Rough weather birding

 A fresh SW wind with strong gusts, overcast with plenty of showers.

Pete and Jean checked the lunchtime ferry in:

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

Kittiwake at least 44 probably more

They did well counting as many as they did. I was at the lighthouse (MD), it's very difficult counting when the birds and the sea are swirling round so much. Fortunately I knew they were counting so I focused on getting some pictures,  even then it wasn't easy. This is about my best effort.

Three adult plus a 2nd calendar year Kittiwake behind the Ben My Chree

There are seven Kittiwake in this shot, but it is really just to show today's conditions 

Shag - at least one immature 

Shag (left) and Cormorant at the waterfall 

Later it, or a second bird, looked like a 3rd calendar year, was in the middle of the harbour before flying out.

Immature Shag leaving the harbour

Pale-bellied Brent goose 1 feeding on Red Nab - it's unusual to see a solitary bird. Again this clip of it with Wigeon, is more to show the conditions.

No reports, as yet, of anyone checking the north side feeding area.

Turnstone, playing "chicken" with the waves on the sloping sea wall.

There was a crowd of cormorants between No.1 outflow and the wooden jetty. One had a large Bass, I've seen them swallow Bass not much smaller than this one, but this one was just too big.

Bass are a very dense fish, and weigh a lot for their size. This one will weigh not much less, or possibly more than the cormorants! The larger birds were bickering for "their turn" to try swallowing it. And they gave it a good go.

This one was apparently "taking too long" and was duly told so.

This one made a great effort, but was eventually beaten 

Like the Pelican, their beaks can hold more than their belly can!

Eventually they all gave up, unfortunately the Bass would not escape, the Cormorants immobilise them by  breaking their gill rakes. But nothing is wasted in nature. The crabs and shrimps will eventually succeed where the Cormorants failed, providing more food further down the food chain. 

Well, I got out today, but it was an effort! I felt like I carried a sack of coal to the lighthouse, then two sacks back again! But think I'm on the mend now, so hopefully I'll be more mobile tomorrow (MD).

A day for short range birding!

Overcast with frequent, but largely light showers. A SSE light wind

First this is Kevin's Kittiwake from yesterday, turns out it was an immature bird (now 3rd calendar year).

It was being hassled and pecked at by a gang of juvenile Herring Gulls,
and swam to the harbour edge to avoid them. It didn't appear to make an
effort to fly so I wonder if it was unwell. Kevin

Howard went to check the Pale-bellied Brent geese among the play area rocks. This isn't what today's title refers to. Howards shots are excellent, but from a distance of c500 yards. At first there were only 2 birds feeding, but these had grown to 23 by lunchtime. It's worth opening these as not only are they clear pictures of the birds, but they also show the profusion of gutweed on the rocks.

Unfortunately, the white ringed bird was not with them today, it's proving elusive!

Howard has also received the history of the ringed Oystercatcher he read (see post 26/12/22)

Ringed as a nesting adult 31/05/21 at 04:46 - Iceland, S-Ice, Árn., Selfoss, Svarfhólsvöllur (golf course) 63.9476 North - 20.977 West. 

It was seen several more times in the same area rearing its young and then nesting and rearing again in 2022, till the last record on 10/07/22. Howard's record is the first one away from the golf course, let alone Iceland.

I was (am) full of a cold today and didn't manage to get out (MD). This is what today's title refers to. My only "outing" was as chauffeur to Morrisons. At least the birds there are obliging!

This immature Herring gull wasn't for moving on!

Apart from that, I had to be satisfied with watching the birds feeding in my garden.

Always nice when the Jays pop in

Hopefully I'll manage a proper outing tomorrow.

Some long distance birding!

Very light west breeze in the morning switching to SE in the afternoon. Plenty of sunshine with at least one light shower.

Visibility was great today, Pete scoped into the distance.

Red-Throated diver 2 distant

At least 37 Pale-bellied Brent seen from Knowlys road including at least five flying across the bay from Barrow.  

Flock of 6 Barnacle Geese seen in flight from Knowlys off East Plain - feral? 

SD46A survey abandoned due to off lead dogs simply everywhere including all the beach off Heysham head

Heysham harbour 

Kittiwake 1 adult or (now) 3rd calendar year - ref Kevin

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Janet had her first stroll around with her camera since breaking her ankle. Not a lot about, but as ever, some lovely pictures.

Roe deer 1 

Long-Tailed Tit

This one is looking for invertebrates, but appears to be just enjoying the sun.

Grey Heron

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I had a quick look in the late morning, and caught what was probably the only shower of the day (MD).

