Hawker treble

A stong SW wind all day, mainly sunny.

South shore

Both myself (MD) and Kevin checked the sea for any wind blown stuff, but they either didn't arrive or were too distant for binoculars.

Wheatear 1 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit 2 on Red Nab and foreshoe

Mediterranean gull - at least 15 at low water. Minimum 11 adult/3cy on beach next to wooden jetty, 3 juvenile on seaward end of No.1 outflow and 1 adult/3cy out from the harbour mouth.

Later they were more spread around. This bird came from the noth side and settled just out from the harbour.

I like this clip, there was at least one Mediterranean gull resting with the Black-Headed gulls in the lea of No.2 outflow (just right of centre on the clip). Everything was relaxed, then a new BHG arrived and moved on another that was, "sat in my spot on this beach"......... A behaviour previously only witnessed in humans!

Sheltered from the wind it was very warm. There were lots of insects in the nature park behind Red Nab.

Kevin took this nice shot of a Painted Lady.

Painted Lady 

There were also:

Red Admiral 3

Peacock 1

Comma 1

Large White 2

Small Tortoiseshell 3

Common Blue

Speckled Wood 

Gatekeeper 

Plus a trio of Hawker Dragonflies 

Migrant Hawker 3

Brown Hawker 1

Southern Hawker 1

Male Southern Hawker

I have received a very interesting comment regarding Wednesday's post of the mass exodus of the Oystercatchers. My thanks to "Throbshire", sorry I don't know any other identity. 

I can offer you a possible solution to your exodus question. At about 10.00 on Wednesday my wife and I saw a big bird of prey heading towards Walney, roughly on a line from Heysham Sunny Slopes. Too distant to be 100% sure, but thought it was probably an Osprey at the time

So, this seems to be the final piece of the puzzle, just as the tide was moving the Oystercatcher from the outer  skeer, a large raptor, probably an Osprey drove them all to the south side. I do like it when evidence emerges to support a theory. Although evidence to disprove a theory is also good, much better than not knowing. (MD)

Gadwall returning

The fresh breeze started in the south before moving SW.  Some cloud, but the sunny periods increased during the day.

First, a request. Janet lost her wedding ring whilst checking Middleton Nature Reserve, possibly on the road where the old brick building used to be. It's a long shot, but if anyone does find it please either contact Janet directly or myself (MD).

Heysham skear - low water 09:20

Great Crested Grebe 3

Eider 26, they appear to be in family groups, the males, still in eclipse. The gull in this clip is diving for crabs, it seems optimistic to find one below of a bunch of Eider.

Little Egret at least 18

Grey Heron 1

Oystercatcher c500 on middle skear, fewer than of late, but the outer skear was also exposed, more on that later.

Turnstone c60

Curlew c50

Redshank c40

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Ringed Plover c20 where they normally feed on the inner skear plus 15, presumed off passage on middle skear.

Dunlin 1

One of the reasons I went down today was to try and understand what caused the mass exodus of Oystercatcher yesterday (hoping a large raptor would show up!). The outer skear was exposed, but not checked in detail, but this shot shows two things. First, it is still nicely covered in mussels (it's the area beyond the first channel, running across the image). Second, it wasn't densely packed with Oystercatchers, but it is a large area.

The outer skear is the dark band on top of this image.
It is larger than it looks, at least 0.5km further to the main channel.

Nevertheless, these last few tides will have been the first time it will have been available for feeding for two weeks, so presumably more food there than the middle skear. The timing of the oystercatcher flying past the roundhead yesterday coincides with when the tide covered the outer skear, so clearly a factor. But it didn't happen today, and it didn't happen on Tuesday when the LDBWS were on the south wall. I can only guess that something else occurred at the same time yesterday, probably a large raptor, causing the already moving birds to continue to the south side. (MD)

Just another skear related snippet. These spring tides drain quickly, leaving lots of standing water on the skear, this inevitably finds its way to the sea, and once a channel is formed the water gushes out, removing any loose sediment. This is what has happened on this shot.

