More Swallows in the sunshine

A much warmer day, peaking at 16C. Very light winds initially NE and ending NW.

Report from Pete:

3Cy Shag feeding in low tide channel off Heysham north wall, near Naze end

17 Red-breasted Merganser

5 Great Crested Grebe

c150 Eider

2 Sandwich Tern. 

Migration: 

12 Lesser Redpoll north, 

13 Swallow, 

1 Sand Martin 

 c5 willow warbler Heysham Nature Reserve first thing  but no other evidence of migration with the cloud edge just too far to west. 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Jean:

I was ringing at Heysham NR from 7am to 11am. Willow Warblers were singing loudly on arrival and seemed to be moving through as it went very quiet at 9am, however I didn't manage to catch any until one appeared in the net at 1015. 16 birds caught in total.

New birds:

Lesser Redpoll 2

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 2

Willow Warbler 1

Chaffinch 1

Goldfinch 2

Blue Tit 1

Retraps were recent birds coming to the feeders again:

Goldfinch 2

Dunnock 2

Wren 1

Reed Bunting 1

The Carrion Crows and Ravens were slugging it out again. Surprisingly the Crows managed to chase off the larger Ravens.

A Sparrowhawk was calling and displaying over the reserve.

A Pied Wagtail flew over (the only "vis"!)

South shore mid morning (MD)

Swallow 1 over as I got out of the car 09:15 then no others!

Wheatear 1 on foreshore 

Linnet 11 foreshore/Red Nab plus 3 near the lighthouse 

Kittiwake 2 x 2nd calendar feeding on the outflows, but they were back on their pipe when I reached the harbour.

2nd calendar year Kittiwake

Shag 1 immature on the wooden jetty, probably the same as the one seen feeding earlier by Pete.

Immature Shag with a couple of Cormorant 

Rock Pipit 3 - Red Nab, Sea wall and Lighthouse 

Nature Park

Mistle Thrush 2 (first records here this spring)

Mistle Thrush

It was nest building time for the residents 

Carrion Crow with Reed Mace 

Greenfinch with more modest nesting material

Small Tortoiseshell 1

Brimstone 1 male

Angela was pleased to see this Swallow resting outside her house this morning.

She saw 2 more Swallows come in off at Ocean Edge this evening,  a Wheatear and the Linnet were still there too.

First Swallows zip through

A overnight air frost followed by sunshine all day with a very light and variable wind in the morning. A slightly fresher west wind after lunch.

Heysham skear - low water 07:30 

Jean and Pete did an accurate count of the birds on the sea:

Eider 154

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Mergansers 20

I had a walk out onto the skear (MD)

The unattached male Mergansers were trying to attract already paired females.

Little Egret 7

Grey Heron 1

Carrion Crow 19

Waders:

Oystercatcher c3,000 were very flighty early on. Redshank c150, Turnstone c70, Curlew 8, no Knot, Dunlin 3

Dunlin

Towards the western extent of the middle skear, the seed mussels are just beginning to form. They are less than 2mm across at the moment, but they grow quickly. I expect the gulls to start taking an interest by the next set of spring tides in a fortnight.

Tiny seed mussels

Swallow 2 north

One Swallow........not much of a shot,
but it made my summer! (MD)

Meadow Pipit 6 - none while I was out on the shore, but 3, 2, and 1 quickly past as I approached the sea wall on the way back.

Heysham Nature Reserve (Janet)

Chiffchaff 

Small Tortoiseshell 
There was also a small white butterfly, but too quick to confirm species.

First Razorbill of the year and a Gannet

Overnight rain stopped before dawn. A fresh west wind with just a touch of north in it by the afternoon.

Pete and Jean checked the sea, report from Pete:

Heysham sea 1000-1100: 

Razorbill 2 (first records for 2023)

Guillemot 1 

plus 1 Razorbill/Guillemot 

Gannet 1

Common Scoter 5

Kittiwake 17 - 2 plus 13 and 2 x  2cy Kittiwake still on pipe in harbour.  

3 Meadow Pipit 

Sand Martin 1 north over sea through scope.  

Spike of Turnstone 275 and Redshank 750 heliport until everything flushed by unknown presumed mammalian predator - mustilid?

