Brent numbers higher as tides get lower

Another heavy overnight frost with mist till mid morning. Some sunshine later in the morning with light rain in the afternoon.

Just a quick check of the skeer corner at 10:30 located 34 Pale-bellied Brent geese feeding, including the two colour ringed Canadian birds.

This shot shows the inner skeer in the background and the geese feeding on the weed in the middle. In the foreground you can see the drain water continuing down to the sea. This is draining sea water from the inner skeer, but also includes fresh water which seeps onto the shore where it meets the clay boundary. This makes this drain brackish, which the gut weed favours. There are similar outlets of surface water out from the children's play area (focused on the low lying horse field behind), Half Moon Bay and Red Nab. All have growths of gut weed and all have been regularly used as feeding areas by Brent geese.

This clip shows the drain and associated weed a bit more clearly.

I didn't go on the skeer today, looking out from the shore located:

Eider c60

Red-breasted Merganser 2

I left the Brent feeding, but, as yesterday at 10:50 the bulk of them (30) stopped feeding and flew to the water. There was nothing obvious around to have spooked them.

The tides start to get higher again, after tomorrow.

On the way home I just had a quick look at the "no swimming" pond at Middleton.

The multitude of swans, ducks etc are maintaining the open area of free water. Two bits of good news:

The Gadwall seem to becoming more tolerant of the swan feeders, particularly when they feed from high on the east bank, as was happening on this visit.

At least one of the Little grebe is still around.

This clip shows the Little grebe and some of the Gadwall, but it's mainly so you can hear the commotion made by the gulls and Carrion Crow as they strive for a share of the bread being fed.

Mute swan 2 adult 3+1 juvenile 

Moorhen 2

Coot 4

Mallard 4

Gadwall 16

Little Grebe 1

Wrong......again!

Another overnight ground frost, light north wind and mainly sunny.

Unfortunately, but understandably, increased movement restrictions will result in fewer walks by me and less opportunities of records from others. I will maintain this blog as best I can, any observations from anyone exercising in the recording area are welcome. My e-mail address is on the side bar to the right. 

Malcolm

So far, just my records from a morning stroll on Heysham skeer.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 27 - this is what today's title refers to, yesterday I said that they were opting to feed on the water rather than coming ashore. Today, I went down earlier in the tide, at 09:30 there were 27 feeding well in from the water's edge along the brackish drain where the weed grows. I managed to squeeze 25 onto this frame, they include two Red Blue ringed birds, almost certainly the regular Canadian pair.

When I was leaving the skeer at 10:30, I thought they had all gone, but checking along the skeer edge found two groups of 9 and 5 close in, but on the water. I don't know if the others were still around or moved on. This is the point in the tide, where I started yesterday, so presumably they fill their bellies with weed then float a while to digest it, but can't resist an odd buffet snack.

Peregrine 1

Knot c2,500

Eider c70

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Goldeneye 1 male

It was regularly feeding, I caught a dive on this clip, but suspect it was more an escape response to the passing gull. Note the two Merganser behind

Warmer.....well, not as cold.

It barely got down to 0C last night, a couple of light snow flurries this morning with periods of sunshine. The light winds continue from the north.

Heysham skeer - low water 09:00

Eider c60 

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c1,000

Pale-bellied Brent 11 - they are feeding differently in the skeer corner to last winter. Then, they would make their way up the beach until they got to the feeding area, then fed until displaced by the tide. At the moment, they are not attempting to come ashore and prefer feeding when the tide is over the weed beds.

This morning there was a small group of 9 drifting slowly in. Two more flew in to join them. They slowly made their way to the corner and started up ending to feed.

Perhaps it's because the weed strands are longer so far this year. Feeding this way makes the Brent easier to see and count, but it's not currently possible to check for rings.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

The Mute, Mallard, Coot and Gulls remain on the open water on the "no swimming" pond.

The open water area continues to increase

Meanwhile the remaining 13 Gadwall wait on the ice.

