Early Scaup

Very light variable breeze mainly NE. Sunshine in the morning then becoming hazy by lunch and for the rest of the day

First, a correction. The large egret on the south shore, that I identified as a Great White Egret, turned out to be an unusually large Little Egret. All records have been amended. My apologies if it caused any confusion, at least it shows the value of photography, they can prove, or in this case, disprove identity. It was around again today bullying the other little Egrets and does look to be half as big again as the others. Care required! (Malcolm)

Just my records so far today (MD)

South shore just after low water in the morning 

Rock Pipit 3

Wheatear 9 quickly moving through 5 along the foreshore and 4 near the lighthouse 

Wheatear having a short rest in the inner harbour

Mediterranean gull 5 resting on the rocks on the seaward side of the beach near the wooden jetty. One had a white and another a yellow ring, but much too distant to read, and they left when the tide reached them.

Peregrine Falcon 1 juvenile 

Imperial Way

Just a brief check at 17:00

Stock Dove 1 

Mistle Thrush 1

Swallow 80+

House Martin 6+

The hirundines were milling around the south of the road where the gates to the recycling centre are.

Just a few of the House Martin and Swallow

Heysham skear low water 19:30

Little Egret 4

Grey Heron 2

Grey Heron, ruffling its feathers on Conger rock

Eider 12 including one adult male, but mainly juvenile 

Great Crested grebe 9

Shag 1 - this is a bit different, it had been feeding, now it is drying its wings whilst still swimming 

Scaup 3 

Scaup

They were feeding and joined by an Eider

Then time for a wash and brush up

An interesting walk along the wall

A gentle NW wind. Sunshine pretty much all day 

Just stuff from my morning stroll along the south sea wall, so far (MD)

Linnet 10 along foreshore and Red Nab

Goldfinch 4 near lighthouse 

Common Whitethroat 1 Red Nab

Robin 2 Red Nab and foreshore plus 1 near lighthouse 

Wheatear 1 Red Nab

Grey Wagtail 1 Red Nab

Rock Pipit 5

Inshore Red Nab was busy, it probably warranted more time watching, but I was just passing en route to the wooden jetty. There were 3 + 1 Rock pipits squabbling, the territorial bird was also seeing off the Grey Wagtail. Even so it found time for a bit of feeding. This looks like another Rat- Tailed maggot (see post 12 August), looks even less appetising when it's dragged out of the remaining slime! This pool has a couple more days before it is refilled by the increasing height tides.

Meanwhile the Robin was seeing off this Whitethroat 

The Wheatear watched on for a while then continued its journey 

My haste was so as not to miss the beach near the wooden jetty being covered by the incoming tide. I timed it just right, unfortunately the Meds flew off as the tide reached them, not driven towards the wall as they are when the honeycomb worms are being caught on the open mud.

Mediterranean gulls 

Adult (possibly some 3rd calendar year) 15

2nd calendar year 1

1st calendar year 1 (feeding on No.2 outflow)

This is the 2nd calendar year bird (not obvious in this shot) chasing an adult off its patch

Adult Med leaving the beach long before it was covered

There were two white darvic ringed birds amongst them. Fortunately one was relatively close in and could be seen to be the Dutch ringed bird. The other, further out and with mud on its ring left before it could be read.

Adult Med ringed as nestling in Holland 2010

Mallard 1 female flew out along the shipping lane

Grey Heron 1 on Red Nab

Grey Heron

Little Egret 4  - 2 on Red Nab 1 near No.1 outflow plus 1 flew south past lighthouse 

Little Egret 

Stop press.....

Update from Pete

3 Wheatear heliport along with 3 rock pipit.  680 redshank,102 turnstone 

Possibly more to come

Purple Sandpiper

A light wind from the east in the morning, switching to west in the afternoon. Mainly overcast  till lunchtime then increasing sunshine.

Purple Sandpiper 1 on old Heliport wall (Pete)

South shore 

Report from Pete:

Mediterranean gull 9 on Red Nab

Shag 1 on wooden jetty

I checked the foreshore and beach out from saltmarsh (MD)

Robin 3 on Red Nab and foreshore, disgruntled "clicks" in the Nature Part suggesting more around.

Robin - as handsome a bird as any we see!

Grey Wagtail 1 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit 2 (including one by the rocky outcrop south of the saltmarsh)

Wheatear 1

Linnet 17 around saltmarsh 

Little Egret 4

Lapwing 4

There was the same cluster of Oystercatcher on the beach out from the saltmarsh, but we're moving back to spring tides and it comes in quickly. The other waders were just reaching the southern end of the recording area.

