Day five........

A dry largely overcast day. A light variable breeze first from the east then later from the west.

South Shore

Black Redstart 1 female type was more elusive today and was seen at both the slipway and Red Nab ends of Ocean Edge foreshore. Today's shots by Janet.

Shag 1 adult resting on the wooden jetty at high water. This shot by Kevin Eaves

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 - today's spring tide had already covered Red Nab as I passed (Malcolm). Any Brent feeding here earlier would have flown south. These two came from the north side, looked at where Red Nab "should be" then continued south.

Wigeon 100 - mainly at the saltmarsh

Eider 1 female

Alba Wagtail 4 north

Rock Pipit 6 including these two on the saltmarsh 

Imperial Rd (MD)

Buzzard 2 drifted off to SE together 

Wood Pigeon 40

Some of the Wood Pigeon resting in the treetops 

Meadow Pipit 5

Greylag Goose 10 just beyond the hedgerow. One made a halfhearted effort at an alarm call, but the others saw no reason to be alarmed.

Greylag goose

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Goosander just 2 females this evening 

Tufted Duck 3

Little grebe 1

Cetti's warbler 2 - 1 singing by both ponds 

Goldcrest 1

Out of focus, but recognisable Goldcrest

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis feeding this evening at least.

Plenty of Frogspawn at Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Black Redstart still the star

It was dark and threatened rain all day, but we got away with just a few spots. A light east wind.

South Shore

Pale-bellied Brent goose c43 flew from Red Nab to Potts Corner on the rising tide.

Woodcock 1 flushed from dog walking track

Black Redstart - the female type was showing well today along the section of the foreshore rocks nearest to Red Nab. The mealworms were all gone and it was feeding under the concrete slabs. Not visible when feeding but it was very active and soon revealed itself. Seen by many observers today at least until 13:20.

These are some of my shots (Malcolm)

Most of the time it was very flighty, but I managed the following clip as a group of dog walkers were approaching. It was more interested in keeping an eye on them that it was about me. I've removed the sounds of their conversation and dogs barking, but you can see the Redstarts  reaction to it.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD, JP, JR)

Still 4 Goosander

Two of three Tufted Duck

There always seems to be at least two Long-Tailed Tits on the car park feeders

Cetti's Warbler 1 singing by "no Swimming" pond

Male Roe Deer, there was also a female close by

Black Redstart continues to entertain

Another dry overcast day with a light ENE wind.

North shore

Pete checked the sea but nothing moving.

Stonechat pair on gorse on the north side of the harbour

South Shore:

Black Redstart 1 female type. Still on Ocean Edge foreshore, initially quite mobile, but became more sedentary after a visiting bird photographer left it some mealworms (c150m along from the gate). Several observers saw it, at least till 13:30.

These shots by Edward Wilkinson ( not the mealworm provider)

Female type Black Redstart 

These fine shots of a Cormorant on Red Nab also from Edward

Rock Pipits 5

A "crest" flitting along the sea wall before being lost into the Power Station, was only seen from behind, but probably just  a Goldcrest (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 - there were 4 having a drink and a bath in the freshwater runoff at Red Nab, very early in the tide. They then flew to the north side. Later 31 flew to Red Nab from the north and later still joined by another 4. After high water, Pete Crooks saw 39 returning to Red Nab from the south, so there must have been two groups of 4. These are the 31 arriving on the rising tide.

Shelduck 67

Wigeon 200

Mallard pair in off from the south

Great Crested Grebe 1 feeding by No.1 outflow where the Shag has been feeding recently, there must be suitable prey there at the moment.

Shag 1 adult had been near the waterfall then flew to the middle of the harbour.

It then flew to the wooden jetty. It normally flies low over the water, but today it gained height and did a circuit of the harbour before flying out.

High flying Shag

2 goldcrest in the tallest fir tree by the white barrier in the Nature Park - Angela Gillon

Imperial Rd (EW)

Shots by Edward Wilkinson 

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Common Buzzard

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Still 4 Goosander on the "no swimming" pond.

One of the three female Goosanders

Cetti's warbler one singing from the reed bed in the SE corner of the main pond. Two birds seen flitting between the reeds.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at least 1

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis at 08:55, but it was seen by several observers later in the day. 

This is a nice comparison shot by Edward Wilkinson.
Little Egret with Glossy Ibis

Not bad again.

An overcast but dry day. The east wind slightly fresher than yesterday 

South Shore

Black Redstart 1 female type was still on Ocean Edge foreshore this morning but mobile and elusive at times. Last seen just before lunch.

It was seen by several observers, these are my shots at 09:30 (Malcolm)

Black Redstart 

Great White Egret 1flew east over Red Nab - Kevin Shaw

Meadow Pipit 8 - 4 grounded on the foreshore rocks and 2 x 2 over to north

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit 3

For comparison - This is one of Janet's shots of a Rock Pipit earlier this week

Stonechat 1 male behind Red Nab.

Male Stonechat

Pale Bellied Brent goose 30 at least on Red Nab

Greylag Goose 3 SE

Shag 1 adult initially resting on the wooden jetty

Shag (left) with a Cormorant 

But not long after it was feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow again.

This Cormorant had caught a reasonably sized Bass near No.2 outflow. Too large to swallow easily when it is thrashing around. They drown them by breaking their gill filaments and taking them under. It doesn't take long, it was all over in a minute. This is a series of clips, you can see on its last dive the Bass is no longer moving, despite the Cormorant prompting it to. This time, when the Cormorant resurfaces the Bass is already in swallowing position and it is soon gone.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond confirmed that the 4 Goosander are still present.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Black Redstart best of a pretty decent day

A light east wind. Sunny till mid afternoon when it clouded over, but remained dry.

South Shore

Black Redstart 1 female type. 

Located at Red Nab late morning by Kevin Eaves

It was seen till 14:00 then moved off somewhere. But it returned later and was relocated by Alan Physick half way along Ocean Edge foreshore in the late afternoon.

It wasn't there when I checked earlier in the morning at high water (Malcolm). But on the scrub near the lighthouse there were

Stonechat 3 - a male plus two female, there were still two female when Kevin got there later, probably the same two. One flew across the harbour towards the sandworks.

This is Kevin's shot of the female that remained on the south side

These are the two earlier females, Kevin's bird is probably the
upper bird here. The lower female was a paler bird

This is the paler female

Male Stonechat

This is the darker of the two females

Pale-bellied Brent goose 38. They were hard to count on Red Nab as these neap tides barely reach it and there are many rocks and ledges to obscure view. I eventually decided there were 31, but when they flew to the north side there was actually 38.

Pale-bellied Brent geese flying to the north side 

Shelduck 55

Wigeon 200

Eider 1 male in harbour mouth

Shag 1 adult feeding along the seaward edge of No.1 outflow.

Rock Pipits 6, including 2 near the lighthouse being surprisingly tolerant of the Stonechats

Peregrine Falcon 2 at least

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Male plus 3 female Goosander 

Male Goosander

Female Goosander

This one was taking a drink

This one was trying to locate a fish to dive for

Two of five Gadwall on the "no swimming" pond

Gadwall pair

Male Mallard

Male Pheasant 

The pair of Mute Swans are progressing with nest building

Cetti's Warbler 3 at least singing

Goldcrest 1 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis plus Green Sandpiper feeding in the afternoon at least.