Black Redstart

Ocean Edge to harbour mouth
Black Redstart
10:20: It came from west side of No.2 outflow. It flew under the superstructure before landing 20m on the east side. It was c50m out from wall when I noticed it, but I'm quite happy it could have come from further west along the wall.  It then went into the power station grounds (ref MD).
Sorry about the fake news of it flying over the fence as per my message on WhatsApp (see pic below) - attention to detail matters!

Rock Pipit - two sightings RN and Foreshore, but possibly same bird.
Meadow Pipit - 1 on perimeter fence near RN
Jack Snipe - 1
Common Snipe - 5
Reed Bunting - 4 together

Middleton NR quick check
Gadwall - 33 on main pond, 2 "no swimming"
Pochard - 1 male "no swimming"
Mallard - 4 main pond
Coot - 1 "no swimming"

Twite - 2 moved leisurely (not migration mode) along Heliport, last seen heading south down north wall.

Monday and Tuesday

Monday - no coverage

Tuesday - nothing of note today

Siberian Chiffchaff and Pochard surprises

*Late news: a Siberian Chiffchaff of the requisite buff tones and plaintive phew call was by the HNR office late afternoon, loosely associated with a Long-tailed Tit flock.  It seemed to end up in the fire pond compound but had stopped calling

A ringing day today by the office and for the second time running including a feisty Jay as well as evidence that many continental Blackbirds are hanging in on the abundant hawthorn berry supply

A drake Pochard was a surprise on Middleton NR - presumably the Lune estuary singleton?

Just a brief check of two main ponds
Gadwall 33 on main pond 2 on "no swimming"

Mallard 5

Coot 1 on "no swimming" pond

Pochard 1 male on "no swimming" pond.

Thrushes
Quite a few flying around under the low cloud/mist
Fieldfare 3
Redwing c25, including these having a rest

Little Gull still

The adult Little Gull was reported today but the only other sightings were of a 'lot of flies'!  Shame the moth trap is kaput

Couple or so decent sightings

The Ad Little Gull remains on Heysham two outfall and thereabouts

Merlin - male along south harbour wall

Tree Sparrow - one possibly two on Knowlys road horse paddock hedges with loads of House Sp, Chaff etc

Great-crested Grebe - 17 in channels

Eider - just two males seen in channels

Red-throated Diver - one quite distant on dropping tide

Gulliver!

The very amenable Little Gull, has aparently been christened Gulliver (oh dear). Showing on outflows and sea wall again today.

Middleton Nature Reserve 
Gadwall - showing a preference to main pond till disturbance becomes intrusive, when they retreat to "no swimming" pond. Maximum today 28.
Shoveler - 2 males including the half eclipsed bird. So definitely at least three males using pond.
Teal - at least 2 male

Thrushes
Redwing 31 moving south, probably after being grounded, still c20 feeding on hawthorn.
Blackbird c20 additional birds feeding with Redwing
Fieldfare 5 blogging

No sign of Great White Egret in morning or evening.

GWE changes direction

Middleton Nature Reserve,
Great White Egret - Two weeks ago, a regular movement over to ESE, usually from the direction of the golf club was identified in the late afternoon (15:30 to 15:50). As far as I know (MD), this hasn't been checked since the 6th November, so I checked today.
Sure enough the bird came over right on time (15:34), but today it came from ESE and was last seen low over the centre of golf club.....

Shoveller - 2 males on "no swimming" pond, these are in full breeding plumage and unlikely to include the half eclipsed bird seen on Friday. So it seems there are at least 3 males and 2 females regularly using this pond.
Gadwall 34
Mallard 2
Water Rail 1

Redwing - still plenty grounded

Decent variety

Low tide channels out fron Heysham Head
Scaup 1 drake
Great Crested Grebe 19
Red-breasted Merganser 6
Eider 23

Middleton Nature Reserve 
Just the two main pond checked.
Gadwall 25
Teal 1
Green Sandpiper 1

The wall roosting Little gull obliged again today on the south wall.

Thanks for picture Kevin

Sunday and Monday

SUNDAY
2+ Bottle-nosed Dolphin photographed off north wall - pics taken (Jim Clift)


MONDAY
Middleton Nature Reserve 
Gadwall 38 - new high count
Great White Egret - 2 high to ESE
Woodcock 1
Cetti's warbler 1 (singing on western marsh)
Raven 2 blogging

Still lots of thrushes feeding on hawthorn. Minimum numbers:
Blackbird 30
Fieldfare 3
Redwing 20

South shore
Rock Pipit 1 Red Nab
Little gull - adult roosting on sea wall near No.2 outflow at high water

Saturday

Little gull - 1 adult preening on wooden jetty before feeding briefly on No.1 outflow.
Rock pipit - 3 together near lighthouse, then moved along south wall towards Red Nab.
Meadow pipit 2 - near lighthouse

Middleton Nature Reserve
Gadwall 35
Shoveler 1 male