This Great Tit seemed convinced that Spring has sprung

Some cold weather movement

Another freezing night, cold north wind shifting to NNE later. Some sunshine in the morning, with rain showers by the afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I checked early before the swan feeding shifts started.

Most of the ducks had returned to the open water with the Mute on the "no swimming" pond:

Gadwall 21

Shoveler 5

Mallard 6

Teal 1

No sign of the Little grebe, but I have overlooked them before.

This white ringed Black-headed Gull on the ice, on main pond is a new bird. Unfortunately the ring was in the worst possible orientation, and before I or the gull could move to a better position, someone started feeding the Mute on the "no swimming" pond, resulting in all the BHG flying over and the ducks flying off.

I checked again early afternoon, but no sign of the ringed BHG, but a walk around located:

Grey Wagtail 1

Woodcock 1

Water Rail 2. One squealing half way up the hill on the west side and one calling on top. Water Rail are not normally found here, so they have either moved up from the frozen marshes or come in from elsewhere.

Heysham skeer - low water 09:00

Pink-Footed goose c500 NE between 08:15 - 08:30

Pale-bellied Brent Goose 7 in the SE corner of the skeer

Eider c70

Great Crested Grebe 1

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c2,000

Peregrine 1 (Knot c1,999)

Fieldfare 5 - these stopped off in my garden in Heysham at12:00. They managed some berries from my holly tree, which I had thought was already stripped by the local Thrushes, before moving on again.

Finally, a good one to watch out for - from Pete

Mediterranean Gull waiting for bread from a lamppost vantage point alongside A589 north of Oxcliffe lights.  Presumably the bird which is sometimes on the beach by the play area or on the horse paddock at high tide 

Nothing startling, but interesting none the less

Another overnight frost, but no more snow. The north wind was fresher and cold, but the air temperature was higher and the sunshine made it pleasant.

Heysham skeer - low water 08:15 (MD)

The sunrises in Heysham are rarely as splendid as the sunsets, and today was no exception. However, the rising sun did light up the South Lakes hills nicely.

Touched by the rosy fingers of dawn
Lovely words, but not mine - Homer (no, not that one)

Despite the beautiful backdrop, something didn't feel right - I didn't like it......it was too quiet!

Then I realised why. Today's low water uncovered the middle and outer skeer. On recent visits only the inner skeer was open and all the birds were there, today there was nothing on the, almost exhausted, inner skeer, but also no birds on the middle skeer. They were all on the outer skeer beyond the first channel. 

This is why, the middle skeer is largely covered by this year's new honeycomb worm colony.

It looks like, and effectively is, a desert, particularly for the Oystercatchers. Later when the tide covered the outer skeer, the Knot fed here, but nothing else.

Eider c60

Great Crested grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Knot c1500 - later there were 3,400 Knot roosting on the Sunny Slopes Groyne. 5 of these were colour ringed and read (ref Pete).

No Brent again today, but I did check the weed beds, there is still plenty left.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I just popped in for a quick check on my way home, unfortunately, just too late!

The hole on the main pond had been deserted by the Mute swan. As I approached the "no swimming" pond I realised where they had gone. 15 Gadwall were flying around, the Mute had joined the wildfowl on  the "no swimming" pond.

It wasn't the Mute that flushed the ducks though, it was those who feed them, which necessitates going down to the waters edge where the open water is.

A few hardy Gadwall toughed it out on the ice this time, but there are several regulars who feed the mute, and I knew it was only a matter of time before all the Gadwall left. Sure enough a quick look in the afternoon there were only: Mute, Coot, Mallard, plus at least one Little grebe left. 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult behind the ferry.

Red-Throated Diver - 1 out 

Both the above from Pete

Saltmarsh area - high water 14:00

There were several cold weather displaced birds around the saltmarsh. All seemed to be readily finding food.

Reed Bunting 3

Blackbird 2

Song Thrush 3

As all good reference books (google now I suppose) will tell you. Song Thrush eat snails

Robin at least three additional birds, 5 in total, all managing to coexist without too much bickering. This one's ring matches a sequence used on Middleton during 2020.

