Pipit 2 - the ringed male was standing guard at the nest site near lighthouse. 1 on Red Nab, possibly same bird as one displaying along the sea wall.

Linnet 2 on Red Nab eating dandelion seeds

There were c150 Turnstone on the rocks near No.1 outflow. This slab was particularly popular, they appear to be prising off small barnacles. There is quite a plumage range between winter and summer plumage.

Whimbrel 3 - two singles flying in plus one calling on Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve - afternoon 

Swallow 1 having a drink from the main pond.

Little grebe 1 on Tim Butler pond, they bred here last year

Common Whitethroat 2 - I'd bumped into Kevin earlier and he commented that we hadn't heard a Whitethroat yet. Later, on independent checks, we both heard them. This one was near Tim Butler pond - not quite full throttle yet.

welcome back

Redpolls and Redstart

Hardly any early morning breeze again. What there was came from the north. Early morning sea mist didn't clear till the breeze moved to west and freshened. Overcast for most of the day with some hazy sunshine.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

Ringing this morning produced:

Blackbird  1

Cetti's Warbler  1 retrap

Sedge Warbler  1 + 2 retrap

Lesser Redpoll   21  (12 caught together)

Willow Warbler   8 +  3 retrap

Blackcap  3

Wren   1 + 1 retrap

Long tailed Tit  1

11 Swallows seen moving north through the reserve.

Three Greylag Geese and two Canada Geese commuting noisily back and forth between the various water bodies.

North Shore

The early morning sea mist significantly reduced the viewing range

The buoys out from the north wall were just visible
(There are actually 4 Sandwich Tern resting on the buoy and another flying over)

There was no sign of any Arctic Terns again this morning, but the calls from Sandwich Terns were almost constant, occasionally drifting into view and flying in both directions so very hard to estimate the actual number passing through. Eight was the most I saw at once, but overall there seemed to be fewer than yesterday.

Swallow 2 singles flying north low along the water line.

Redstart 1 male in garden near the horse paddocks/sunny slopes (thanks to Dominic for this one)

South Shore

Wheatear 4 on Ocean Edge foreshore

A slightly unusual, albeit unmistakable, shot of two of theWheatears

Rock Pipit 1 displaying on Red Nab, no sign of the lighthouse birds

Still plenty of Sandwich passing through

Again, almost breathless early on, eventually it freshened slightly from the west. Hazy first thing then largely sunny.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Jean:

A bit better for ringing today:
Lesser Redpoll 11
Willow Warbler 7 new and a returning bird from last year (There were at least 20 migrant Willow warbler around first thing)
Chiffchaff 1
Sedge Warbler 1 retrap
Blackcap 1

Vis:
2 Canada Geese flew east, probably the same 2 that came in-off.
Just 2 Meadow Pipits heard overhead
A few Swallows heard at 10:45

A short early afternoon walk located, in order of abundance:

Warblers

Willow warbler several

Blackcap 3 - 4

Chiffchaff 3 - 4

Sedge warbler 1

No Cetti's heard this afternoon 

This Common Buzzard drifted in from the NW, but was quickly chased off
by the Carrion Crows.

Butterflies:

Peacock several

Small Tortoiseshell several 

Speckled Wood at least 6

Orange Tip one each, male and female

Brimstone 1 male

Comma 1

This Mallard on the "no swimming" pond has just hatched 11 chicks. Last year's female had 9 and did very well fledging them all, particularly as she was constantly chased from one pond to the other by the breeding mute. Today at least, the mute were ignoring her and her chicks, and they were spread right across the pond. As with most large families, there is always one tearaway!

North shore

Pete checked the distant channels from the north wall 07:55 - 08:30. Leaving me to check the inshore stuff from my walk along the water line 07:20 - 09:45 (MD)

No Arctic Tern seen

Red-Throated Diver 3 drifting out with the tide

Guillemot 2 feeding

Canada Goose 2 came in off and flew over the mud towards Half Moon Bay cafe 07:45 - presumably the same two subsequently seen flying over Middleton Nature Reserve. 5 more flew south 08:45

The two Canada geese flying over the mud heading towards Middleton 

Greylag goose 1 flying south 08:40

Greylag goose

Sandwich Tern - c35 at Kent channel and beyond range. Closer in it was difficult as many were feeding and resting as well as moving through, but at least 30 birds involved. So c65 total.