The mud has been swept away in this channel, leaving the tubes of tube worms exposed.

 These are not Honeycomb worms, more likely Sand Mason worms.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick look round mid afternoon 

The wildfowl was as per Tuesday except for 9 additional Gadwall, so 13 in total with the female and her young. This clip starts withe the female and her three young, she wasn't overly welcoming. Next is an eclipsed male, the rest all appear to be female/immature.

The insects were similar to Tuesday too, except fewer butterflies, plus four Migrant Hawker Dragonflies.

Migrant Hawkers

Mass exodus

The fresh breeze started SE but moved to south then SSW and freshened. A few light showers becoming heavier by evening.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

John and I set nets this morning and caught a reasonable 35 birds between us. Conditions were overcast and a little breezy but no rain:

Wren 2 +1 retrap

Blackbird 1 retrap plus a single nestling being fed by its parents in a nest on the east side.

Sedge Warbler 2

Reed Warbler 1

Lesser Whitethroat 2

Common Whitethroat 9

Garden Warbler 4

Blackcap 2 + 1 retrap

Chiffchaff 2

Willow Warbler 5 + 2 retrap

10 Swifts seen moving southwards but just a single Swallow.

Janet found some fresh droppings on the edge of the main pond. These are located on top of old droppings that are now reduced to a collection of fragments of crayfish shells. Once again the main suspect is Otter, but neither of us are experts on Otter spraints. If anyone wishes to see the picture Janet took today please either contact Janet directly or myself (MD email address on sidebar ).

South shore mid morning

Wheatear 3

Rock Pipit 4 - 2 on foreshore plus 2 on sea wall

Mediterranean gull minimum 10 - 6 on beach near wooden jetty at least 3 juvenile feeding on outflows and seen from several locations along shore. As was this immature bird.

2cy Mediterranean gull (MD)

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1

Willow Warbler 1 in scrub near waterfall

There were 6 Linnet and 4 Goldfinch feeding on thistle seeds near the lighthouse. I can, and do, sit in my armchair and watch Goldfinch feeding on sunflower seeds from the feeder just outside the window, but it is somehow much more satisfying watching them feed naturally on seeds. This young Goldfinch seemed to be proficient in quite difficult conditions.

Grey seal 1 - shame one didn't show for the party from LDBWS yesterday.

Today's title refers to, what must have been, the entire population of north side Oystercatcher (at least 3,000) flying past the roundhead in less than 2 minutes. Something had seriously spooked them. It was 10:20, the tide had only been coming in for 90 minutes so they would have still been on their feeding grounds on the shore. So either a large bird of prey or something man made, e.g.  the RNLI hovercraft moves everything when they test it.

This is just a flavour of the movement.

Some, but not all, settled on the beach out from Red Nab, smeared over a few hundred metres.

Not a lot of Meds, but enough to go round.

Another steady west breeze all day, some light showers but largely sunny.

South Shore

A LDBWS event covered the rising tide this morning.

Report from Pete Crooks:

A group of 14 LDBWS members enjoyed searching for Mediterranean Gulls at Heysham on the incoming tide this morning. Highlights in roughly chronological order:

Heysham Nature Park – 1 Painted Lady

Red Nab (Brief check at low tide) – 2 Med Gulls (1 adult and 1 juvenile)

Heysham Outfalls – 8 Med Gulls (2 adults, 2 3rd CY and 4 juveniles)

1 1st CY Kittiwake

1 Eider

8 Turnstone

Red Nab (Longer check during incoming tide) – 10 Med Gulls (6 adults, including 1 with a right leg green darvic ring, 1 3rd CY, 1 2nd CY and 2 juveniles), 

1 adult Peregrine (briefly flushing the assembled waders and gulls)

2 Whimbrel  

1 Rock Pipit.

Assuming some duplication of Med Gulls at the different locations there were a minimum of 13 different individuals – 6 adults, 2 3rd CY, 1 2nd CY and 4 juveniles.