South Shore (MD)

A very quick check of the foreshore early morning located just:

Wheatear 4

Linnet 9

I walked my daughter's dog along the sea wall just after high water in the afternoon 

Dunlin 75 on Red Nab

A few of the Dunlin

Kittiwake 1 adult on No.2 outflow plus the 2 x 2nd calendar year in the harbour. This is the adult feeding near the sea wall.

Common Gull 3 x 2nd calendar year 

Common gull and Kittiwake 

Herring gull (left) and Common gull

Shag 1 immature on wooden jetty - first record for a while

Rock Pipit 2 - 1 along sea wall plus 1 above nest site near lighthouse 

Heysham Nature Reserve 

A friend of Janet's has leant her a camera, so Janet went to the reserve to get used to it.

Male Greenfinch

Male Blackcap 

It was good to see a nice splash of colour

Bluebell

Snakes Head Fritillary, including the alba variant 

White (alba) Fritillary

Hoverfly (Drone-Fly?) on gorse

Also on gorse, a Seven-spot Ladybird, and just to its right
a small (unidentified) spider. You may need to open the shot to see it.

It drizzled it down! But still stuff to smile about.

Drizzly showers early on gave way to constant drizzle. Light south wind.

Fortunately Shaun managed an early morning walk:

Middleton NR 06:45-08:15 

Teal male on Main pond + a pair of Little Grebe's and 2 Grey Heron's. 

pair of Little Grebe's on No Swimming Pond 

Group of 5 Gadwall circling the reserve (4m 1f)

Chiffchaff 10 

Willow Warblers 2

Cetti's Warblers 6 singing (the one at previous Point B wasn't - ref post 1/04/23)

I had a quick look later on (MD), nothing Shaun didn't report, but thought this was worthy of note. Pretty sure this is the same male Teal as yesterday, but no strong light today and his green face markings, were.......green

My only other outing today was a morning check from the saltmarsh to Red Nab (MD).

Wheatear 3

Linnet 9

This made me smile, there were several Wood Pigeon around. This one had more than feeding on its mind. Its "mate" looked at it as if it was peculiar. Definitely not impressed!

This also made me smile, but for a different reason. This Weasel appeared to be digging a nest hole, presumably a female as males take no part in rearing the young. She knew I was there, but decided that I wasn't a threat (I like it when wildlife ignores me!) even though she was constantly checking for danger from other directions.

Weasel

I left her to it and when I walked back she was still around but the hole was now large enough to disappear down.

Not so much a burrow, more an access hole to the underside of the rubble
I'll keep an eye on it (MD)

Plenty of Butterflies again, and Brent still around

A light SE wind moved to the west in the afternoon. Sunshine for most of the day.

Pete and Jean managed a short seawatch:

0800-0900: 

Red Throated Diver 1

Kittiwake 16 in one flock

Sandwich Tern 1

Lesser Redpoll 3

Linnet 15

Sand Martin 1

Just 1 Meadow Pipit!

130 Common Gull Outfalls/channel

I didn't have much time today, just two very brief morning checks (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab

Linnet 18

Wheatear 6

Female/1st winter Wheatear

Pale-bellied Brent goose 4 on Red Nab

Little Egret 4 on Red Nab.

Small Tortoiseshell 2 in the grass before Red Nab

Nature Park 

Chiffchaff 3

Willow Warbler 1 

Not much of a shot, but it's the first Willow Warbler I've seen this year.

Jay 2

One Jay

Two Jay

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a check of the two main ponds.

Mute unchanged

Coot 4, suspect the missing birds to be around but out of sight.

Moorhen 1

Little Grebe 3

Little Grebe in summer plumage 

Mallard 6 males

Tufted Duck 1 male

Teal pair

Female Teal

The male did a nice pirouette, the strong sunshine making his green face markings look blue.

Water Rail 1 calling

Singing Warblers

Chiffchaff 6

Willow,Warbler 1

Cetti's Warbler 2

Later Kevin Eaves had a look and took this nice shot of the Tufted Duck

The Brown Rats around the feeding area are becoming ever more confident, although I'm not certain I share Kevin's view of them looking "cute"!

Brown Rat

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Janet is still without a camera, but she is still managing decent wildlife pictures with her mobile phone.

Comma

One of two Brimstones seen

Also 1 Peacock butterfly 

Little gull best of an otherwise quiet day

A light SE to south wind. Sunshine all day.

