Rock Pipit puzzle perplexes

SW to west light winds, plenty of long sunny spells.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet had a look at dawn. It was misty over the ponds.

Too early for the Swans

But these Mallard were active

Meanwhile, this large male Fox was on the prowl

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 - located early afternoon by Janet at the corner of Moneyclose Lane. Unfortunately at that point Janet didn't have her camera with her - shame, but still a nice record.

Pete managed to complete the gull nest survey this year, the first one practical since 2019. Numbers have increased, largely it seems down to the higher numbers on the new custom's building roof, which replaced the old Fishers roof.

The counts are definite breeding birds - so the figures are numbers of confirmed breeding pairs 

2019 gull nesting survey

2022 gull nesting survey

South shore (MD)

I really just went down to sort out what's happening with the Rock Pipits near lighthouse. And the answer is......I don't really know!

Two Rock Pipits are definitely taking food to chicks in a nest hole near the lighthouse. They won't go to the nest if anyone is close, and there were a few visitors around watching the ferry arrive. So two birds were waiting above the site with food for the chicks.

But neither of these birds is the ringed male. So, either this is a different pair, or the female has a new partner, or a third bird is helping the female, perhaps one of last year's chicks.

I didn't see the male today, but he was around on Sunday. I can't imagine him tolerating another male on his territory, he's been chasing off all and sundry since his return to territory. So my guess is that another female is helping the original female (MD)

The current nest is in a different hole, not too far from the earlier one, and easier to locate with fading vegetation in the mouth.

Current nest site, just below the metal bollard 

After the visitors left the lighthouse area, I was positioned further down the wall I saw them take food to the nest several times. Some of those visits may have been by the ringed male, but I didn't see him for certain. That's what it will need to confirm that this is the original pair's second brood.

The food they were taking to the nest was again quite small portions. But this bird is collecting Sea Slaters like someone taking food from a supermarket shelf! (Perhaps a consequence of this morning's mist wetting the wall, then the hot sun quickly baking it dry?) It eats the first one, but seems to decide it can squeeze the second one through a chick's gape, although it didn't take it directly to the nest.

Another two Rock Pipits on Red Nab

Mediterranean gull - just one 2nd calendar year seen, but the tide was a way out

Ringlet butterfly 3 along the Nature Park

First Darter

A bit of SSE early on but quickly shifted to west by mid morning. The sun shone for most of the day, making it quite warm.

Middleton Nature Reserve - late morning

Both Janet and myself (MD) checked different areas this morning. First a nice set of pictures from Janet, as ever with Janet's pictures they should be opened to see the detail.

Ringlet were suddenly abundant 

Female Broad-bodied Chaser ovipositoring - the male was buzzing around above her

Narrow-bordered Five-Spot Burnet Moth

Juvenile Little Grebes, acting juvenile!

Meanwhile the adult was fishing 

Lesser Whitethroat 

The following lists are a combination of what we both saw and heard

There weren't many singing warblers, just:

Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Balckcap and a solitary Common Whitethroat 

Butterflies, quite a variety, but with the exception of the Ringlet not high numbers. In order of abundance:

Ringlet

Common Blue 

Small Heath 

Meadow Brown 

Whites (either Small or Green Veined or both)

Large Skipper

Speckled Wood 

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

Small Tortoiseshell 

Moths

Silver Y

Cinnabar 

Narrow-bordered Five-Spot

Dragonflies:

Emperor

Broad-bodied Chaser

Four-Spotted Chaser

Black-Tailed Skimmer

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer with a male Common Blue Damselfly

Darter, there were a couple flitting about, but didn't manage a totally conclusive view, but pretty sure they were Common (MD)

Looks to be a Common Darter

Large Red Damselfly
Unusual for a damselfly, resting with its wings spread

Swift 3 and House Martin 2 feeding over the main pond 

Mute 2 adult with 7 cygnets 

Moorhen 2 adult 1 chick

Mallard 7 male now in eclipse 2 female with 1 and 5 young

Little grebe 3 adult 2 juvenile 

The Bee Orchids have had a good year and can be found all around the reserve, but they are already getting past their best.

