First Swallow passes through

A fresh SE breeze. A few showers and some sunny spells.

Pete and Jean checked out the key areas this morning.

6 rook nests now at the Rookery (see yesterday's post)

shag 1 adult on wooden jetty.

Red-throated Diver 2 distant.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 19 out from the play area on the north side. Later in the afternoon, presumably the same 19 were on Red Nab, but flew off quite early in the ebbing tide and looked to be heading west across the bay, rather than to the north side.

I had a morning walk out onto the shore on the south side (Malcolm). Nothing other than the waders today.

Oystercatcher 60

Curlew 33

Bar-Tailed Godwit 260

Knot 100

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 1

The light was difficult today, when the sun was shining all the waders looked white, it was easier when a cloud passed over the sun. This clip begins in full sun, but then in shade. The Sanderling is pretty much central throughout, at the end I pan out to show the location, not far beyond Red Nab.

Sanderling central. One of the Godwits is moving to summer plumage

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the "no swimming" pond (Malcolm)

Goosander 4 - 1 male. Unfortunately the male Mute Swan has decided to clear the pond.

Just a short while later, all four were flying and headed off to the east.

Male Goosander

Little Grebe 2

Cetti's warbler 2

Stock Dove 1

Jay 1

Swallow 1 male - a rain shower was just easing and the Swallow was feeding above the trees around the pond.

First Swallow of the year

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis seen in the morning, not checked later

Rookery and Goosander numbers increasing

A fresher and cooler SE wind. A mixture of sunny spells and showers, one in the evening of hail, accompanied by thunder.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 8 just south of Heysham skear this morning - David Kaye

South shore

I had a walk along the wall mid morning (Malcolm)

Shelduck 10

Wigeon 4

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty

Adult Shag

Rock Pipit 5 - one each at Red Nab and sea wall, three above the nest site at the lighthouse.

Rock Pipit, keeping out of the wind near the lighthouse 

Wheatear 6 - 2 on Red Nab quickly moved on. The other 4 were working their way along the foreshore.

male Wheatear

Female/first winter Wheatear

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick check of the two main ponds (Malcolm)

Goosander 7 - 1 adult male plus 6 female and first winter birds. They are all in the clip, with the added bonus of first a Cetti's warbler singing, then a Little grebe trilling.

Little Grebe 4 - 2 each pond

Gadwall 1 male

Mallard 4

Coot 4 

Moorhen 1

Cetti's warbler 4 

Chiffchaff 3

The Rookery at edge of the recording area (the line of trees to the north of Middleton road opposite side to the horse paddock)

There are now four nests and what looks to be the beginning of a fifth. At least 10 Rooks (previously rare in the recording area), but they were difficult to count as these trees have been used as a roost for the Jackdaws, and they weren't best pleased when they started turning up this evening.

Rooks and Jackdaw

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis seen morning and evening 

Whoopers on the move and the first Terns arrive

Very light east breeze early on freshened during the day. It remained dry but largely overcast, although hazy sunshine at times

David Yates had 2 distant tern probably sandwich yesterday evening.

Morning Seawatch by Pete:

30 Whooper on mudflats till moved on by the tide to north west early doors, 22 whooper later floating in distantly on the tide  

Flock of 5 summer plumage red throated diver in early on and a non breeding plumage singleton out later.  

Two sandwich tern out early on, later a distant bird in.   

No passerine movement north wall area.  

Shag 1 wooden jetty (probably adult) at ht 

Distant flock of Whooper Swans resting on the mud

From Knowlys Rd.

First thing there were 29 carrion crow together on skeer.  15 flew high WNW across the Bay, 10 then flew high NE towards Morecambe leaving four on the skeer. Vis migrants joining local non breeders? 

I checked from the shore out from Ocean Edge (Malcolm)

Whooper Swans 37 (bringing total for this morning to 89). 4 flocks (7, 8, 8, 14) on the same flight line, from SE overland, crossing the shoreline north of Potts Corner and continuing NW. It wasn't easy seeing them against the white sky, just as well they are noisy! This is the largest flock, unfortunately for some reason you can't really hear them.

No Brent Geese seen

Shelduck 12

Wigeon 3

Eider 2 south

Teal 10 resting on sea.