Nice to see a Coot back on the main pond

The water level generally is high, but the "no swimming" pond is over a metre higher than normal. The pump or the sensor must have failed. This shot is the same area where I filmed the heron searching the reeds (see post 24/12/22). The reeds now below water.

Just the very tips of the reeds now poking above the surface 

The only dabbling ducks still here were a couple of Gadwall

Tufted Duck 2 male

There were 6 Teal and two more Gadwall on Tim Butler pond

Heysham skear - low water 14:40 (MD)

I didn't bother checking the play area rocks, turned out I didn't need to. As Pete pointed out there were lots of people exercising their dogs today. Only to be expected, a nice sunny Bank Holiday in the middle of winter, The days are so short it concentrates all activities.

The brent probably had been spooked as 32 were resting/feeding near conger rock, there is some gutweed here along the old fish trap stakes. As the tide turned they swam to the SE skear corner before flying back to the play area outer rocks. But they were only there 20 minutes before 39 flew back out, 35 settling on the sea near conger and 4 flying off north.

They swam back to the corner again

I watched them waddle onto the shore in the corner, they all appeared to be adult and none were ringed, even though the white ringed bird was with the group near conger earlier. They all had a drink in the groundwater runoff reaching the corner, then flew back to the play area rocks again. But it was still busy and this flock of 30 flew back and straight over my head. You can clearly hear their "soft" honks as they pass over and continue north.

Another two flew off west

Eider 41

Great Crested Grebe 3

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Female Red-breasted Merganser 

Shag 1 immature (the two options now being 2nd or 3rd calendar year)

Immature Shag, you can't really tell but that's a Brent goose behind the Oystercatcher 

A slow start

A light but freshening south to SW wind. Some sunny periods with the occasional shower.

Pete and Jean managed a quick visit

Pintail 5 south 

Shag 1 on wooden jetty

I just had chance of a short walk after lunch (MD)

Heysham skear - low water 13:35

At 2.7m low water, the tide doesn't go out far, conger rock was barely exposed.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 16 at least - I underestimated the likelihood of them being flushed by walkers from the far rocks, one party was walking along the outer rocks and the only brent visible were 10 on the rocks out from Sandylands groyne, but these quickly flew back when the coast was clear (literally).

Two additional groups of 3 also flew in. After tomorrow, I would expect this area to be less disturbed.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 5 - this one catches a lugworm at the start of the clip, then quickly moves out the Curlew's way.

Three that had been feeding further along the shore lifted these two
All five continued south

Red-breasted Merganser 2

Male Red-breasted Merganser 

Shelduck 3 south

Eider 30+

Female and male Eider resting in the lee of a rock

Brents end the year on a high

Overcast all day, it is a mute point as to when the low cloud/mist turned to fine drizzle. Almost calm in the morning a light east breeze by the afternoon.

South shore (MD)

It wasn't the conditions, both tides and weather, to expect much here this morning, but it was a pleasant walk along the sea wall.

Nothing of note behind the lunchtime ferry.

Shag 1 immature had been feeding on the waterfall before flying out of the harbour - thanks to birder who saw this before I arrived - sorry, I forgot to ask your name!

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female in harbour mouth

Rock Pipit 2 - this is the Red Nab bird taking a bath in the groundwater runoff stream (this clip actually from yesterday but it was present again today)

Kingfisher 1 on Red Nab

A nice splash of colour on a grey day

Pink-Footed goose 130 heading north, high, noon (actually not overly high, but it sounds good!)

Wigeon c150

Shelduck 8

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I've not mentioned here for a while, but I have been making a brief daily check of the main ponds. There has been no new wildfowl to report, just varying numbers of Gadwall, Mallard and Teal plus two Tufted duck. It was nice to see the Goldeneye last week, but we haven't had a Pochard so far this winter.

North shore 

I just went down to check out any brent amongst the rocks out from the play area.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 2

Pale-bellied Brent goose 44. There were lots of people walking their dogs close to the sea wall, but fortunately, this year, there is plenty of gutweed and sea lettuce amongst the furthest rocks. On these neap tides the brent can access this area pretty much all day, with little risk of disturbance. In this clip all 44 can be seen, you can also see the gutweed on the rocks, and hear the dogs barking behind me!

In the above clip the tide is just reaching the outer rocks, this helps the brent to graze the gutweed on the rocks and shore (the gutweed floats in water). But, for the time being at least, they do not need the tide here to feed happily. The pools between the rocks are full of gutweed and sea lettuce. This shot is one of the pools where they are feeding, I took it earlier in the week when there was nothing feeding here.