On her way off the reserve, Janet ventured too close to a nesting Lesser Black-Backed gull, and was duly dive bombed!

Med numbers continue to grow (or at least more being seen)

WNW wind all day. Again coolish when the sun wasn't shining 

South shore

Pete and Jean checked towards high water in the afternoon:

Mediterranean gulls - At least 6 2cy and a 3cy on heysham outfalls/Red nab pre tide but then flushed and flew south, some over to the Lune Estuary 

I managed a quick look in the morning, but the tide was well out and the gulls were scattered all over the beaches, I didn't find any Meds. (MD)

There are at least 4 juvenile Black-Headed gulls now.

Adult plus juvenile BHG

Rock Pipits - 3 around the lighthouse nest site. The male was sat on guard.

The male is one of four birds in the area with a bad foot.
He prefers to sit like this when there is no "threat" to ward off

But you can see when he does stand, that he is the ringed male

This juvenile was waiting above the nest site

The female turned up with a bill full of small items of food. She landed near the nest site, but when she saw me, flew back to the wall by the scrub. In this clip you can see her peeping while managing to keep hold of her food. Perhaps she was planning to feed the fledged juvenile, but possibly has a second brood in the nest, food items this size are typical for very young chicks (based on previous observations at this site).

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to stay and watch today, you have to move a way towards the waterfall before the female will go to the nest. Hopefully someone will sort it out this week.

Just for a splash of colour, a Red Admiral from the Nature Park. Although not as striking as some, it is quite washed out.

Red Admiral 

First adult Med "returns".

A cold but fortunately quite light WNW wind all day. Warmer in the sunny spells.

Just my stuff so far (MD)

Heysham skear - low water 09:40

Canada Goose 8 north

Eider 6 female (1, 2 & 3)

Red-breasted Merganser 9 (1, 4, 2 & 2) - the tide was just starting to come in and these four were snorkelling along the skear edge. When they feed like this it is normally for crabs, but this male caught a small flatfish without having to dive. I say small flatfish, but it took some swallowing.

This is a still from the above clip, it is a decent sized meal, probably a Dab.

Male Red-breasted Merganser with a flatfish

The only waders apart from the Oystercatchers were 4 Curlew.

This shot is the east side of the outer skear. It's silting over, this area was mussel beds when it was last exposed

The outer skear and parts of the middle skear are silting over, smothering the  mussels - not good!

Mediterranean gull 1 adult - this bird was feeding in the same location along the north side of the skear as a regular bird did last year, the "returns" in today's title presumes it is the same bird. Meds look splendid in summer plumage, but this one has clearly begun its "autumn" moult (sorry!). It can only be described as "having a bad hair day".

You can even make out its loose feathers in flight.

A walk along the south wall this evening also located

Mediterranean gull 3 x 2nd calendar year and 1 x 3rd calendar year 

2cy Mediterranean gull in flight

Resting 2cy Mediterranean gull - this one with much of its head dark

Resting 3cy Mediterranean gull

In this clip the 3cy Med nicely displays its plumage.

Interesting Stonechat record

The wind started SSE early on but soon swung round to south then SW to West. Some sunshine in the morning but overcast with light showers after lunch.

Heysham Head (Josh Hedley)

A few bits from Heysham Head this morning.
Linnet- 5
Whitethroat- just one singing

Swift- 3
Stonechat- 1 female (first report of one from the Head since the early spring passage (MD))

Josh managed this distant record shot

Curlew- 3 over

Small Tortoiseshell- 5+
Painted Lady- 1

I had a look in the afternoon to see if I could relocate the Stonechat, but didn't (MD)

Rock Pipits 2 near the Head, didn't check below the high cliffs

Shag 1 2nd calendar year landed briefly out from the Head.