A little later they got swept along a channel by the rapidly rising tide (these are the channels that you must be on the shore side of on these high spring tides)

Enough was enough 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 340

Bar-Tailed Godwit. Easily visible from the sea wall

Knot 200

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 1

Sanderling with Dunlin (bottom centre both shots)

Knot, Dunlin and Sanderling in this clip. A few of the Dunlin were moving to summer plumage. These are also technically visible from the wall or foreshore, but the Sanderling would have been obscured by the other birds on this occasion.

Meadow Pipit at least 36 north in ones and twos

Wheatear 1

The insects were enjoying the warmth and the pollen. Janet took these shots in the Nature Park.

Small Tortoiseshell 

Comma

There are a lot of these Hoverflies around

Bumblebee 

 

Seven-spot Ladybird 

Also

Goldcrest

Chiffchaff 

Heysham Nature Reserve

Report by Jean:

I was ringing and caught 24 birds, 15 of which were new: 

4 Greenfinch

2 Chiffchaff

2 Goldcrest

2 Bullfinch

then singles of Robin, Dunnock, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit and Blue Tit. 

The retraps were fairly recent apart from a Robin from 2022.

Vis consisted of a Siskin, 3 Pied Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits - so very low key. 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Goosander 6 still, 1 male plus 5 female/1st winter

Heysham Skear 

Just a quick evening check (Malcolm)

Little Egret 9

Pink-Footed goose 31 high to the south

Eider 65

Red-breasted Merganser 14 - the males now displaying (at anything!)

Didn't try and count the waders as a constant Peregrine presence was keeping them highly mobile.

Just out of the recording area

Osprey seen south of the recording area heading our way.

Glossy Ibis still feeding in horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Not (quite) as wet as forecasted

Heavy rain was forecasted for most of today. Reasonably accurate for the morning but it was dry for most of the afternoon with just a few late showers. A light SE wind.

Saltmarsh to Red Nab towards morning high water. (MD)

Pale-Bellied Brent goose 17 on Red Nab (later there were 19 milling around the skear towards low water.

Shelduck 8

Wigeon 0

This is just after the Brent arrived at Red Nab, note the Sheldrake displaying at the end of the clip.

Wheatear 2

Middleton Nature Reserve "no swimming" pond

A quick morning and evening check of the Goosanders saw the same on both visits (Malcolm)

Goosander 6 - 1 male and at least 1 first winter 

Two female, this one practicing her disappearing duck trick

They're all in this clip (Chiffchaff and Great Tit in the background)

Little Grebe 1

Coot 2

Mute pair - for some reason the female decided to switch the nest site to a totally inaccessible one amongst the trees. Perhaps there has been more fox activity than in previous years. This has required using twigs not reeds as the building material. She has done very well, despite not quite mastering the technique of working with twigs. She was trying to position this one when I arrived, and was still at it when I left five minutes later! (Great Tit in the background)

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 1 singing

Stonechat 1 male had arrived by the evening 

Male Stonechat 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still present at lunchtime 

More Goosander

A bright sunny day with a fresh NW wind.

South shore

I had a walk out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide to check out the waders (Malcolm). It was obvious from a long way from the waterline that the Peregrine were also checking out the waders, they kept lifting but after a while became more settled, presumably the Peregrine had made its/their catch.

Sanderling 1 - only seen from distance early on, no sign when I got closer.

Sanderling -  lower middle

I managed a reasonably accurate count of the larger waders

Curlew 20

Oystercatcher 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 180

Grey Plover 19

The small waders were so mobile that only an estimate was practical.

Knot 600

Dunlin 250

Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin

These clips gives a sense of the chaos

This is what the small waders are feeding on. Each pimple of mud covers a tiny mollusc 

Meadow Pipit 6 over to north

Wheatear 7 between saltmarsh and Red Nab

Wheatears

Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 feeding on Red Nab

Shelduck 10

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD, AG)

Goosander 5 female/1st winter

In the morning there were just two female and a 1st winter (left side)

When Angela checked in the afternoon there were five (a good record shot with a mobile phone).
So a minimum of eight different birds seen here this spring, as there has also been three adult males.