In addition 

Dave Hawkins had another two Kittiwakes at the back of the harbour, 1 adult + 1 juvenile 

Pete Marsh remained near Red Nab:

Sand Martin 1, in-off at red nab 

Manx Shearwater 1, very distant in against the turbines

7 non-juv Mediterranean gulls flew south past OE very early on (before 1030). Also 6 juvenile seen.

Before the LDBWS group arrived I (MD) had

Rock Pipits 3 on foreshore

Wheatear 5 - 2 on foreshore 3 on saltmarsh 

Wheatear amongst the Samphire at the edge of the saltmarsh 

A check of the Buddleia near the newt pond at 11:00 found it full of butterflies again, including:

Comma 1

Red Admiral 3

Painted Lady 4

Large White 3

Plus, Common Blue, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown

These are two of the Red Admiral, both quite faded.

These Whitethroat were near the small anemometer, I initially thought Common, but Pete Crooks, advised Lesser. There is a female feeding at least two young, although the "young" look more than capable of feeding themselves.

It was a big meal, but fed in two servings. These are a couple of stills from the clip, but I still can't decide what the meal was.

Pete (M) also reported two Common Whitethroat in the Heliport scrub plus two Willow warbler in garden near horse paddocks. There was also a Willow warbler in scrub near the lighthouse. 

Middleton Nature Reserve late afternoon 

Mute Swan pair plus 9 cygnets, just one adult seen on the Tim Butler pond, but large areas are hidden from view.

Mallard 7

Gadwall 1 female with 3 young

Coot 3

Moorhen 9

Swallows 44 to SW. they started moving through at 16:00 and were still moving at 17:00. Biggest group were 12 that had been feeding over the central marsh before moving off, the remainder were in ones and twos.

Dragonflies - not a lot:

Emperor 2

Brown Hawker 1

Black-Tailed Skimmer 2

Common Darter 6

Butterflies - also unspectacular:

Peacock 1

Meadow Brown 3

Gatekeeper still abundant 

Common Blue, less so

Speckled Wood several but becoming faded

Large White 2

Small White 4 confirmed 

Green-Veined White also 4 confirmed, all looking very warn

Several other "small white" butterflies could have been either species.

Finally, in the spring (it feels like last week!), based on the blossom, I speculated that we should have a good crop of hawthorn berries to hold onto the winter Thrushes this year. The fruits are just beginning to ripen and it looks like a bumper crop.

The Hawthorn berries are starting to ripen - bring on the Thrushes!

Ringed Plover return and Eider numbers starting to grow

A steady WSW steady breeze all day, overcast with sunny spells, light showers in the evening.

South shore

I checked the rising tide (MD)

Rock Pipit 3 - one on foreshore and two near No.1 outflow

The foreshore Rock Pipit revealed itself to be a juvenile 
You'll need to open the image to see the detail

Willow Warbler 1 in scrub near lighthouse 

Terns sp (almost certainly Sandwich) 4 out together.

Mediterranean gulls 19. At four hours before high water there were 15 adult/3cy, 1 x 2cy and 3 juvenile on the seaward side of the beach next to wooden jetty. But they weren't feeding and flew off as the tide reached them, although at least two of the juveniles were flying around and trying the outflows.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 on beach next to wooden jetty - it always puzzles me why more long billed birds are not feeding here regularly, every time I checked this bird it caught at least two worms.

It catches two worms in this clip

In this clip it displays all it's defining features 

Janet checked towards high water and took these shots

Juvenile Herring gull with Whelk egg cluster

There are still lots of Curlew around

Curlew 

Plus a bird on a wire....

Linnet

Heysham skear - low water 19:30

Eider 18 

Great-Crested grebe 5 (2 pair + 1)

Little Egret 7

Ringed Plover c20 - it was nice to see and hear them back.

