Brent confusion

It wasn't clear what was happening with  pale- bellied Brent today. Just two birds seen on north side and later at Red Nab. However there were 5 later at Pott's Corner, possibly the three regular birds with the two seen earlier.

Stonechat - one in morning by road to recycling centre, one in afternoon on Middleton Nature reserve.

Rock pipit one on Ocean Edge salt marsh again, this bird is only seen when spring tides are high enough to cover the marsh.

Middleton Nature Reserve
Still one male Pochard and pair of Shoveler, but only 10 Gadwall and 1 Teal seen today.
Two Roe deer managed to flush 18 common snipe from western marsh.
Meadow pipit 4

Wigeon 159 - Red Nab

Jack snipe

Snipe - c240 heliport
Jack snipe - 3-4 heliport. Ocean Edge salt marsh - 1 flushed by tide, one fly over, possibly from heliport.
Stonechat - female east end of heliport for short time
Pale bellied Brent - 3 red nab Incoming tide
Rock pipit - OE salt marsh
Meadow pipit. 5 on power station fence, south wall

Norwegian ringed Knot but couldn’t read code on yellow above tarsus left leg ring

Brents and Stonechats

After a duff and birdless Monday today saw:

Pale bellied Brent Goose - NINE at the high tidal end game at Middleton this am
Stonechat - 5 different birds passing through along recycling centre road and at least 3 Middleton NR today after none yesterday

Thanks Janet

Eastern fringe time

Great White Egret - one in field by A589/A683 roundabout early morning only
Green Sandpiper - one in wetland just north east of recycling centre roundabout flew SW into the recording area
Stonechat - after just one in the morning, at least 5 and perhaps as many as 7 Stonechat along the recycling centre road west side late afternoon (two males)

Three of today's Stonechat

Middleton Nature Reserve

Pochard 1

Gadwall 20
Shoveler 2
Tufted 5
Jack snipe 1
Water Rail 1
Cetti's singing - central marsh

Snipe flush

The only reports today were:

Ocean edge
Snipe - 40
Jack snipe - 2
Flushed by dog walker heading over saltmarsh

Green woodpecker heard on golf course from Hey NR office

Nice sunny day!

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - the three were out on the edge of the first inshore skeer to the north of Heysham Head with Eider at low tide
Knot - c1300 off heysham head
Pochard - down to one male Middleton
Gadwall - 23
Mute Swan - 3 pairs only
Shoveler - pair
Teal - 8 (& 1+ HNR marsh)
Water Rail - 1-2
Jay - group of four heading north
Green Woodpecker - Heysham office area early am
Eider - typically lower neap tide number - 255 seen from Knowlys road
Siskin - 2+ heard alder wood Heysham NR

Pipits

Two Rock Pipit below Heysham Head and an increase in Meadow Pipit on Middleton NR

Wednesday

Green Woodpecker - heard calling to east from hey Nr office
Barn Owl - one Middleton
No coastal coverage

Tuesday

Middleton NR
Tufted Duck - 5
Pochard - two males
Shoveler - pair
Cetti’s warbler - singing by No swimming pond

Low tide channel morning

...............….Plus a bit of ringing by the office which included un-ringed female Bullfinch and Robin

A very sunny spring like day included the inevitable heat-haze but maybe not as bad as it might had been therefore the low tide count was pretty comprehensive and devoid of much variety

Eider - 462 - 75% ad male
Great-crested Grebe - 10
Red-breasted Merganser - 6

The usual Brent Geese were reported at Half-moon bay, then at Red Nab later
Skylark - at least two over skeer to SE

Recent ringing recovery courtesy of the recent ice allowing the legs of resting gulls to be seen
Black-headed Gull
K03025/JITH
Ringed:  AdF.  13/4/13. Musoya Strand, Buskerud,NORWAY 59 45N 10 08E
Seen:  5/7/15 Linnestranda, Lier, Buskerud, NORWAY 8km SE 59 44N 10 16E
Seen:  18-25/5/16  Linnestranda
Seen: 3/2/19 Middleton NR.   974km SW