I managed this distant record shot - it was that sort of day!

South shore (MD)

I just checked from Red Nab to the faux castle to the south of the saltmarsh on the rising tide just after lunch.

The last of the sun was shining and it was hot as I walked through the Nature Park. The first grasshopper I've heard this year was chirping. Also the first Ringlet butterfly was flying around, but it steadfastly refused to land to allow a picture!

No sign of any Mediterranean gulls on Red Nab, but there were still lots of gulls feeding on the outflows.

Eider 2 female

Shelduck 2 (flew off to east)

Curlew 35 flew from Red Nab towards the estuary 

There were six small waders feeding on a rapidly shrinking distant sandbar. Normally I wouldn't have bothered, but any small waders are welcome this time of year, so I took this clip.

Turned out they were 3 Dunlin and 3 Ringed Plover. They flew off south and, perhaps ominously, a little later this Peregrine flew back from the south with a small long legged bird.

Peregrine Falcon with a small bird

Linnet 4 near saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1 - just one on Red Nab, no sign of the saltmarsh/rocky outcrop birds

Juvenile BHG arrive

Up to 09:30 there was a touch of east in the light wind, after that it turned to SW.

South Shore (MD)

I went down at 10:00 hoping the east in the wind had brought some insects in, but it was already a light SW wind. Still, there had been some movement and again, I only caught the end of it.

Emperor Dragonfly near waterfall 

Butterflies:

Common Blue 1

Meadow Brown 2 (first records this year)

Male Meadow Brown - both were males

Eider 4 female

Rock Pipits 4

Linnet 2 near Red Nab plus 10+ between lighthouse and waterfall 

Curlew 42 flew from Red Nab towards the estuary 

Mediterranean gull 3 x 2nd calendar year 

Black-Headed gull numbers increasing rapidly including at least two juveniles. This one was having a preen on Red Nab

Grey Seal 1 female between the outflows 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Roebuck 1 - ref Linda Renshaw

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Wildfowl pretty much the same, although this Mallard with 5 very young chicks looks new.

Female Mallard with 5 young chicks on the main pond

It was a lot warmer than of late, but still not a huge amount of insects about:

Butterflies in order of abundance 

Small Heath

Speckled Wood 

Large Skipper

Common Blue 

Red Admiral just 1

Dragonflies:

Emperor 4 male 

Four-Spotted Chaser 2

Broad-bodied Chaser 4 male

Black-Tailed Skimmer 2 male and female

Female Black-Tailed Skimmer

Still a decent variety of Damselflies around, including

Common Bluetail Damselfly

, 

Weasel 1

Bee Orchids - My location shot to find a rich area to find Bee Orchids has created some interest, plus mixed feedback. Those with existing knowledge of the reserve found it helpful, unfortunately I'd presumed too much prior knowledge and it was hopeless for those of you with less site knowledge. So I've sketched a map.

X marks the spot where I took the snap, and the arrow points to the location of the area highlighted with the red box in the picture, reposted below.

Good luck, if you haven't already found them, and feedback is always welcome - my email is on the sidebar (Malcolm)

 

Late Wheatear is the only new bird

WNW light winds and plenty of sunshine meant it was a lot warmer today

Unfortunately, I didn't have much free time today so only managed a couple of quick looks on the south shore (MD)

Just a very brief look at the saltmarsh on rising tide, failed to locate the scoter, although I only checked from slipway. There was a late (or very early returning) Wheatear, not a particularly large bird so presumably not one of the far north bound birds.

Male Wheatear 

No disputing location - here it is perched on the notice near the slipway

I managed a longer walk mid afternoon on the ebbing tide. The Wheatear was still present.