Better wind, but it could have tried harder!

SW fresh wind in the morning, became stronger and more to west by late afternoon. Heavy showers.

Pete and Jean were first on the scene:

From Ocean Edge:

Mediterranean gulls 27 (4 juvenile).

Whimbrel 3

From North wall before Nick arrived, after that records would likely be duplicated:

Gannet 1

Manx Shearwater 1

Sandwich Tern 2

Report from Nick.

North harbour wall 10.45-13:15. Almost all the seabirds seen prior to 11.45.

Gannet 6 in, 1 out

Manx shearwater 11 out

Kittiwake juv out

Common scoter 57 out

Auk sp 1 in

Whimbrel 1 out

Oystercatcher c. 2000

I checked from the lighthouse late afternoon (MD)

Manx Shearwater 1 out

Nothing else within my range.

I was sheltering behind the lighthouse looking out to the sea for seabirds, meanwhile a seabird was also sheltering behind the lighthouse, and looking at me! This Kittiwake was only 5m away, also in the lea of the lighthouse.

Kittiwake in "unusual" plumage. Pete advises that it is a 2nd calendar year bird very
late moulting, by now it should be well advanced into winter plumage, i.e. adult plumage 

Remarkably, despite a few walkers, one with a dog, it was not disturbed while I was there, so I never saw it in flight.

Willow Warbler 1 in scrub

Painted Lady 1, briefly on the Unscented Mayweed - a bit of a surprise.

Mediterranean gulls - at least 18 including 2 juvenile and a 2nd calendar year 

There were at least 6 on the sea out from the lighthouse, even after the beach next to the jetty had become exposed. There were 12 on the beach when I left. This adult/3cy came in from the north to join other meds on the sea.

Not a great shot this one, but this young Herring gull appeared reluctant to let go of what looks to be a blue plastic cap. I hope it wasn't somehow physically attached to it!

An ill wind

An unexpected deviation in the wind direction, it started SSE, before swinging back SW by the evening. Heavy and prolonged showers in the morning, becoming less frequent, but still heavy.

The wind direction made it unlikely to blow anything in, and the heavy rain made visibility atrocious. Pete tried a check from Ocean Edge but couldn't see anything on the sea.

Mediterranean gulls 7

Whimbrel 2

Rock Pipit 3

The wind still looks good for tomorrow though.

Heysham skear - low water 18:10

After a heavy shower, it was actually sunny, shame there was little to see.

Great Crested Grebe 1

Eider 2

Low numbers of Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone. c1000 Oystercatcher 

Still high numbers of large gulls, mainly Herring.

Howard was also checking the sea, but nothing seen, so he "focused" on the Turnstone. c150 split between the old Heliport wall and the lighthouse area.

Summer plumage Turnstone
As ever with high definition images, best opened to appreciate the detail 

Turnstone shaking off the rain

I bumped into Howard as he was returning to his car, unfortunately he hadn't managed to shake off the rain, and was considerably wetter than the Turnstone. But he had enjoyed himself.

Finally just a couple of moths from earlier in the week. Neither rare, but but both attractive, and nice to see.

Udea lutealis on Middleton Nature Reserve Thursday - picture by Janet

This from Kevin's overnight light trap yesterday.

I had a rather lovely Drinker Moth this morning. Again, a fairly common moth, but it's somehow eluded me until now.

Drinker moth

Plenty of wind blown sea birds, plus Med numbers continue to increase

A fresh south wind quickly strengthened and shifted to SW, ending up being a strong wind. Heavy and prolonged showers in the morning became lighter and less frequent after lunch.

By lunchtime there was plenty of wind blown birds along the mid channel.

Pete checked just as the tide was starting to ebb.