Dunlin c250

Knot c30

Grey Plover 10

Curlew 70

No godwits seen

I was just about to leave the beach when a small flock of waders appeared from nowhere and landed briefly by the Oystercatcher.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 36

Dunlin 32

Knot 11

Grey Plover 3

Bar-Tailed Godwits and Knot dropping out of the sky

The Knot and Dunlin quickly moved off south, but the bigger waders waited till flushed by the tide

Some of the Bar-Tailed Godwit and Grey Plover - looking like a bad school photo!

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Jean:

This morning we caught 26 birds:

Grey Wagtail 2 of 3 that went through

Willow Warbler 8

Chiffchaff 1 (a retrap from the 19th and in heavy moult)

Blackcap 3

Whitethroat 3

Lesser Whitethroat 3 (2 were retraps)

Robin 2

Goldfinch 3

Great Tit 1

4 Swallows north and a high Sparrowhawk south

I had a stroll around in the afternoon (MD)

Mute Swan pair with 7 well grown cygnets 

Coot 1

Moorhen 6 including 1 well grown young 

Mallard 1 female with 2 well grown young, plus 12, possibly including some mature young

Little grebe a pair on the Tim Butler pond have at least one young - looks like it is being encouraged to feed for itself 

Common Sandpiper 1 on main pond 

Grey Heron 1

Cormorant 1 immature - it was sunning itself and didn't immediately noticed that I was right behind it!

Buzzard 1 drifting high to south (mewing constantly)

Swallow 13 (2, 7, 1, 1, 2) SW

House Martin 2 SW

There is still no sign of the Otters feeding on the Signal Crayfish 

Dragonflies 

Emperor c10

Common Darter c10

Brown Hawker 1

Migrant Hawker 2

Butterflies 

Gatekeeper 

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood 

Red Admiral 7 - all looking fresh and all in the same area near the golf course.

This juvenile Sparrowhawk had tried and failed to catch the birds on my feeders at home. It gave me a dirty look!

Juvenile Sparrowhawk 

Just out of recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve 

Janet took this shot of a ringed Grasshopper Warbler - a male was reeling here in the spring

Knot back

A light WNW wind. Mainly overcast till lunchtime, then mainly sunny.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from John

Very slow morning ringing, with just sixteen birds caught in three nets over a four hour period from 6.30am. These comprised :

Reed Bunting             x2

Willow Warbler         x2

Chiffchaff                  x2

Lesser Whitethroat   x2

Blackcap                    x2

Reed Warbler            x1 retrap

Bluetit                        x1

Grey Wagtail              x1

Sedge Warbler           x1

South shore

I checked form Red Nab to the shore out from the saltmarsh this morning on the rising tide (MD)

Sandwich Tern just one on a Red Nab rock

Sandwich Tern

Rock Pipits 5 - three on Red Nab and two together near the rocky outcrop to the south of the saltmarsh.

No Wheatear today

Linnet 18 (6 + 12 around saltmarsh)

Lapwing 6

There were just 800 Oystercatcher resting on the mud out from the saltmarsh then a nice mixed flock of waders arrived from the south, led by Grey Plovers.

Grey Plover 40

Knot 70

Dunlin 130

Bar-Tailed Godwit 10

Not only a nice mixture of species, also a variety of plumages (the background noise was something going on in the Power Station). I pan a bit quickly to get them all in the 30 seconds allowed, but you can opt to watch in slow motion.

This shot is just to show the location, that's, what's left of, the wooden jetty in the background 

When the tide eventually flushed them, they all flew off together. I haven't pre sized this shot, so you will need to open it to see any detail. Each bird is identifiable.

Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Bar-Tailed Godwit 

Nature Park 

Migrant Hawker 4

Common Darter 4

Painted Lady 1

Common Blue 1

Plus several of each

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper 

Speckled Wood 

Janet took these shots of moths on Middleton Nature Reserve this morning

A quite faded Shaded Broad-bar

Straw Dot

You wait for ages for a Toadflax Pug.............

A light south wind in the morning, gradually made its way to the west by evening. Heavy overnight rain, but dry during the day with occasional sightings of the sun.

South shore - ebbing tide early afternoon (MD)

Wheatear 4

Rock Pipit 2

Mediterranean gull 4 adult plus 1 x 1st calendar year on beach near wooden jetty.

First calendar year Mediterranean gull, with distinctive tail feathers

Nature Park

Migrant Hawker 2

Common Darter several 

Comma 1

Small White 1

Gatekeeper 1

Common Blue 2

Speckled Wood several 

Meadow Brown several 

This Willow Warbler was having a good bath in the newt pond

Report from Kevin - Local moth

I've been waiting for ages for my annual Toadflax Pug to appear and then three arrived at once! Very similar to the more widespread Foxglove Pug, this tiny local moth is a bit of a Heysham specialty.