Like the Rock Pipits the other day, it seemed to be finding plenty of bits on the high water line. 

Also:

Dunlin c40

Ringed Plover 1

Grey Plover 1

Rock Pipit 2 + 1

And finally, while I was watching the above, look what was above, watching me!

It seems to be carrying a lame back leg, it will have to rely on scavenging.

It started, not too bad

Another overnight frost with a light dusting of snow. The sun came out in the morning, then a very heavy, but fortunately short snow storm at lunchtime. After that it threatened snow again a couple of times. So I chickened out and stayed at home in the afternoon (MD).

Heysham skeer 08:30 1 hour after low water.

Eider c 70 drifting past on the flood tide.

The mature male Eider are in full breeding plumage.

Great Crested grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 3

These two Merganser regularly search this pool in the middle of the skeer, and I suspect they are the same pair that feed in the pool at Red Nab. They will be after small crabs.

Note the Oystercatcher, bottom left, carrying a smallish mussel around, in case it can't find a larger one. They can't open the full sized mussels, there must be an optimal size to provide maximum return for a reasonable effort. The mussels don't actually require much "catching" but do anchor themselves quite effectively to the skeer and to other mussels, so do require some effort to prise free.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the two main ponds. Both areas of open water are still being maintained, but no sign of either the Shoveler or Teal today. All the rest as Thursday.

Not too bad a start

Overnight frost again, but not quite so severe. Light northerly breezes with long periods of sunshine.

Pete and Jean had a quick look round:

Pale-bellied Brent goose 7 - in Heysham Village Bay

Oystercatcher - the Norwegian ringed bird still on the cricket field

Merlin 1 out from Ocean Edge foreshore 

Ringed Plover 25 chased off by the Merlin.

Also on the south shore:

Reed Bunting 2 on saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 5 flushed from the saltmarsh edge by the rising tide

Rock Pipit 4 - 1 on foreshore, 1 on rocky outcrop on east side of saltmarsh and these two feeding on the shoreline near the old Pontins.

They seemed to be finding plenty of small morsels to eat.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

All three small patches of open water, were still about the same size as yesterday, but the ice thickness was less today.

All wildfowl as yesterday, except today: 7 Teal and 2 water Rail.

This shot shows the significant size range between
a male Mallard and a female Teal.
A male Teal is on the left and a couple of male Gadwall on the water behind.

Cetti's warbler 1 - a sighting (glimpse) of one in the willow growing in the middle of the fence pond.

Wildfowl teamwork successful......so far.

A hard frost again last night and the morning started with freezing rain, leaving a covering of ice over everything. The sun broke through by the afternoon, but the air temperature never got any higher than 2C. By 15:00 a mist came in off the sea. Very light N - NE breezes.

Middleton Nature Reserve - in the early afternoon sun

Main Pond:

Mute swan - Just the 2 adult and 3+1 juvenile are keeping a small patch ice free. 2 Moorhen have stayed with them.

When times are hard, local disputes are forgotten and the estranged juvenile was allowed to help to keep the hole ice free. 

No Swimming pond:

Despite the continued overnight freezing, the area of free water had increased slightly, as had the number of wildfowl.

Gadwall 29

Shoveler 6 (2 female)

Mallard 6

Coot 6 (I think joined by the 2 main pond birds)

Moorhen 2

Little Grebe 2

There was lots of activity (apart from the sleeping Shoveler). I expect the food supply is becoming scarce. Fortunately the activity, including diving and regularly climbing out onto the ice, is what is allowing this area to be maintained ice free.

Most of the above are on this clip.

The warm sunshine tempted quite a few of the Gadwall and Mallard onto the ice.

I like the Mallard moonwalking

Apart from cold feet, one of these Coot appears to be getting a cold shoulder too!

Tim Butler pond:

Completely frozen, no wildfowl seen or heard, although the horse field to the east wasn't checked.

Fence Pond:

There is a patch of open water below the large willow in the NW corner.

Teal 5

The only other record was 1 Water Rail squealing from the western scrape.