At that time a number of birds were feeding in the mid channel, including:

Gannet 6

Manx Shearwater 1

Sandwich Tern 1

A distant bird was likely to have been a Fulmar

Tipped off by Pete, I checked from the lighthouse 13:30 - 14:30. By that time all the birds were all heading out. NB, these records are only what was spotted with binoculars, there could have been many more further out (MD)

Gannet 14 - from 2nd calendar year to adult

One of the immature Gannets

Immature Gannet next to juvenile Herring/LBB gull

This clip is an adult Gannet with two immature birds (I'm not good at ageing young Gannets).

Manx Shearwater 40 - this clip shows the largest group seen together. Not easy viewing as both the birds and myself were being buffeted, but at least 11 birds involved.

This flock of 30+ dark birds flew out. I could only think Common Scoter, but couldn't really see enough. Scoter are not a species that I am very familiar with, and the last time I thought distant birds were Common Scoter, they turned out to be Pink-Footed geese! These are not geese, but I'll let you decide on the species for yourselves. (MD)

Pete advises that it's looking good for some autumnal Seawatching over the next few days 

Mediterranean gulls 

Pete checked the shore and Red Nab after high water - minimum 19 Meds

Adult Sandwich Tern and a juvenile Mediterranean gull on Red Nab

I checked the beach near the jetty, just as the tide was exposing it. 26 - 19 adult/3cy, 3 x 2/3cy, 5 juvenile. This clip is just some of them, I know it's similar to yesterday's clip, but it is an impressive scene to witness.

 Shaun did a thorough check when the beach was fully exposed, just after low water

41 adult/3cy, 1 2cy and 3 juvs 

So the absolute minimum number of Meds seen today 49 - 41 adult/3cy, 3 x 2/3cy and 5 juvenile 

Saharan seascape

 The wind started from the east then freshened as it swung SE. Mainly overcast with a few light showers and occasional sun.

South shore

So far the only records today are from a couple of visits here by myself (MD)

Mid morning - approaching high water

Common Whitethroat - at least two female/immature near the small anemometer (not normally seen here)

Migrant Hawker 1 also around the small anemometer 

Little Egret - the bird with only one foot was waiting by the saltmarsh creek. I was hoping to see it fishing here on my return, but it had moved onto the saltmarsh by then. 

Whimbrel 2 came off the saltmarsh 

Curlew 52 feeding along waterline 

Rock Pipit 2 squabbling on the foreshore 

Mediterranean gulls 9 - 4 adult/3cy, 1 x 2cy and 4 juvenile - Roosting on the mud out from the saltmarsh. This clip shows three of the juveniles, just checking again, to make sure that a feather isn't food.

This is a unusual angle of the fourth juvenile Mediterranean gull.
Slightly more practical use of energy as it tries to catch a passing insect

Butterflies:

The wind was due east when I started, there was nothing on the Buddleia, the same three Green-Veined Whites as yesterday were near Red Nab, but nothing moving along the foreshore or on the saltmarsh, just one static Large White seen. But by my return the wind was SE and there were now several Large Whites and two Small Tortoiseshell  moving south along the eastern side of the saltmarsh.

Just another quick check in the afternoon as the beach near the wooden jetty became exposed.

The wind was still quite strong from the SE, the tide was out and it was still warm. But no sun and it was actually raining when I arrived at the lighthouse area, so no surprise that no insects were coming in off the sea again.

Whimbrel 3

Mediterranean gulls 18 - there were 12 adult on the beach (possibly some were moulted 3rd calendar year)  plus another between the outflows. 1 x 3cy (probably), 1 x 2cy plus 3 juvenile 

They arrived at the beach from both the north and south side. This clip is just as the mud became exposed, there are 9 Meds, including the flying bird, plus a Black-Headed gull. The two obviously immature birds are the first and last in the clip.

All the gulls were paddling again today, it seems that is the easiest way to catch sand mason worms this year. The worms are much smaller than the ones they catch when they are feeding on patches on the dry beach. I have always suspected that bounty is related to the breeding cycle of the sand mason worms, which will obviously only involve mature worms. This clip shows two of the juveniles feeding, the one at the back catches a worm at the start of the clip and makes a bit of a meal of eating it (pun intended today). The closer bird appears to catch something, but I am sure it is only the top of the worm's tube.

