Otters still around

Another dry but overcast day. A light east breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Linda Renshaw)

Several Otter spraints were found on the west side of the main pond. The freshest, at the pond edge contained rodent bones, but some further from the bank contained shells, possibly signal Crayfish. There were no record of any spraints last year, this was blamed on the sudden drop in the Crayfish population. The Otters have probably returned at this time to catch the frogs and toads as they turn up to breed.

Barn Owl was seen patrolling on two occasions.

North shore 

Howard checked the heliport wall and Near Naze.

Knot c3,500 mainly on the Heliport sloping wall

they took to the air briefly to move more central on the outerwall

There were a few flagged birds, but the vast majority of legs were not visible.

This ringed Oystercatcher (left) has been with us all winter.
Ringed at Iceland in 2021

Janet checked from the shore later in the ebbing tide. Many of the Knot were now resting on the mud. 

There are two orange flagged birds in this shot. One facing away so just
the shaft visible. The other illegible at this range.

Redshank

Pale-bellied Brent goose 34 flew into the corner of Half Moon Bay, where the Cafe is.

Still no sign of the Canadian ringed birds on this side of the Bay.

They don't eat the wrack, just the fine green gutweed on the rocks.

Heysham skear (Malcolm)

I went down early evening as the tide was uncovering the skear.

Eider 172

Red-breasted Merganser 4

About 1,500 Knot arrived to feed, but spread thinly around the edges. No Peregrine disturbance, presumably they had already eaten. Several flagged birds were seen and at least one new one for this winter.

One or two are already showing hints of their fine red summer plumage.

Oystercatcher, Curlew and Knot

The light was fading quickly, but the sun's rays were still illuminating 
the Lakeland hills

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

Green Sandpiper - Pete

Turf wars hotting up!

Another overcast but dry day. The NE wind reduced to a breeze (still cold, but easier to keep out)

South shore (Malcolm)

A walk out to the waterline from Ocean Edge this morning on the rising tide, once again resulted in almost no feeding waders.

Oystercatcher 30 along the waterline 

Curlew 67 on waterline and flying south

And that was it for the waterline, looking further south saw only a small group of Dunlin

Higher up the shore

Ringed Plover 6

Ringed Plover

Grey Plover 3

Redshank 81

Dunlin 4

Redshank and Dunlin

Common Snipe 3 lifted off the saltmarsh and resettled not far away. This was long before the tide reached the marsh. Presumably avoiding a predator (Weasels have been seen here)

Pink Footed goose 320 north in two noisy skeins. This is the largest skein

Pale-bellied Brent goose 34 on Red Nab (40 arrived at the north shore this afternoon)

There was no one along the sea wall today (I didn't disturb them as I kept my distance). As yesterday the Brent took the opportunity to feed close to the sea wall. This large rock is only a few metres from the wall, and the Brent were clearly finding longer strands of gutweed here. Although you would wonder if they were using more energy repelling rivals than they were gaining from the weed.

There were 32 Brent feeding here, 2 more were keeping themselves to themselves on the southern edge of the skear. Eventually the 32 had enough and set off to the south, but they spotted the other 2, did a U turn and landed to see what they were feeding on.

And so the turf wars resumed 

Pale-bellied Brent geese, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Turnstone 

Shelduck 49

Wigeon 180

Rock Pipit 1

Rock Pipit

North shore (Malcolm)

I went down this afternoon as the skear was becoming exposed.

40 Pale-bellied Brent geed arrived from the south in two lots, 32 and 8.

Eider 169

Red-breasted Mergansers 4

Great Crested Grebe 3

Little Egret 1

Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Turnstone and Ringed Plover all present in similar numbers to yesterday.

Knot 2,000 arrived together as the skear was exposed, and were immediately attacked by a Peregrine Falcon.

Peregrine Falcon and the blur is the disappearing Knot

This attack was unsuccessful, and the Knot disappeared to the west, followed by the Peregrine. Fortunately small groups of Knot returned to the skear, eventually totalling 1,000. At least two new flagged birds were seen.........then another, this time successful Peregrine attack.

Then another Peregrine arrived and seemed to expect the kill to be handed over.