Seawatch report from Pete:

Little Gull 1 x 2cy in up centre of bay 0750

two distant Sandwich Tern

one Red-Throated Diver in 

two harbour porpoise

Nothing after 0800 but two northbound Sand Martin seen by Dave Hawkins

South shore mid morning (MD)

Linnet 11 on/around Ocean Edge foreshore plus 3 near lighthouse 

Wheatear 3 along foreshore. These two males were feeding near the slpway.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 4 on Red Nab

Shelduck 2

Little Egret 4 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit only 1 seen or heard, near the lighthouse 

Kittiwake none in the Harbour today but this second calendar year bird was initially on No.1 outflow then moved to No.2

Middleton Nature Reserve 

No sign of the Goosander today - ref Kevin Eaves

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Jean did some ringing, but only 5 birds caught.

Song Thrush 1

Redpoll 4

Heysham skear - low water 17:50 (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose - 2 were resting on the middle skear. Don't think they were part of this morning's 4 as these included a first winter bird. You can't hear it in this clip, but the adult was aware of me and gave a soft honk, prompting the youngster to stand up. I left them to it and they quickly settled again.

Eider c65

Red-breasted Merganser 7

The waders were a bit different today, no Knot or Dunlin, and surprisingly no Turnstone, perhaps they were on the outer skear. More Curlew than of late 30+, Redshank c150 and the omnipresent Oystercatcher c2,000. And just 1 Bar-Tailed Godwit flew in by itself.

Bar-Tailed Godwit with the South Lakes behind

Butterflies were seen in several locations:

Peacock 1 in Nature Park, Brimstone 1 male through my garden (MD)

Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell on dog walking strip (Janet)

Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock on Middleton Nature Reserve (Kevin Eaves)

Osprey and Skuas

Another dry and largely sunny day. A light east wind drifting to NE later.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

Ringing this morning in rather 'nothing' conditions predictably produced little except for birds at the feeders. Two Meadow Pipits were trapped from one group of 5 flying north that were followed another group of 7. These were the only birds seen flying over. The session was livened up by two pairs of Ravens bothering each other and a pair of Carrion Crows very noisily throughout the morning around the transmission towers towards the power stations.

Meadow Pipit 2

Wren 1

Dunnock 1 retrap

Robin 2

Chiffchaff 1

Long-tailed Tit 1 retrap

Great Tit 1 + 1 retrap

Chaffinch 1

Greenfinch 4 + 1 retrap

Goldfinch 7 + 2 retraps

Bullfinch 1 retrap

Reed Bunting 1

Pete and Jean made a good check of the coast again.

Report from Jean:

Here are the scores on the doors from this morning's seawatch 0815-0950hrs:

Sandwich Tern 40 in and 2 remained on the red buoy, later increasing to 5

Kittiwake 70 in, most distantly but a close flock of 35 whizzed in

Arctic Skua 6 (a flock of 4 dark morph and 1 light morph, and 1 dark morph on its own)

Osprey 1 in at 0830hrs

Common Scoter 5 in

Red-throated Diver 1 in

Pink-footed Goose 20 north

Carrion Crow 13 north in small groups, one of which included a hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow

3 cetaceans seen, or at least their fins and a bit of their bodies as they breached. Possibly Harbour Porpoise.

No small passerines or hirundines seen. Still no gannets.

Harbour

2 x 2CY Kittiwakes were on the pipe in the inner harbour

A pair of Rock Pipits were at the harbour with the female checking out nest holes (at least that's what it looked like) and the male standing guard. A possible third one was feeding on the sea wall at the seaward end of the harbour. 2 more on Red Nab.

A Dunnock and a Linnet were singing in the brambles.

Red Nab (or should that be Green Nab as the rocks are coated in gutweed)

7 Pale-bellied Brents

6 Little Egrets

A Goldcrest called - no doubt a migrant.

Greenfinches were singing and displaying on the landward side indicating a breeding record. 

10 Linnets were active in the gorse area and also going onto the foreshore and back, one or two were singing.

Wooden jetty

Female Eider was asleep at the base of the wooden jetty. Only 8 cormorants on the top of the wooden jetty.

South shore

3 Wheatear

I checked the south shore, but saw nothing not covered by Jean above (MD). These are some of my shots.