It doesn't look much to us, but to a Brent goose, this is better than a Christmas dinner!

There is certainly more weed on the outer rocks than in recent years, so a good chance of the brent numbers swelling further.

Well, here we are again, another year over! First, on behalf of the observatory team, I'd like to thank everyone who has provided records, pictures etc this year. All observations are always very welcome, see the contact details on the side bar.

I normally end with "Happy New Year", but somehow, this year, it doesn't seem enough. This is the third year in a row, when I have sat here thinking (hoping), surely next year has to be better than this one! And hopefully next year will be. As individuals we all have good and bad years, and I sincerely hope that you all have as good a one as possible. 

But what I really hope.....is that everyone enjoys a better 2023 

(Malcolm)

More Kits

The fresh SE wind eased by the afternoon and shifted to SW. overcast all day but it remained dry.

Pete checked the lunchtime ferry in again:

35 Kittiwake and two adult Mediterranean gull  behind Ben My Chree entering Heysham port

Also 23  Pale-bellied Brent goose visible from Knowlys road off play area

I'd walked along the south wall to watch the ferry in (MD), but by 12:15 it still wasn't within sight. The cold and hunger pangs were both starting to bite, so I headed for home. Pete confirmed that it arrived late today, I should have checked timing before setting off!

I did manage some nice views of at least one immature  Shag though.

Initially it was resting between the cross bars of the nearest platform to the harbour wall.
Unfortunately only visible at range.

Closer, the platform frame was obscuring most of it, but this clip, still has a charm.

Fortunately the tide was rising above its resting place, and it took to the water.

This clip is a Shag and a Cormorant in the middle of the harbour a little later. I'm not certain, that it is the same Shag.

(Pete confirms that these are indeed two different Immature Shag a 1cy and 2cy)

Mediterranean Gull 1 was resting behind No.2 outflow. This was long before the ferry came in. So it either flew out to meet the ferry or this is an additional bird.

Distant, grainy, shot of Mediterranean gull (left) with BHGs

Rock Pipit 3

Janet's friend, Jimmy, on Slyvan Place, is receiving increasing, and increasingly noisy visits from his fox. This is the time of year when  fox's thoughts turn to "starting a family". Jimmy's old Patterdale Terrier "goes nuts" when she hears the dog fox.

The wind provides some welcome variety

The SW wind didn't get as strong last night as forecast, but continued to increase into the afternoon.

Pete managed a quick lunchtime visit:

Associated with Ben my Chree midday arrival at Heysham: 

Little gull 1 adult into Bay with flock 4 Kittiwake, both these in front of the ferry

Mediterranean Gull 1 lingering 

Shag 1 juvenile flushed out of harbour,

Kittiwake 4 adult behind ferry

3 adult and 2 juvenile Kittiwake  Hey 2 outfall.

Juv/f common scoter off Stone jetty.  

The strong wind was pushing the tide in and Pete arrived at Knowlys just in time to catch the Brent there.

Pale-bellied Brent about 38 on shore - biggest count this winter so far.  Went out of sight along shore before accurate count 

Fortunately I was on the south wall by this time (MD) and managed to see this flock of 36 flying to Red Nab.

There could easily have been more, there is a group of three that often flies separately. On my way back along the wall I saw 29 fly towards the estuary, long before they normally leave Red Nab.

One of the outflow Kittiwakes turned out to be a 2nd winter. It's not possible to
see this detail at range, I didn't see it from the sea wall, till I checked my shots!

1st winter Kittiwake 

This is one of the 1st winter Kittiwakes with a Black-Headed gull. They were very difficult to follow, most of the time they were much quicker than this.

There was also an adult in the harbour

A slightly unusual angle of an adult Kittiwake 

Shag - I didn't see any in the afternoon, but a short check in the morning saw a 2nd calendar year bird leaving the harbour, so at least two birds in the area today

Kingfisher 1 on Red Nab 

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female 

Rock Pipit 3 (sea wall plus 2 together on saltmarsh)

Linnet 2 saltmarsh 

For the second day running I failed to read a ringed bird. This young gull was on one of the harbour platforms. It is part of the NW England gull project (see link on sidebar). Unfortunately, at the range I was, I couldn't stand steadily enough for a clear shot, and it had moved on as I got closer! Hopefully it will hang around a while.

Just out of the recording area - this from Pete:

From Fylde what’s app relevant to our area: 6 Bewick’s Jeremy lane and subadult yellow legged gull off pilling lane ends

At least a pair of Jacks

Another miserable day, rain for much of it, and a freshening SW wind. 