Mediterranean gull 3 x 2nd calendar year feeding on the outflows, there were two 2nd calendar year Common gulls feeding too, easily confused if you can't see the head, although the Mediterranean gulls wing pattern appears more contrasting than the Common gull's (apologies to experienced birders, but many post readers are not, and I am asked for help MD)

2nd calendar year Common Gull

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull 

Rock Pipits 3 (two on Red Nab and one along sea wall)

Linnet 2 on foreshore 10+ between lighthouse and waterfall 

Quite a lot of butterflies in the Nature Park:

Large Skipper 3

Small White 1

Speckled Wood 4

Common Blue 2

Small Tortoiseshell 1 - a particularly hairy individual 

Small Tortoiseshell 

Angela took this nice shot of the Mute on the main pond of Middleton Nature Reserve  - still 7 cygnets. The male's large bill knob is very evident.

Main pond Mute family the male on the left

Scoter encore anticipated

Light variable, but mainly westish winds. Cool in the morning but warmed up when the sun came out this afternoon.

South shore (MD)

Common Scoter 1 male - as expected, it followed exactly the same routine as yesterday (and tomorrow?). This first clip is from the saltmarsh slipway, the island is just south of the saltmarsh. It went to this island as soon as the tide reached it. This clip was taken 90 minutes before high water.

A leisurely stroll round to the SE corner of the saltmarsh got me there 5 minutes before the Scoter arrived, after being displaced from its island by the tide. The light was much better for photography today and resolved what was "wrong" with its bill. The outer layer of the upper mandible is shedding off.

Male Common Scoter, shedding the outer layer of its upper mandible 

This is it arriving at the saltmarsh.

As Pete said......moult time

Unless it is seriously disturbed, there is no reason why it shouldn't continue this pattern, at least for the duration of these spring tides, which take us through to Sunday (MD)

Curlew 6 (5+1) to Red Nab from north side

Rock Pipit 2 adults - Red Nab and Waterfall 

Linnet 2 on saltmarsh 10 including at least 4 newly fledged birds between lighthouse and waterfall 

Mediterranean gull 5 x 2nd calendar year at least - 5 seen feeding on the outflows and later, there are five in this clip of them resting on Red Nab.

One of the new birds has a particularly well developed dark head and dark wings. I had a quick check this evening, this is it on No.2 outflow, waiting at the end of the dividing wall for a suitable titbit to float past.

This was encouraging (for when the adult Meds return), there were 50+ gull, mainly Black-Headed gulls feeding on the beach next to the wooden jetty. This is where the Meds feed on the Sandmason worms. You can see the Sandmason worm tubes in this clip, but that's not what these gulls are after today. They are agitating the small pools and catching the small invertebrates they disturb (almost certainly small shrimps).

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Wildfowl pretty much unchanged, except the young Little Grebes are now diving with the adults. Sorry about the shaky nature of this clip.

I didn't check the marsh areas so warbler numbers quite low

Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Sedge warbles heard singing

Butterflies:

Not many about, but it has been cool.

Small Heath 

Common Blue 

Large Skipper 

Speckled Wood 

Small Tortoiseshell 

Plus 

Burnet Companion 

Cinnabar 

Dragonflies, again not many but better than of late

Emperor several

Broad-bodied Chaser several

Four-Spotted Chaser several

Black Tailed Skimmer 2 males on main pond

Female Broad-bodied Chaser

A very fresh Four-Spotted Chaser

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer

Bee Orchids - I've been asked where is best to find this species. I hadn't looked for any this year, so I did today. There were several areas with one or two spikes, typically in sparsely vegetated regions. I quickly found 20+ spikes on the high plateau between the "no swimming" pond and Tim Butler pond.

Bee Orchid

Having said look in sparsely vegetated areas the above shot is clearly in quite lush vegetation. The shot below shows the location, it is just between the sparse and lush areas. There are probably 10 spikes within the area defined by the red box - good luck if you go to check them out.

Inshore Scoter

The lightish wind was pretty much due west all day. Some extended sunny spells.

Just my check of the south shore so far (MD). Towards high water mid to late morning.