Gadwall 3

Cetti's Warbler 2

Chiffchaff 2

Brimstone butterfly 1 male 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still present morning and afternoon 

Rapid ringing response

A very strong wind, but there was a bit of north in it making it a WNW. It threatened rain all day with some short showers, particularly in the afternoon.

Pete (M) checked the heliport roost and managed to read a ringed Oystercatcher. Remarkably he received its history within 20 minutes.

Ringed as a nestling in Norway 2022, this was its first sighting 

Report from Pete Crooks:

50 minute seawatch from the North harbour wall 9.20 - 10.10 am. 

Just c35 Kittiwake flying out of the bay at 9.40 am

Earlier Pete (M) saw flock of 20 out, 10 and 25 in prior to the 35 out so possibly same birds in separately then out together

South shore

I had a walk along the sea wall on the rising tide this morning (Malcolm). It was hard walking against the wind, but the wind too much from the north to blow anything into the bay.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 53 flew to Red Nab from the north side.

Shelduck 4

Wigeon 9

Wheatear 5

Wheatear battling against the wind to reach the foreshore rocks

Rock Pipit 2

This Curlew was struggling to stand against the wind, but is eventually rewarded with a snack.

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick look at the "no swimming" pond to check on the Goosanders, but none seen today.

Cetti's warbler 2 singing

Chiffchaff 2 singing plus this one flitting through the bushes above the pond. This time of year is easiest to see them before the foliage emerges.

Heysham Nature Reserve (JP)

Janet managed this nice sequence of Roe Deer

Female Roe deer. Only the females have this rump tuft.
It's not a true tail, just a tuft of hair sported over winter

Jean passed on some interesting statistics. So far this year 90 species have been covered by this blog. But more importantly, there have been 30 contributors. All records and any photographs are always welcome and gratefully received. See contact details on the side bar.

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still present at 09:00 at least.

Mark Jones noted the record of the new Rookery just beyond Middleton Village and sent this phone camera shot of a Rook visiting his Middleton Sands holiday caravan feeding area. This is the first visit on 7th March. 

Kitts on the move

Sunny after an early shower, a few scattered showers by evening. A fresh west wind.

Pete did an early seawatch 0735-0905: 

103 kittiwake in (5 flocks all before 0800)

4 red throated diver (all summer plumage) in

drake common scoter out

drake Goosander in.  

Northbound trickle lesser black-backed and common gull

Ocean Edge/Red Nab (MD, JP)

Wheatear 5 at least. There were 4 when I checked, but at least 2 of these moved on. Janet had 3 later, so at least 1 additional bird.

Male Wheatear

Pale-bellied Brent goose 49 feeding on Red Nab

Shelduck 4

Wigeon 14

Eider 1 male

Female and male Newt sp in the Nature Park pond
Unfortunately diagnostic features not visible

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check of the two main ponds

Goosander 4 (1 male). I'm posting this clip as I will be posting one of a male Merganser later for comparison.

Little Grebe 3 - 2 together on main pond. This is one of them unfortunately with the light behind it.

Cetti's warbler 3 singing

Chiffchaff 3 singing

Heysham skear - low water 17:00 (MD)

Pale Bellied Brent goose 49 at least, once again there were small groups all around the skear just resting.

Two adult and a first winter Brent, looking to have plenty of fat reserves for
their upcoming transatlantic flight! Also Knot and Oystercatcher 

For some reason this group decided to have a fly around, they weren't spooked. Half ended up in the NE skear corner and the rest returned to the north side. The clip is really to show how the skear looks at this time of year.

Eider 22

Red-breasted Merganser 4 - this is a male.

Knot c1,000

Dunlin 2 at least

Dunlin (foreground) with Knot

Bar-Tailed Godwit 38 north in two flocks (13 and 25)

Kittiwake 206 - they were heading high to the north then began circling. 

Kittiwake 

They were still circling so I checked around to see if there were more flocks. When I looked back they had disappeared, they must have dropped down and settled on the sea somewhere near the stone jetty.

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still feeding

Wet, but worthwhile

Opposite to recent days, a dry night, the rain started mid morning and showers continued for the rest of the day. A freshening SW wind.

Just my stuff so far (Malcolm) and it rained each time I got out of my car!