Just my stuff so far (MD)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 20 - there were three amongst the rocks out from the play area at low water (09:25). Another 12 were in the SE skear corner but quickly flew off and appeared to head north. But by 10:15 there were 18 amongst the rocks out from the play area. This clip shows the location, you can also see the gut weed on the rocks, but there is also sea lettuce in the intervening pools.

One of the birds had two white rings with black letters, but the rain meant reading was difficult and I didn't want to get any closer and risk spooking them. We have read a double white ringed bird in previous years, but still await any details. It seems that the organisation supporting this scheme is struggling.

The middle bird here has two white darvic rings - hopefully to be read another day

A check of Red Nab in the afternoon located 20 Brent, there could have been more as some were behind rocks, unfortunately all but 3 left quite early and I didn't see them go.

The only other record from the skear at low water was 14 Eider, plus Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone. Not even any Little Egret!

Plenty of Wigeon around Red Nab and saltmarsh again

Red-breasted Merganser 1 female on Red Nab

Rock Pipit 4 (Red Nab, foreshore plus two on saltmarsh)

Reed Bunting 4 around saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 1

Jack Snipe 2, probably 3 - three seen flushed by the tide, but the last one may have been one of the two flushed earlier.

At the time of writing this post the SW wind is getting stronger and is forecast to be very strong later and throughout tomorrow morning, hopefully something different will be blown in.

It's mainly about the Brent again

A dreary sort of day. Overcast with occasional showers in the morning becoming more persistent in the afternoon. A fresh SW wind.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 10 - there were 8 (5 & 3) amongst the rocks out from the play area at low water, plus another 2 in the skear corner. Later on the rising tide there were just 5 out from the play area. At 12:00 there were 2 on Red Nab, but by 12:30 they had been joined by 5 more.

These are two of the group of five on the shore this morning, I had to wait for them to amble past before I could move on (MD)

There was little else to see from the skear, despite the tide being out further than it has been in daylight for some while.

Shag 1 immature 

Eider1

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Great Crested Grebe 1

Pete and Jean checked the lunchtime ferry - Kittiwake 5 adult plus 2 first winter followed it in.

Plus minimum 40 Snipe on the Heliport grass and wall.

There wasn't much else around Red Nab and the foreshore either

Rock Pipit 1

Ringed Plover 2 

Turnstone and Ringed Plover

Wigeon c180 - This clip is just to show them grazing Red Nab rocks as the tide reaches them. The whistling calls are the male Wigeon, but there is also a short burst from the Rock Pipit early in the clip.

Janet forwarded this clip taken by a friend living on Sylvan Place near Half Moon Bay. It would be unfair to call it an "urban fox" as this area is just at the edge of the village. But it is clearly a dog fox and he seems intent on redefining his territory.

Very little time today, fortunately the Brent were punctual

A cold, fresh west wind with some heavy showers, mainly of hail

Howard checked the old heliport roost at high water. Unfortunately no Knot roosting, but there was this colour ringed Oystercatcher, probably ringed in Iceland - details awaited.

I just had time for a quick walk long the south wall on the rising tide this morning (MD). The wind was fresher than of late, but the sea was quite under developed and no sign of anything being blown in.

Shelduck 15

Wigeon c150 initially along channel by No.1 outflow, then Red Nab.

Bar-Tailed Godwit 1 flew from north side with the Oystercatchers

Not much of a shot, but when there's not much around, you take what you can!

Pale-Bellied Brent geese 15 - the three that had been feeding near the play area yesterday left at 10:15. Today's tide was 50 minutes later and a similar height, but with the fresh westerly pushing it in I estimated that any Brent feeding at the play area would arrive 30 minutes later c10:45. They arrived at 10:55, if they had come from the play area, it would seem that they hadn't been flushed early by the dog walkers.

This is them arriving.

Pale-bellied Brent geese

They fed around the rock edges to begin with, but then flew onto the rocks as the tide gained height. You can see the lush covering of gutweed on the rocks.

This is where they flew to, a ravine filling with water, allowing the gutweed to float for easier grazing. Both the Brent and the Wigeon are feeding on it.

At this point a heavy hail shower cut short what was already a short visit. Hopefully there will be more variety tomorrow.

This is further out of the recording area than I normally post, but it is a slow news day, and it is a great shot! Howard took this picture of a Purple Sandpiper resting on the Groyne at Park Street

Purple Sandpiper with Turnstone and Redshank 

Possibly more to come, if so I will add later.