Slaters being slaughtered

A fresh SW wind stirred up the sea. Overcast with a few light showers.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

Just a quick look at the two main ponds.

Wildfowl as recent although just one female type Gadwall seen.

Gadwall, front with Mallard behind

This young Little Grebe provides a tour past the Gadwall and feeding Coot, before the inevitable dive.

This is one of the two summer plumaged adults.

Kingfisher 1 - on the "no swimming" pond. I only saw it briefly, but it didn't move on, just out of sight behind the bushes.

South shore (Malcolm)

Wheatear 1 female/immature on the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 2 - 1 each Foreshore and Red Nab

Whimbrel 2

Whimbrel 

Mediterranean gulls c15 flew early from Red Nab this morning, several were on the mud this evening.

Adult Med flying along the sea wall this evening 

Oystercatcher on the heliport wall at high water

Sea Slaters are like a large fast Woodlouse. Like Woodlice, they like to rest in dark damp areas, only coming out to feed after dark. But they drown if submerged in water so as the tides get higher, as they have been doing this week, they are forced to move from their hiding place and find a new one, making them vulnerable. This first clip is from yesterday when the Red Nab Rock Pipit finds one scurrying up the sloping wall.

But today's higher tide, with high waves forced the Sea Slaters out in numbers. There were c50 Starlings feasting on them at the heliport.

This one caught quite a large one, and had to take it out of sight to eat in peace. The Oystercatchers had no interest in the bounty.

Flycatcher on the Head

 A warn sunny day with a SW light wind.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet and the insects were enjoying the sunshine.

Common Darters

Brimstone 

Gatekeeper 

Two of three Peacock

Common Blue

Shaded Broad-bar

Silver Y

Little Egret

Heysham Head

Spotted Flycatcher 1 reported anonymously on BirdTrack

South shore (Malcolm)

Two checks again, foreshore to Red Nab towards high water in the morning and a walk along the sea wall in the evening.

Wheatear 2

Wheatears, clearly different birds, along the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 3 on Red Nab (1 + 2)

Little Egret 4

Whimbrel 1 heard

Curlew 175 at least, groups constantly flying to the south.

One of many groups of Curlew

Dunlin c150 in one flock south this evening 

Solitary Dunlin amongst the sandmason worm tubes near the wooden jetty

Mediterranean gull 30 at least, there were 25 on Red Nab this morning, including 4 juvenile. But other Meds were flying directly towards the estuary, as they tend to do when the tides are high enough to flush them from Red Nab.

In the Nature Park

Gatekeeper several

Large White 1

Small White 2

Ringlet 1 faded

Meadow Brown 1 faded

Peacock 2

Speckled Wood 2

Common Blue 1

Small Skipper 3

Small Skipper

Brown Hawker 2

Common Darter 5

These Carrion Crows were on the small anemometer 

It isn't obvious what is actually happening here, it's a bit early for apples to be over ripe. I like to think it's mum, saying, "What have I told you about eating apples? Put it down and go and find some nice junk food to eat." (Malcolm)

A swift exit

A fresher south wind. Overcast all day with occasional light showers.

South shore (Malcolm)

Not much time today, just managed a quick look at Red Nab and foreshore towards high water, and a walk along the sea wall this evening 

Mediterranean gulls 40+ including 3 juveniles. Seen on Red Nab, resting/preening on all of the beaches and feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty and out on the sea from the harbour mouth.

Some of the Meds with Black-Headed gulls on Red Nab this evening 

This preening Belgium ringed Med has just dislodged a feather

This German ringed bird was the only other ringed bird seen today.
It is feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty, note the sandmason worm tubes are
more prominent again. Hopefully they will be providing good feeding opportunities
this set of spring tides - shame about the restricted access to the sea wall

There were a handful of young gulls on the waterfall, but no gulls resting on 
The platforms, which are normally filled with Black-Headed gulls at this time of year.

Whimbrel 1 heard this morning.

Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore 

Wheatear 1, presumably the same juvenile as of late. In the same central section of the foreshore, but looking a little more like first winter plumage today.

Wheatear

The evening was very warm and heavy, large numbers of small flies (not flying ants) were over the Nature Park. Inevitably attracting the attention of the passing fly eating birds.

Swallow 13 at least

Swift 8 at least

Pete also managed a quick check from Ocean Edge at high water.

3 juvenile Mediterranean gulls were feeding on No.1 outfall

Common Sandpiper 1 flew south

Lots of gulls again

Morning showers, followed by an overcast day, then rain again in the evening. A SW wind.