Toadflax Pug

Sandwiches on the beach

The early light SE wind gradually moved to SW. overcast all day with just a few glimpses of sunshine.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report from Alan:

Nets set by 06.30 but fewer birds around this morning than perhaps expected. I needed to take down at 10.30.

Two single Grey Wagtails were attracted down by the mp3 but were not trapped. The only other bird flying over was a single Swallow at 09.30.

Ringing:

Reed Warbler 2

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Common Whitethroat 7

Garden Warbler 2

Blackcap 2

Willow Warbler 1

Great Tit 2

Goldfinch 1

South Shore (MD)

I walked along the mud out from the saltmarsh as the neap tide was towards high water. Almost uniquely I was alone, apart from the wildlife, but the birds seemed very flighty. I think the juvenile large gulls flying around erratically were confusing the waders.

Little Egret 7

Red-Breasted Merganser 4 together flying south

Wheatear 2

Linnet 7

Lapwing 14

Ringed Plover 1

Grey Plover 150 minimum

Dunlin 250 minimum

Mainly Grey Plover flying past

Dunlin and Grey Plover 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 8 including 3 in summer plumage 

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin

Sandwich Tern 4 minimum. There was one family (2 adult and 2 juveniles), but again they were quite flighty and several sightings of individual birds could have been birds from these four. There is no doubting they were a family, any parent could relate to this:

I managed to get a shot with them all in (just)

I just had a short walk along the sea wall in the afternoon, to see if any other ringed Mediterranean gulls were on the beach next to the wooden jetty. But today there were only 2 adults and neither ringed (even though tide, timing and weather seemed the same as yesterday).

However we have received the updated history of yesterday's bird ringed as a nestling in Holland 24/06/10

Since it was seen here last autumn it was seen

27/12/21 reserva natural Estuário do Douro, Canidelo; Vila Nova de Gaia; Porto; ; Portugal 41,08N 8,4W

5 to 23/01/22 Playa San Lorenzo; Gijón; Asturias; Asturias; SPAIN 43,32N 5,39W

This Little Egret (originally incorrectly identified by myself (Malcolm) as  GWE) is feeding just below the sea wall. It catches a crab and then immediately releases it, crabs nip! But it gets a consolation goby.

But, this clip starts with another crab in its bill. It actually leaves the water so as not to risk losing this one. It then returns and catches another Common Goby - easy, albeit small pickings.

Both the crabs were of similar size. The only difference must be that the second crab's exoskeleton was not fully hardened (they are soft when the old one is shed and it goes through increasing stages of hardening before the pincers become totally effective again).

This is the discarded crab, its posture shows that it is confident of its defences

This is the second (not hard enough) crab going down

You don't need to walk miles and carry high quality optics to enjoy the local wildlife, Janet provided this report and pictures from her phone (although Janet does walk many miles with here camera as well).

There is a small Budliea near the co-op and first house on Longlands crescent with 

5 Painted Lady 

1 Small Tortoiseshell 

1 Red Admiral

Very fresh looking Painted Ladies

A better variety

The wind started from the east then swung round to south by lunchtime. Light showers in the morning then more prolonged rain started just after lunch.

Report from Pete:

Sandwich Tern 5 x 1st calendar year resting on shore out from Ocean Edge

Three of the Sandwich Terns - not a great shot, but shows location.

Wheatear 7 quickly moving through Ocean Edge foreshore 

Mediterranean gulls 16 including 2 x 1st calendar year

Shag 1 x 2nd calendar year 

A fall of warblers included 10 Willow Warbler in the brambles by litter bin in Heysham Nature Reserve car park.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This from Janet

A juvenile Jay was hopping about on the path at Middleton NR, I thought at first it couldn't fly but it did just manage to get onto the branch of a tree.

South shore (MD)

I left it till lunchtime as I wanted to watch the beach next to jetty become exposed.

Wheatear 1 almost certainly additional to Pete's, this one too, quickly moving through

Rock Pipit 1

Willow warbler 2 and Common Whitethroat 1 seen in Nature Park

Common Sandpiper 1 flew out of the harbour then along north wall.

Mediterranean gulls

Even though it was 12:30 and 4 hours after high tide, the beach by the jetty was just becoming exposed for the first time in daylight today. There were 10 adult Meds waiting on the rocks at the edge of the beach, eventually there were 12 adult, 1 x 2nd calendar year and 1 x 1st calendar year. I say "eventually" it was only 12:45 but the rain had started lashing down.