This one has caught a fish

This is one third of a second later - one gulp and it's down!

This is a second  calendar year bird showing its worn tail feathers

Several birds had a rest on the mud, I think at least one of these two was thinking about "starting a family".

Marsh Harrier over and Middleton Barn Owl confirmed

Again the very slight breeze started from south before freshening slightly and drifting round to the west. Some hazy sunshine, but mainly overcast

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

After John's five bird ringing session yesterday, I managed five again today, plus three retraps. A poor catch considering my nets were set from just after 05.30.  What air movement there was came from the south, not a good direction for here - SE to E is much better in spring.

Lesser Redpoll  4

Blackcap  1

Three Swallows moving north were the only migrants noted.  The highlight was a Barn Owl hunting over the northend of the western and central marshes between around 10.00 and 10.15 

North shore

Marsh Harrier 1 high heading north - seen by Pete

Report from Pete Crooks:

Heysham Head (7.50 – 9.20 am) 

 c.210 Eider

8 Red-breasted Merganser

4 Great Crested Grebe

15 Sandwich Tern 

2 Grey Seal, but no offshore seabird movement on the falling tide. 

2 Tree Pipit flew overhead together calling (first record of the year for here)

I also checked from the water line and resulted in a similar count of Sandwich Terns (13 between 08:15 and 09:00 with a later 3 at 10:10(MD))

I managed a slightly better feeding sequence, but it left empty billed on this occasion 

This one is calling, a surprisingly small opening for so much noise!

Early Arctic Tern surge

Almost breathless again early on, the west breeze freshened slightly during the day. Mainly sunny.

North shore - low water 09:30

Pete and Jean had a good seawatch in the last couple hours of the ebbing tide. 07:40 - 09:20

Report from Jean:

Sandwich Tern 42

Arctic Tern 356 in seven flocks

Whimbrel 2 (first records this year)

Common Scoter 5 in 

Little Gull 1 adult

Meadow Pipit 8

Redpoll 6 heard spread throughout the morning but this means there was anything between 12 and 24 of them at least

Linnet 8

Carrion Crow 4

Willow warbler 2 near gate 38

In the low tide channel:

Eider 245

Great Crested Grebe 6

Red-breasted Merganser 13

On the sandbanks:

Herring Gull 600

Lesser Black-backed Gull 150

Black-headed Gull - I didn't count but 100+

The tern movement stopped when it got to low water.......

........which is a shame, because that's when I started (MD). Yesterday I couldn't quite make out the detail of the terns from the lighthouse. I either needed better optics, or to get closer. I went closer, today I walked along the north shore waterline.

Nothing was going through, but there were still c15 Sandwich Tern hanging around and feeding. They were using the buoys out from the north wall as a resting point:

By this time the tide was making and a mist rolled in with it. It made it very difficult to focus on the pale terns against a light background. This is the best I managed of one feeding:

At least today I was close enough to make out the detail

They hung around till 10:40 then they all drifted off. Another 2 flew in at 11:15.

Orange Tip 1 male (another emerging butterfly) - seen in garden on way back.

South shore

A walk along the sea wall late afternoon.

Wheatear 1 Red Nab

Rock Pipits 5

2 on Red Nab one displaying.

Three near the lighthouse. Goings on here are more complicated than a Coronation Street plot (what's that Elsie Tanner like!). But at least the ringed bird helps to make some sense of things. In this clip the bird "cowering" in the middle must be the female. The second bird seems to be either displaying or begging (perhaps there's no difference) to her. A third bird (stills reveal it to be the ringed male) then chases the other bird off. The female follows the ringed bird and they both resume feeding. 