Ocean Edge/Red Nab

Dark-bellied Brent Goose 1

Pale-bellied Brent goose 69

I could see there were high numbers of Brent on Red Nab from the foreshore, this was the best angle to see them all so I took this clip. I hadn't realised at the time that the Dark-bellied was with them. It wasn't there when I reached Red Nab so it must have moved on. It is in this clip, the last Brents in the clip are the two Canadian ringed birds and their first winter, although you can only see the rings of one bird.

If you didn't spot the Dark-bellied in the above clip, this is the location 16 seconds into the clip

Wheatear 1 on Red Nab

Male Wheatear

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a quick passing check of the "no swimming" pond

Goosander 5 (1 male)

The mute pair were acting all lovey dovey, I had a good idea what was going to happen next.......

This is the Rookery spotted by Pete yesterday. It is just across the road from the horse paddock where the Ibis feeds. Fortunately on the recording area side of the road. The clip starts on two of the Rooks then pans out to show the nests and more Rooks.

Three of at least six Rooks

It will be interesting to see how this colony develops

North Shore

Knowing that the Canadian ringed birds were with the Brent flock prompted me to check the gutweed situation out from the play area. Close in it is lush and clearly untouched.

Gutweed, just part of large swathes near the sea wall by the play area.
The Brent aren't keen on feeding here but do some years when there is no other option.

Clearly the Brent have had other options this year, perhaps they have found a food supply further to the north. This afternoon 65 at least were feeding close to the shore edge of the inner skear. There is not much gutweed there but clearly preferable to feeding so close to the sea wall, and obviously enough for them. It isn't that they don't know there is more gutweed here, the Canadian ringed birds have fed here many times in previous years. I didn't see them fly off, but as I was leaving they had moved on, but not to the play area.

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still feeding

We have a Rookery (just)

Overnight showers stopped by 09:00. After that dry with sunny spells. A light wind switched from NE to NW.

Pete did a check of the sea from Knowlys Rd:

Goldeneye 1 female with Red-breasted Mergansers, then disappeared. Possibly flew north.

Red-Throated Diver 2 distant 

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Goosander 4 (no males) on the "no swimming" pond.

Female Goosander

Coot nest building

Moorhen

Reed Bunting 

Female Bullfinch 

Two of several Chiffchaff, this one ringed

Precariously balanced Wood Pigeon

The food around the main pond feeding area attracts plenty of Brown Rats. Contrary to their reputation they do endeavour to keep themselves clean.

Brown Rat

South shore (MD)

Shelduck 4

Wigeon 27

Red-breasted Merganser pair

Knot c1500 feeding just out from Red Nab.

Redshank 150

Peregrine Falcon 2 - but just watching on, presumably they had already eaten.

Peregrine Falcon

Carrion Crow 10 south in ones and twos.

Shag 1 adult on the wooden jetty. Quite distant, but it put a bit of a show on today.

Wheatear 1 male on foreshore

Rock Pipit 5 (one each, Red Nab, sea wall and lighthouse, 2 at the waterfall). This is the sea wall bird.

This Herring Gull has a small fish in the harbour. Not a species of fish normally seen here. It seems strange that it appears reluctant to eat it and that the other gulls totally ignored it. They normally squabble over every morsel, perhaps these too have already eaten. The fish is still alive, you may prefer the still below.

The fish is upside down in this shot. As with most fish it has a dorsal fin in the
middle of its back. But this fish has a second fin between the dorsal fin and the 
tail (caudal) fin. This is an adipose fin, which means this fish is one of the salmon 
family. A smolt, either a Sea Trout or a Salmon. It has just moved to the sea from one
 of our local rivers, hopefully there are many more about and at least some will make
 it. If it is a Salmon smolt, any that do make it can head as far as Greenland to feed 
before returning to the same river to breed. Sea Trout stay in more coastal waters,
although not in the bay.

Redwing 1 near Half Moon Bay Cafe

Other stuff from Pete:

Stonechat 1 female Imperial Rd

Rookery on recording area boundary in wood north side of road from ibis (3 nests plus adults).  Historically, Rooks have only been seen in the recording area on occasional autumn passage. 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still feeding