Handing over prey in flight is a regular Peregrine manoeuvre that I have seen many times (between paired birds and parents and juveniles), but that isn't what happens here. The prey was dropped onto the beach after that it isn't clear what's going on, other than one of them picks it up with the apparent blessing of the other.

Needless to say the remaining Knot were long gone by this time.

Impressive Blue Tit

Overcast but dry. A cold NE wind.

Heysham Nature Reserve

Jean did a bit of ringing on Saturday resulting in this interesting report:

On Saturday 8 Feb a short ringing session at Heysham Nature Reserve saw 19 birds of 9 species caught:

5 Blue Tits

4 Goldfinch

2 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Robins

1 each of Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock and Great Tit

All typical birds using the feeders.

Most (66%) were adults and most (63%) were retraps. as is usual at this time of year. 

The oldest bird was a Blue Tit which was first ringed as a juv in 2018 at Middleton Nature Reserve, so almost 7 years old. Pretty ancient for Blue Tits as most only live for 2-3 years. 

The oldest Blue Tit so far in the UK was 12 years old according to the latest information on the BTO website. An AI generated report on Google said there was a Blue Tit aged 21 years and this was repeated on some websites but the original source of this data couldn't be found so I wonder if the 12 years was mistyped at some point?  It shows you have to check your sources if numbers are involved.

Saturday's aged Blue Tit looking nice and healthy!

Janet took some shots on the reserve today.

Is this the 7 year old? No way of knowing. Only mist netting and checking
any previously ringed birds can hope to keep track of the resident birds.

Robin

South shore

I had a walk along the foreshore and Red Nab towards high water (Malcolm)

Red Nab was almost covered but the ducks and geese were feeding close to the sea wall, when no one was passing. This is the first time for over a week that the tide has reached this far, perhaps the closer in gutweed has had a chance to grow slightly.

Pale-bellied Brent geese 25

Shelduck 42

Wigeon 150

The ducks and geese moving away from the sea wall as someone 
walked along it

But they quickly returned. The Brent geese normally fly south much earlier in the
tide than this. Perhaps their next feeding area is also getting low on suitable food.

Janet checked later, the tide had gone, and so had the birds!

The last two Shelduck waddling off

This was on the saltmarsh. A Sea Potato (Common Heart Urchin)
Not rare, as its name suggests, but quite rarely seen here.

Heysham skear (Malcolm)

I went down as the tide was exposing the skear

Pale-bellied Brent goose 20+

Some of the Brent geese arriving

Eider 117 including a high proportion of 2nd calendar year males.

Mature male Eider trying to attract a couple of females

Immature male Eider with a female

Red-breasted Merganser 4. Seems it was a day for courtship.

Oystercatcher 2,500

Curlew 55

42 Curlew just north of Sunnyslopes groyne 

Redshank 250

Turnstone 59 arrived in two flocks from the south

Dunlin 30

Ringed Plover just 1 seen

Knot 2,000 arrived from the south, but there were two Peregrines waiting for them. They didn't get a chance to settle and were last seen heading off to NW. A Peregrine is high above this flock, but gains more height to stoop. This flock headed off before the Peregrine stooped, it didn't try to follow them but circled above waiting for another flock.

One of the Peregrines is the one with a dislocated talon.

This Black-Headed gull must have found a desirable titbit. All the larger gulls were trying to get it to drop whatever it was. To the gull's credit it evaded all challenges and eventually left to eat its prize elsewhere, although that was over a minute after the end of this clip, I'm sure it could have escaped earlier if it had really wanted too. It appeared to enjoy the chase!

Quite a bit going on

Another overcast day with occasional very light rain. The cold NE wind continues.

South shore (Malcolm)

Once again there were no small waders feeding along the waterline on this morning's rising tide.

Curlew 152 along the waterline plus 30 on Red Nab

Oystercatcher 40 along waterline, Red Nab birds 300+

Redshank 87 closer to the shore

Dunlin 2 close to the shore.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 33 flew in to Red Nab from the north side.