The vanquished bird stood on the wall near the lighthouse for a while, then moved to the mid point between lighthouse and waterfall. Things are pointing to the ringed male being the lighthouse territory bird.

This grey seal was on the north shore this morning, drifting past the buoys with the tide, apparently fast asleep. This was 11:15, it was still visible near the green marker at 11:45. This is a well known seal "activity", it's known as "bottling", you can see why.

Arctic Terns begin moving through

Very light SE breeze early on, freshening and shifting to west after lunch. Sunshine all day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Pete:

I think this morning was quite quiet as Middleton was in a pocket of still air.  Two Lesser Redpoll were caught as soon as the net up but catching these things in civil twilight - when a lot can go over on clear mornings is just a little too early for me these days!

Ringing - new ringed:

Lesser Redpoll - 5

Blackcap - 4

Willow Warbler - 2

Goldfinch - 1

Sedge Warbler - 1

Nothing else of note other than two Teal and 2+3 Greylag

A check in the afternoon noted there were fewer warblers singing than of late, but all the recent birds were present.

Cetti's warbler 2, Sedge warbler 1, plus Blackcap, Willow warbler and Chiffchaff 

The sun brought out the butterflies including the first emergence of the spring:

Speckled Wood 3

Also: Small Tortoiseshell 5, Peacock 3, Comma 3.

Pete also managed a brief check of coast from north wall:

Arctic Tern flock of 8 feeding then flew high to NNE

Sandwich Tern - 1 in

Quite a few Black headed Gull small gangs flying in

Nothing notable on water

South shore

Rock Pipits 2 - the ringed bird and a second bird squabbling near the lighthouse.

There were at least 8 terns feeding and flying into the bay at 11:00. Based on the predominantly white plumage and feeding style, I presumed that they were Sandwich, and they probably were, but they were just beyond firm identification with my optics. There are four on this clip, taken from the lighthouse as they were flying past the buoys out from the north wall (sorry about the blurry bit in the middle MD)

This Song Thrush was collecting food, presumably for its mate:

Janet spotted this Mistle Thrush on Heysham Village green

Finally, there have been regular sightings of Roe deer this year. This female was on Middleton Nature Reserve. She saw me before I saw her, resulting it what must be the most common view of a Roe deer.

Whoopers take a long break

Almost breathless early on, what breeze there was stated from the southeast. Sunshine all day.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Another frosty start at Middleton with no wind and clear sky. A very light southerly breeze got up during the morning.

A nice selection of birds trapped and ringed:

Meadow Pipit 1

Blackbird 1

Blackcap 2

Willow Warbler 10

Goldfinch 2

Siskin 1

Lesser Redpoll 8

Little else seen and any migrants would have been very high and out of my (poor) hearing range.

A Roe Deer appeared on the centre road about ten metres away from my ringing position and shot into the western marsh when it saw me.

A check in the early evening also heard:

Cetti's warbler 2

Sedge warbler 2 - I couldn't quite get a clip of one singing, this is as close as I managed, just a glimpse of "a" warbler but at least the Sedge Warbler song is clear.

Pete checked the north shore:

Mediterranean gull - 1 second calendar year (with almost full black head) out from the north wall.

Great Crested grebe 9

Red-breasted Merganser 15 including a flock of 9

Teal pair

Whooper swan 19 lingering in the middle channel

Low water this morning was 08:30, Pete located the Whooper 08:00. I was on the skear later, but it's not possible to see the middle channel from the shore, but at 10:00 19 distant white necks began rising up through the heat haze. By 10:20 they were fully visible, albeit still quivering through the haze. By this time the tide was flooding quickly and taking them in towards the Stone Jetty. They were still on the water at 10:40 when I left. Not much of a video, but an indication of location.

Eider, not counted but numbers looked similar to recent counts

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Janet had a walk around late morning. Records included a Sparrowhawk and this Blackcap

Male Blackcap looks to have caught a parasitic wasp.

You will need to open these images to see the insect details.