Pale-bellied Brent geese arriving at Red Nab

4 of the 6 Little Egret on Red Nab, this is the most for a while

Second calendar year Kittiwakes on their pipe in the harbour

Five Sandwich Tern on No.8 buoy

I could see an angling boat was just about to pass, I hoped it might lift one or two.

No reaction, although the boat was further away from the buoy than it looks.

Jean took this shot of the white flowering plant growing in many of the crevices along the sea wall. It's one of those times when you realise that you don't know what something is, even though you've seen it so many times. Jean checked and came up with Scurvy Grass. Looks right to me (MD).

Scurvy Grass, unless someone can advise otherwise 

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the two main ponds to see if the female Goosander is hanging around. She was still on the no swimming pond. There has been increased Cormorant feeding on this pond over winter, the fish stocks must be increasing (originally no fish in this pond, but there has been small Perch seen for a few years now, perhaps they have been joined by another species). It will be interesting to see how long the Goosander remains.

Also

Teal 2

Gadwall 2 (pair)

Mallard 5 male

Little Grebe 2 (one trilling and one feeding)

Cetti's warbler 1 singing 

The only other warbler heard were Chiffchaff 

Sandwich Tern floodgates open

Light but cool NE wind. Warm in the sunshine 

Shaun did a thorough check from early morning:

Heysham Head

Tawny Owl calling - pre dawn

Middleton Nature Reserve 06:30-07:30

Barn Owl 1 hunting over the marshes at dawn. It was quite grey on the upper parts and no ankle straps, so clearly not the bird regularly seen on Imperial Rd and Heysham Moss earlier in the year.

Cetti's Warbler 7 singing. 

Shaun produced this map showing the location of this morning's singing Cetti's warblers.
The western bird (B) is interesting - not heard one singing from here before.
Definitely two singing at Tim Butler.

Also, 2 Willow Warbler and 13 Chiffchaff.

Sand Martin 2

Pair of Raven's.

Female Goosander on No Swimming Pool. 

Heysham Nature Reserve  07:45-09:00

Chiffchaff 6 singing

GSWoodpecker one drumming

pair of Jays. 

Pete and Jean also did a thorough check. Report from Jean:

Here's what we had on our seawatch from 0830-1010hrs (we = Pete, Shaun and me)

Sandwich Tern 104 

Kittiwake 35 

Whooper Swan 7

Common Scoter 7 (2in, 5 out)

Red-throated Diver 1 into Bay

Goosander - 1 female flew past the roundhead and into the Bay

Sand Martin 11

Linnet 15

Meadow Pipit 10

Pied Wagtail 3

Carrion Crow 4 

Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls flew into the Bay but weren't counted

In the distance about 1000 Pink-footed Geese got up but then landed again

Grounded: 1 Wheatear (female)

pair of Rock Pipits on Red Nab and a pair at the Lighthouse.

Raven - 2 flew over towards the shore then returned a bit later

Red Nab - 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese

I had a look from the shore out from the saltmarsh (MD). I didn't manage to see any of the Sandwich Tern, but Jean said many were quite distant. 

There was a bit of Meadow Pipit movement close to the shoreline 23 north. 

Also lots of Carrion Crows resting on the mud.

Some of the 33 Carrion Crows resting on the mud out from the saltmarsh 

I also managed a view of the Brent, looking back towards Red Nab. They are having a drink from the freshwater run off, as were the gulls. This clip does emphasise what a small goose Brent are, these are only Lesser Black-Backed gulls.

Interestingly lit Little Egret

Heysham skear - low water 16:25 (MD)

Eider 85 (mainly males)

Wigeon 6 (3 each male and female) resting on the sea before continuing north

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Merganser 6. These three male were following a female. She flew off, I don't know if she wasn't impressed by any of them or just finding out which one was the "fittest".

Waders, just: Oystercatcher c 2,000, Redshank c150, Turnstone c120, Curlew 5, Knot 2.

Another, bigger, Goosander surprise

A light SE to east wind. Overcast with a few very light showers.

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 08:00-08:30 (MD)

Shelduck 6

Wheatear 3 on foreshore 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Meadow Pipit 3 over to north

Linnet 2 on foreshore 

Middleton Nature Reserve 08:45 - 10:15 (MD)

I went to check if the female Goosander was still on the "no swimming" pond, but first a check of the main pond located

Goosander 2 - a male and female together. The Coot weren't happy about it, but this one got a mouthful!