This faded Ringlet was near the newt pond, it's the first I've seen for a week or so, and I had assumed that they were done for the year.

Ringlet butterfly 

Not so many butterflies around the Buddleia,  c5 Peacock, plus low numbers of Meadow Brown and Common Blue.

The Migrant Hawker was still around the small anemometer, I managed a couple of shots this afternoon.

This in flight shot is just to show location, the tower behind is the tall anemometer
as seen from the small anemometer. Fortunately the hawker eventually settled

Not quite fully mature male Migrant Hawker.

We are just finishing a period of neap tides, so for almost a week the mud out from the saltmarsh has not been covered by the tide. The hot sun over the last few days has dried it out. So when the wind freshened from the SE this morning, it created a Saharan like sandstorm. Well, perhaps not Saharan like, particularly with the Power Stations in the background, but at least enough to disturb a few of the roosting gulls.

Purple Hairstreak confirmed

The west breeze continues but with a bit of south in it. Some clouds but mainly sunny.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Purple Hairstreak - last year there were a couple of "probable" sightings, and there have been some unconfirmed repots this year, but yesterday Linda and Barbara had a definite sighting at 17:00. This is the most likely time of day, check out the oak trees on the northern side of the plateau.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

Good numbers of butterflies here too. Including this Painted Lady

Painted Lady 

These droppings were amongst the rocks by the main pond, Janet wasn't sure, and I can't be certain, but they do look like Otter spraints (MD).

Waterside droppings containing broken crayfish shells

South shore

Wheatear 1 on Ocean Edge foreshore 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Mediterranean gulls 5 adult/3cy on the beach next to the wooden jetty.

Insects:

It was hot, the tide was out, ideal conditions for insects coming in off the sea near the lighthouse, if the breeze had been from the east. But the breeze was from the west. When you have a theory of insect movement based on wind direction, it is important to check both predictions. Today there should have been nothing coming in off, and that's exactly what I saw. The only butterflies were a couple of resident Common Blue.

But there was plenty of butterfly movements inshore. The Buddleia near the newt pond was again very busy, but the butterflies did seem to be moving through, particularly the Large White. 

All the butterflies seen yesterday were present again, plus:

Painted Lady 1

Brimstone 3 (all males)

Brimstone butterfly feeding on Ragwort 

But most of the feeding was on the Buddleia. The light reflecting off the surrounding foliage made the wings look pale green, showing their excellent camouflage effect, as a leaf.

At least 7 Large White passed quickly through in the 10 minutes I was watching. Once again, they were reluctant to rest with open wings (not good camouflage). This was as close as I got.

It was clear that a number of the butterflies were moving through, but it wasn't obvious which way, so I had a walk along the foreshore and saltmarsh to see if anything was coming in off.

There was a small group of, probably resident Green-Veined White near Red Nab, but nothing moving either way, there or along the foreshore. But there were plenty of butterflies around the saltmarsh:

Large White 5+

Peacock 1

Small White 7+

Small Tortoiseshell 4

They were feeding, but also gradually moving south as they did so. So presumably the general movement was south, probably along the coast line. This does fit with the element of south in the breeze at this time. (MD)

Finally a bit of news on the one legged Little Egret (see post 2/08/21) Kevin spotted it resting on Red Nab. It wasn't stained today, and Kevin's shot shows that the leg is severed just above the foot, and if it is the result of an accident, as opposed to a deformity, it has healed well (pun not intended, but it is a good one!). Red Nab would not be a good place for it to feed, as the technique here is generally to disturb the mud with one foot while standing on the other. But it will be fine in the ebbing drains around the skear, where they just have to stand and wait for the prey to swim past them. Hopefully I'll see it feeding one day when I'm down there.