South shore

I just managed a quick morning check of Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore (Malcolm).

Lots of small gulls roosting on Red Nab including at least 30 Mediterranean gulls (4 juveniles). Just one white ringed bird spotted, but unable to read, although definitely a new one for this year.

Six of the Meds with Black-Headed gulls.
Including a 3rd calendar year bird, second from the right

Juvenile Med behind an adult or 3cy

The only sign of a ring seen, although many of the birds legs were obscured 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Wheatear 1 on Ocean Edge foreshore.

Juvenile Wheatear at similar stage of plumage to the one seen on Friday

One of three Linnet on the foreshore

Janet had a walk along the sea wall at high water. There were lots of gulls feeding on the outflows, but mainly Black-Headed, Herring and Lesser Black-Backed

Juvenile Black-Headed gull picking out what looks to be a small sandeel

Cormorants heading past a dredger on their way to the wooden jetty

Sparrowhawk visiting my garden (Malcolm)

High Med count and a Dunlin influx

Dry and mainly sunny after overnight rain. A light west wind.

South Shore 

I did two  checks today (Malcolm). Red Nab as the incoming tide reached it this morning and a walk along the sea wall on the ebbing tide mid afternoon.

Mediterranean gulls 40 at least on Red Nab towards high water, including just one juvenile. No ringed birds were seen. 

Adult Mediterranean gull, now in winter plumage 

The Meds were scattered about this afternoon, feeding at the seaward end of No.1 outflow, more resting on the mud and out from the harbour mouth.

2nd calendar yer Med in the harbour mouth

10 turned up on the beach by the wooden jetty as it became exposed. But they were struggling to catch the sandmason worms.

The Oystercatchers were catching the worms easily enough though....

.......so the Meds turned to thievery!

If you watch in slow motion you can see the Med does end up with the worm

Fortunately, Shaun did a late evening check, it took him  while but he eventually sorted the numbers out

Red Nab to Wooden Pier. 18:30-20:45.

Mediterranean Gulls 68 adults/3CY, 2CY 4 and 5 Juvs. So 77 Meds in total

Sandwich Tern 3 following Seatruck out. 

Other stuff this afternoon 

Peregrine Falcon 2 juveniles annoying the gulls around the Power Stations, but not bothering those on the shore today.

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Dunlin 130 resting at the base of the sea wall by the wooden jetty. Most are in this clip.

Nature Park

Coal Tit 2 at least moving noisily through the conifers. Not seen or heard them during the breeding season.

Brown Hawker 1

Common Darter 1

Red Admiral 1

Large White 3

Speckled Wood 3

Gatekeeper several

Middleton Nature Reserve

A couple of nice shots by Janet

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Good Med count and first autumn Wheatear

A dry day with plenty of sunshine till late afternoon, then clouds thickened and steady rain began at 19:00. A SW wind.

A couple of shots by Kevin Singleton on Heysham Head yesterday 

Curlew

Immature Little Egret

South shore 

The sea wall was open today and likely to be open Fri - Sun for a while (closed till 17:00 on other weekdays due to maintenance)

Report by Shaun Coyle:

Heysham 08:00-10:00. 

Red Nab : 

Mediterranean Gulls 36 adults/3rd cy, 2nd cy 3 and 7 Juvs. 

Oystercatcher 384

Curlew 238

Whimbrel 2

37 Redshank

Outfall No.1:

Turnstone 39 

Redshank 87

female/juv Wheatear along the seawall. 

Ocean Edge (salt marsh) : Mediterranean  Gulls 9 adults/3 cy and a single Juv. (So total Meds 56)

Gatekeeper 6 and a Peacock in the Nature Park.

I checked towards lunch (Malcolm). A juvenile Wheatear was along Ocean Edge foreshore, possibly the one seen earlier by Shaun.

Wheatear moulting from juvenile plumage

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Green ringed Mediterranean gull, almost certainly the German ringed ANLT - Kevin

Middleton Nature Reserve 

These shots by Janet:

Meadow Brown

Common Blue

Gatekeeper 

Parsnip moth caterpillar 

I had a check around the ponds after lunch (Malcolm).

Similar wildfowl as of late, but seemingly more adult Coot. 14 on the two main ponds, plus 2 small chicks. Presumably some of the older juveniles are now in adult plumage.

The female Gadwall with her well grown youngster was briefly visible on the "no swimming" pond.

Just Reed warbler heard in sub song. Chiffchaff calling.

Dragonflies and butterflies same mix as recent.