Sedge warbler arrives

An overcast morning with hardly any breeze, what little there was started from the east then swung round to west. Sunny spells from lunchtime onwards.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Jean:

It was fairly quiet this morning at Middleton NR - like the weather.

Vis consisted of 9 Meadow Pipits, 9 Lesser Redpolls and 4 Woodpigeons (the latter heading high SSE for some reason).

Ringing from 0730-1130 comprised a few migrants and some residents:

Lesser Redpoll 6 

Blackcap 2

Willow Warbler 2

Greenfinch 4 new birds and one retrap which had been ringed at Heysham NR as a juvenile on 8 Sept 2019

Goldfinch 1

Bullfinch 1

Cetti's Warbler - a retrap first ringed at Middleton NR as a juv on 1 July last year, and also caught in September.

Janet took some nice shots:

Female Roe deer, one of two seen

There were at least 4 male Pheasant calling - this is one of them

Three of the Gadwall, gadabouting.

The Canada geese seem determined to stay

An early evening check located:

Mute 11 on main pond plus two breeding pairs

Canada goose 2

Teal 4

Gadwall 5

Tufted 1 male

Mallard 4

Cetti's warbler Central marsh and Western scrape males singing

Sedge warbler, just a couple of bursts of song from western scrape 17:10 (first record of the year)

Willow warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing all around the reserve.

Reed Bunting 1

South shore mid morning

Linnet 6 Red Nab

Wheatear 1 Ocean Edge foreshore 

Goldfinch - a single bird on the sea wall, unusual to see just one, anywhere.

Rock Pipits 4 one on the sea wall plus:

This is the lighthouse female taking nest material to the nest hole. You would have to imagine its only a flimsy construction, she doesn't appear to be the most dexterous of birds.

The ringed male appeared to be standing guard

The dark blue background is the StenaLine going out

But just after this shot another bird turns up and one chases the other off. Later the ringed bird was keeping an eye on me half way along the wall. So it isn't certain yet if the ringed bird is the lighthouse male. But further observations will sort it out (MD)

Finally just a short clip of, probably the least liked rodent, taking advantage on the kindness of visitors to Middleton. You have to admire the opportunism of Brown Rats.

Ring Ousel and Redstart

Very light but cool wind. Overcast till mid afternoon, then some sunshine.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Another unseasonal cold start at Middleton this morning.

Nets set on both east and west sides from 06.00.

Willow Warbler   7 + 2 retrap

Chiffchaff   1

Blackcap    1

Meadow Pipit   1  caught in a cage trap at 07.10, no other individuals seen.

Treecreeper  1   This is the first spring record for the Observatory 

Song Thrush  1

Goldfinch  2

Blue Tit   1

Great Tit  2

Wren  1 retrap

Nothing seen moving overhead except for two Swallows that briefly showed some interest in a song recording played briefly later in the morning.

Redstart 1 female near hawthorn line between the main pond and Tim Butler pond - reported by Alan Physick.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing, the "no swimming" pond and central marsh birds, also three brief, sightings.

Pete checked south and north shores:

South shore

Ring Ousel 1 briefly grounded on foreshore grass 07:55

Sandwich Tern 1

North shore

Low tide channel:  

Eider 326

Red-breasted Merganser 13 

Great-crested Grebe 9 - these two started displaying, before being interrupted 

Massive large seagull influx on to skeers but not the honeycomb worm ones but those furthest out - 470 counted - they should increase from now

These followed the dredger in, they reminded me of gulls following a trawler as it was discarding unwanted fish. But a dredger, in calm conditions? Perhaps they were just appreciating the graceful lines of this grab hopper dredger.......(MD)

When the dredger reached the harbour, the gulls settled on the sea and drifted in with the tide.

There were 26 Carrion Crow on the beach as the tide was making, 21 near the green marker post, plus another 5 nearer the north wall, I don't think it was passage, they drifted off east in twos and threes. These are just some of the marker post birds.

This time last year I saw 30+ on the skear early one morning. I think these must have come from there, presumably they find something good for breakfast. Most days there are only two birds feeding there.