Shelduck 46

Wigeon 120

The gutweed on Red Nab is very closely cropped now

Some of the Wigeon were nibbling the gutweed on the foreshore rocks

Just one Little Egret

Two immature Cormorants, there were several others

Rock Pipit 1 along the foreshore 

Heysham skear - low water 17:00 (Malcolm)

I went down early in the ebbing tide, before the outer skear became exposed

Pale-bellied Brent at least 17 around, almost certainly some of this morning's birds

Eider 95 initially close inshore then most flew to the north.

Great Crested Grebe 2

Oystercatcher 1,500

Curlew 60 including 21 that flew in from the east.

Redshank 250

Knot 2,000

Some of the Knot and Brent geese arriving together

Unfortunately, most settled in areas that there legs were not visible.

Knot and a Herring gull with a mussel.
The gull will repeatedly drop the mussel from height until it breaks open

Knot with a bivalve mollusc that it will swallow whole

Turnstone 25

Ringed Plover 6

Dunlin 80 plus 2 feeding high up the shore with the plovers.

Dunlin

Just out of the recording area Sunnyslopes Promenade (Janet)

Stonechat

Plenty of Curlew

A dry, mainly overcast day with a cold NE wind.

South shore (Malcolm)

I went to check the waterline out from Ocean Edge on the rising tide this morning but the only waders were Curlew 138

Some of the Curlew

Shelduck 14

Shelduck with a few Wigeon

Wigeon 60

Wigeon on Red Nab towards high water

North shore 

34 Pale-bellied Brent's. 25 flew off north towards Sandylands, 9 remained close to the prom just north of the play area - Pete Crooks

Howard checked at high water.

Knot 2,000 roosting on Sunyslopes groyne. Unfortunately spooked by dog walkers when the tide began ebbing.

Redshank, Knot and Turnstone

Turnstone

I had a quick look on the skear on the ebbing tide (Malcolm)

By that time the Brent geese were scattered all around the skear.

Some of the Brent on the north side

No Eider or Mergansers seen.

Great Crested Grebe 1

Oystercatcher 1,500

Curlew 60 this is more than I usually see feeding on the skear.

Curlew and a Redshank

Redshank 100

Knot 750 (most feeding on remote sections of the skear, being exposed for the first time for a few days.

Dunlin 30

Turnstone 25

Ringed Plover 4

Middleton Nature Reserve 

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

The "no swimming" pond has been at its normal level for a few weeks now, but it is still strangely bereft of wildfowl. It was graced with just a single Coot today.

Main pond:

Mute Swan pair plus 1 immature 

Mallard 18

Gadwall 27

Tufted Duck 3 (2 male)

Coot 4

Moorhen 2

Tufted Duck pair

Plenty of Eider today!

A dry overcast day with an east breeze.

South shore (Janet)

A walk along the sea wall at low water.

Shelduck on Red Nab

Heron hunting by No.2 outfall

North shore 

Pete checked the sea this morning.

Eider 311 between Sunnyslopes groyne and the Stone Jetty (a further 101 to the north of the jetty)

I went down to check the skear for Knot on the ebb tide this morning. Just in time to see a Peregrine take a Redshank and flush all the Knot.

Carrion Crow and an Oystercatcher mobbing the Peregrine after it took a Redshank

But it was too late!

Oystercatcher 2,500

Curlew 40

Redshank 200 (199)

Knot 100 remained

Dunlin 10

Turnstone 35

Ringed Plover 6

This clip shows how eager the waders are to feed on the skear as soon as it becomes exposed. This thin strip is soon occupied by Redshank, Oystercatcher and Turnstone as the tide slowly ebbs.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 36 minimum

They were seen flying both south and north. There is a skeer forming out
from the Battery, I suspect that they are feeding there when the tide allows.
I'll have to go and have a look.

I returned early evening for another look.

Pink-Footed goose 24 east

There were now about 1,000 Knot but very flighty (who could blame them). A few flagged birds were seen but reading was difficult in the fading light.

This was just before 17:00. Time to leave them in peace

This is what it looked like by the time I'd got back to the promenade 

Just out of the recording area

Green Sandpiper in the horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall - Pete

Stonechat - the darker bird was on the sunnyslopes this morning (Malcolm). The lady gardener said that she hadn't seen the paler one for a couple of days.