Siskin 3 or 4 feeding in the trees along Moneyclose Lane near the tall anemometer. Ref Kevin.

Well, the Siskins made it in as the last record for 2020. A year that most, if not all of us, will be glad to see the back of! 

2021 is going to start even tougher, but at least we can now see some light of what seemed to be an endless tunnel. So stay safe and lets hope we have a 

Happy New Year

Malcolm

Finally, an end of the year puzzle, and one that I don't yet know the answer to.

This is the superstructure above No.2 outflow. I have never seen it used by any sea bird, and I have checked at all times of the tide, all weather conditions and at all times of year, for over 20 years. Waders, gulls, terns and cormorant routinely rest on the rails along the outflow, which seems to rule out any theory relating to them not liking any odour from the outflow. But not once have I seen any sea bird on any part of the superstructure, other than the odd wader on the very lowest cross struts. I've absolutely no idea why. It must be something fundamental that I don't understand. I can't even recall, seeing  a feral pigeon here.

If anyone, has any thoughts on this, or records contrary to mine, I would be very interested. My contact details are on the side bar. Hopefully by new years eve 2021, I will post, at least a possible, explanation. 

Lots of Pinks

Heavy overnight frost left the ponds frozen other than small pockets kept open by the wildfowl. What little breeze there was came from the north. Mainly sunny, particularly in the afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

The small patch of open water on the main pond contained:

2 adult and 3 juvenile mute, the additional juvenile was sat on the ice (this bird is fledged and could fly off if it wanted to).

2 Mallard and 4 Moorhen

The free patch on the "no swimming" pond held:

28 Gadwall

5 Shoveler (2 female)

1 Mallard

3 Teal

2 Little Grebe 

2 Coot and 2 Moorhen 

Most of the above are in this shot of the free water on the "no swimming" pond. I doubt there will be much if any free water remaining by the morning.

Also:

2 Mallard plus 1 adult Mute flying around before moving on (the Tim Butler pond was completely frozen, but evidence that a mute had been trying to keep a patch open).

Water Rail 2 squealing plus one flushed.

Common Snipe 1

Green Woodpecker 1

Grey Wagtail 1

Goldcrest at least 1

Pink-Footed goose - there were 1,100 flying towards the NE between 09:00 - 10:00. Comprising 14 skeins.

Everyone living under the flight lines will be very familiar with the morning and evening, plus some nocturnal calling. 

This is a short clip of a typical skein heading from the Fylde roost to inland feeding areas.

Later there were 57 and 120 heading south at 10:30 and 13:40.

No sign of any Brent geese in quick check of the skeer corner, just before dusk.

The cold snap starts to bite

Overnight frost left the ponds largely ice covered. Light northerly breeze and plenty of sunshine.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Pete managed to read a white Darvic ringed Black-headed gull roosting on the main pond ice. It's worth checking this pond, which has a good history of hosting roosting ringed birds when ice covered.

Wildfowl pretty much as yesterday, but more concentrated in the ice free areas of the "no swimming" pond.

This is a nice clip of a female Gadwall dabbling and a female Shoveler "shovelling". Showing the different depths these species feed here.

Red Nab/saltmarsh approaching high water

Common Snipe 12 flushed when the tide reached  the small sea grass islands just south of the saltmarsh 

Reed Bunting 2

Rock Pipit 1

The one legged Redshank is still around and seems to be doing well

It tends to feed in different areas to the other Redshank, presumably because it's feeding options are restricted. Today, it seems to have come across the apparently ubiquitous small shrimps.

Heysham Skeer 

Pale-bellied Brent goose 13 I wasn't really expecting any today as it was very late in the day before the weed bed in the skeer corner was exposed. Sure enough as I walked out about 14:15 there were none. But looking back at 14:50 there were 13. But they soon took flight and, surprisingly, flew low to the north, last seen passing the Stone Jetty. Perhaps the large numbers over the last few days have stripped the easy pickings. I'll have a look, when I can get there when nothing is feeding.

Eider 76

Great Crested Grebe 2

Knot c1000