Rock Pipits 3 (2 Red Nab plus 1 near waterfall)

Linnet 2 on saltmarsh plus 5 between lighthouse and waterfall 

Mediterranean gulls 4, possibly 5 2nd calendar year - as I walked out there were 3 feeding on No.2 outflow and 1 feeding on No.1 outflow. Possibly one had moved across, but the bird on No.1 was the one with the broken tail bar, and I hadn't  noticed it on No.2.

2cy Mediterranean gulls weren't the only medium sized gulls with dark primaries today, there were also two 2cy Common gulls. This clip starts with a 2cy Med then switches to a 2cy Common gull.

On the way back, there were 2 feeding on No.2 outflow and 3 on Red Nab, but again, possibly an overlap. But later there were at least 4 on Red Nab. I say "on Red Nab", but by this time the tide was covering Red Nab and the gulls were floating on the sea in rafts. This clip shows a section of a raft containing  3 x 2cy Mediterranean gull, but also includes; Common Gull 2 adult plus 2 x 2cy. Black-Headed gulls 18 adult plus 1 x 2cy and a Lesser Black-backed gull.

Eider 3 female near saltmarsh 

Common Scoter 1 male - I was pleased with this, on my way out along the foreshore I spotted a distant dark speck to the south. It was in the water but not out far and it seemed to be moving along with the tide and waves. I thought "duck", and dark ducks here tend to be Eider, but something didn't look right. I decided that if it continued moving as it was, it would end up in the far corner of the saltmarsh. So on my return I went back to the saltmarsh and walked around till I reached the SE corner. And there it was. It's nice when a plan comes together!

It drew quite a bit of attention. First a couple of Black Headed-gulls

It swam closer to me, before moving on to the saltmarsh to preen.

I couldn't work out why I couldn't get a clear shot of its bill, but when I got home and checked my pictures I realised the reason was that it had wart like growths on its bill.

Male Common Scoter with some sort of growths on its bill

The Eider came to check it out and eventually sat on the saltmarsh near it. A Lesser Black-Backed gull also came for a look. Perhaps the interest was just for something "different", but I did wonder if the presence of Scoters normally suggests the presence of a nearby food source (MD).

Female Eider checking out the Common Scoter

The Carrion Crow have fledged two young, they are still at the "testing everything to see if its food" stage. The closer two birds are the young ones.

An interesting seawatch

West to WSW wind all day, still quite fresh, but not as strong as the last two days. Mainly overcast with some light showers.

Three observers this morning: Pete Crooks, plus Pete Marsh and Jean Roberts 

Report from Pete (M)

Just single flurry of 26 inbound Gannets with five distantly out possibly different

flock of 20 plus singleton Kittiwake

3 Guillemot

7 Razorbill/Guillemot 

1 Common Scoter

3 Greylag geese

11 Sanderling

3-4 2cy  Mediterranean gulls outfalls area

I just had a quick check of the outflows on the ebbing tide at lunchtime (MD)

3 2nd calendar year Mediterranean gulls feeding on No.2 outflow (same birds included in Pete's report above). One has a distinctive break in the tail bar, as did yesterday's and Friday's bird. Fortunately the light was more conducive to photography today.

2cy Mediterranean gull (top) with 2cy Black-Headed gull
You can see the distinctive break in the Meds tail bar

This is a clip of it feeding, it seemed to be finding plenty.

Curlew 6 - 4+2 flew north

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Emperor Dragonfly 1 male patrolling newt pond

Heysham skear (MD)

Just a quick check on the ebbing tide in the afternoon 

Eider 11 - 1 lone male plus 3 and 7 females

Great Crested Grebe just 1 seen

Great Crested Grebe battling against the tide and wind
The Herring gulls can't feed here the mussels are now too big, they are
waiting to get further out where there are newer seed mussels.

Little Egret 5

Curlew 5  plus the Oystercatchers