2nd calendar year Mediterranean gull now in 2nd winter plumage 

These are some of the Meds and a few Black Headed-gulls just below the sea wall

The water only moves very slowly on these neap tides, the gulls were catching plenty of Sandmason worms, but only when there was some water covering them. There were three ringed birds today, two just metal (one below and one above the knee). The third was a white darvic, a regular visitor, originally ringed in Holland in 2010. This is the first occasion it has been seen here this year, let's hope it has been seen elsewhere since its last visit. Here it is catching a worm and avoiding Oystercatchers.

Just a footnote from yesterday - it sounds like the Alder Leaf beetle has transformed its status from extinction to "pest" - see Rob's comment on yesterday's post.

A lazy sort of day

Much lighter west wind today, high cloud with sunshine increasing during the day

South shore (MD)

Morning on ebbing tide

Linnet 6 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipits 3

Mediterranean gulls 4 adult plus a 1st calendar year. The very low neap tide still hadn't exposed the beach next to the jetty, but there was one adult waiting on rocks and the 1cy and an adult on sea out from the harbour. Two more adults were making their way there from Red Nab as I walked back.

First calendar year Mediterranean gull out from Harbour 

This adult Mediterranean gull has a very pale mask.

Little Egret 3 on Red Nab

A second quick check in the evening towards high water found the small mullet were back in the channel below the sea wall.

This channel is formed by the freshwater stream that runs through then around Red Nab. This shot shows the filling channel, as it winds around Red Nab.

Little Egret - four feeding along this channel plus another two along the channel forming along the old water pipeline.

Little Egret, looking particularly splendid 

Nature Park

Common Darter 1

Migrant Hawker 2

The only butterflies seen were Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood.

I wasn't planning on posting this, I only asked Kevin and Alison for identification for my own interest. But  the answer was more generally interesting (well, at least I think so MD). It's an Alder Leaf Beetle

Alder Leaf beetle (7mm length) below an Alder near the small anemometer 

According to Wikipedia, as recently as 2004 this species was thought extinct in the UK. Then after a sighting in Manchester it has been spreading around the NW. I knew that I hadn't seen one before when I saw it, but there are literally thousands of UK beetles that I've not seen!

Plenty of wind, but not much water!

Strong SW wind, mainly overcast, with some sunny spells. It stayed dry till late evening, then the heavens opened.

Just my stuff so far (MD)

South shore 

Two visits, mid morning (low water) and late afternoon (towards high water)

Mediterranean gull 7 adult on the beach near wooden jetty in morning, a 1st calendar year on No.2 outflow in the afternoon

Adult Mediterranean gulls - this shot showing moult progress

1st calendar year Mediterranean gull with Black-Headed gulls
This shot was actually from yesterday but same location as today's bird

The young gulls are stripping the barnacles off the platform supports in the harbour, presumably more for their grit than the scant protein content. This one is a Herring gull.

This young Lesser Black-Backed gull as found an apple, don't know what happened, but the apple appeared to have scared it off! Don't think it will be taking on an apple again!

Sorry about the jerky nature of this clip, but it was wild on the sea wall.

Rock Pipits 6

It was more sheltered in the Nature Park and there were still a few insects about

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 1

Peacock 1

Large White 1

several each

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper 

Common Blue 

Speckled Wood 

Record breaking moth

A fresh west wind overcast but plenty of sunny spells

Wheatear 1 female on Near Naze yesterday - ref Howard 

South shore - today

I was busy today and thought this morning's visit towards low water would be my only opportunity (MD)

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Peregrine Falcon 2. One, presumably a juvenile was practicing its stoops on the gulls

Peregrine practicing its stoop

Mediterranean gulls 8 adult plus 1 x 1st calendar year on the beach next to the wooden jetty, most on the waterline, later 1 x 1cy on No.2 outflow

Little Egret 5 

These three Little Egrets seemed to be catching lots of shrimps in the almost empty channel below the sea wall at No.2

This Migrant Hawker was below the small anemometer 

Mature male Migrant Hawker

Finally this report from Kevin of his excellent sighting along the sea wall last month. This is a brilliant spot, I can barely see the moth in Kevin's picture, let alone spot it on the wall. You will probably have to open Kevin's picture to be able to see it. 

Marbled Green moth  

A belated record from July 26th. Belated because I was waiting for verification as it's only the third record for Lancashire, and the only one North of the Ribble.

It was resting on the South harbour arm and I only spotted it because I was scanning along the wall at a low angle in order to see any insects standing out above the surface. Even knowing exactly where it was it took a while to locate because of the excellent camouflage. The caterpillars feed on lichen and the adults rest on lichen covered walls, rendering them virtually invisible to the prying eyes of hungry birds.

Marbled Green moth