I did think this female had a more pronounced pale chin than yesterday's bird.

It was getting busier by this time and they headed off to the east

But the female on the "no swimming" pond was still there. So three Goosander, I think this is an unprecedented inshore record for the recording area.

The "no swimming" pond bird seemed more comfortable and relaxed today

Mute Swan 5 juvenile plus two breeding pairs.

Mallard 6

Teal 2 on Tim Butler pond

Coot 10 - the main pond birds still arguing over territory, but more threats than conflict today.

Cetti's warbler 4 at least singing -the only other warblers heard were Chiffchaff 

Sand Martin 1 NE

This male Bullfinch seemed out of place, resting alone on some light willow scrub
at least 70m from the nearest trees they often frequent

Sparrowhawk 1 high drifting north

Kestrel 2 NE

Roe Deer 1

I bumped into Alan, he was just checking a moth trap, as well as moths there was this nocturnal parasitic wasp. I'll not attempt to identify it, but these shots should be good enough for anyone who wishes too.

As Alan said, it's amazing that the thin waist can support the abdomen 

Heysham Nature Reserve (MD)

Raven 1

Chiffchaff, there was no location on the reserve where you couldn't hear one singing. No other warblers heard though

Roe Deer 2

Peacock butterfly 1

Small Tortoiseshell 1

Small Tortoiseshell 

A week ago I said the Snakes Head Fritillary will be looking splendid by now. And splendid they do look!

Snakes Head Fritillary - the pale flowers probably an indicator of the likely cultivated
origin of this colony, although they have been naturalised here for at least 20 years

North Shore

Red-Throated Diver 1 in the low water channel north of Heysham Head this afternoon - ref Pete.

First Willow Warbler and a Goosander

A lightish SW wind. The rain stopped just after 07:00. After that just a few light showers and plenty of sunny spells.

South Shore 08:30 - 1:00 (MD)

Shelduck 2

Wigeon 2 - first arrivals are easy, but last sighting of spring are only really practical in hindsight, but these could be they.

Meadow Pipit 15 

Skylark 1

alba Wagtail 2

The above all over to the north and none seen past Red Nab

Wheatear 2 on foreshore 

Linnet 5 on foreshore plus 3 near the lighthouse. One of the foreshore birds had a large black seed again. I suspect these washed in on the last set of spring tides. No idea what they are.

Greenfinch 6 at Red Nab, at least 2 of them ringed. They also were foraging the flotsam.

This female seems to have a seed, or nut too big to crack!

Kittiwake 3 x 2nd calendar year on their pipe in the harbour.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Kevin Singleton had a look around early afternoon 

Willow Warbler 1 singing - first record this year

Goosander 1 female on the "no swimming" pond. They are very uncommon in the recording area, particularly inland like this.

I went for a look later in the afternoon (MD) she was still there.

Female Goosander

She was constantly dipping her head below the water and, as you can see in this clip, appearing to wash her mouth out. I've seen diving birds behave like this before on this newt rich pond, and wondered if they had eaten, or attempted to eat, a newt that had left a nasty taste. My camera was being particularly noisy this afternoon (I really shouldn't have dropped it!) so we are silent mode.

I've left the volume on for this short clip. If you can manage to ignore the camera clicks, there is a nice burst of song from a Cetti's Warbler 

Water Rail 1 calling

Sand Martin 5 - I can't blame my camera for this, I'm just not a good enough cameraman to catch a decent inflight shot. This disjointed clip gives a nice flavour of their movement though.

Heysham "skear"- low water13:40 (MD)

Skear is in inverted commas as these very low neap tides barely expose the inner skear.

Eider 34

Little Egret 3

Bar-Tailed Godwit 22 feeding along the shoreline (the Godwit are after lugworms, the Oystercatcher seeking cockles)

Knot 21 - these are some of them resting on the skear edge with Bar-Tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher. One of the Godwits is just starting to acquire summer plumage.

When you see a flock of a thousand Knot they are almost instantly identifiable. But this small group against the light was not immediately obvious. You can't really see much of the birds in this clip, but it does provide a view from the skear and ends with the Sea Cat leaving the harbour.

Other waders: Dunlin 1, Curlew 20+, Turnstone 30+, Redshank 100+, Oystercatcher c2,000.