Another(?) Osprey and Sedge joins the warblers

A day of two halves, fine and sunny in the morning, chucking it down for most of the afternoon. A south, moving to west  wind.

Early morning checks (from 0625) by Pete and Jean:

Pete

Shag 1 adult still heysham harbour mouth area 

13 sandwich tern

6 Red-Throated Diver

24 common scoter (3 lots)

1 porpoise

14 swallow

nothing in final 45 mins other than swallows

Sedge Warbler singing Middleton Nature Reserve

Jean

Whimbrel heard from North Harbour Wall at 10am and a Sparrowhawk flew north at a great height.

Fence pond, Middleton NR 

Mallard pair with 5 ducklings

Lesser Whitethroat singing on east side of track

Heysham NR

Lesser Whitethroat singing in tank farm. 

Vis 

1 Redpoll

4 Linnets.

South shore

I "peaked" far too early today (Malcolm)

I'd just got out of my car at the entrance to the Nature Perk (09:00). The clamour of the gulls in Ocean Edge caravan park alerted me that something was panicking them. I just managed to get my camera out in time.

Osprey 1 heading west

Osprey with a blue ring on its right leg

And that was it! I hadn't intended to go along the wall, but I did to see if it had stopped to fish. It hadn't.

I walked along the wall into the harbour to the waterfall, and back again. Then along the foreshore and around the saltmarsh and hadn't seen another noteworthy bird! No Rock Pipits or Swallows, then just as I left the saltmarsh.....

Wheatear 1

Redshank, they always keep an eye on you

I saved this clip from the other day. It's a Cormorant making short work of a small eel on No.2 outflow. It's still very early for eels to be leaving the rivers, but there is no doubt that it is (was) an eel.

Heysham skear

The afternoon rain had eased, so I thought I'd have a look on the skear (Malcolm).

The zip on my "waterproof" coat broke just as the heaviest rain of the afternoon began.

No Brent, no Whimbrel, no Godwits! No good - time for an early bath!

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

Glossy Ibis there at 0830

Two Cattle Egrets heading high NW over Conder this am watched flying over Overton towards recording area, possibly Imperial Rd.

Osprey and first Whimbrels

Another dry and often sunny day with a NW wind

Heysham Skear 

Osprey perched on a rock eating a flatfish today, it was also seen fishing here yesterday - David Kaye

I had a walk out at low water 14:30 (Malcolm). The Osprey had moved on by then.

No Brent geese on the skear today.

Eider 9

Red-breasted Merganser 3

Great Crested grebe 3

Little Egret 8

Swallow 1 north

Waders:

Oystercatcher 750

Knot 1,500

Just some of today's Knot, only one seen with any hint of their red breeding plumage - it's in this shot

Curlew 3

Whimbrel 6 in one flock north - first of the year

Redshank 100

Turnstone 80

Bar-Tailed Godwit 160 minimum, there were 26 resting and feeding along the waterline on the south side. Others were spread around the skear resting in small groups. A larger group of 125+ on the north side may have included some seen earlier.

Bar-Tailed Godwit resting on the north side of the skear

They were resting at least, until a Peregrine Falcon lifted them and a flock of Knot. This was the ensuing chaos.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet took these pictures 

The Coot are still battling 

This Raven was being encouraged to leave, by the resident Carrion Crows

Willow Warblers

Other warbles seen/heard around the central marsh (Malcolm)

Cetti's warbler 7 singing - as yesterday but only 1 on the western marsh and 4 on central marsh today. There could well have been more as at some point there was a burst of song from almost every bush.

Lesser Whitethroat 2 singing

Reed Warbler 1 singing

Blackcap 2 males seen

Chiffchaff and Willow warbler c4 each

Jay 1

Pheasant 1

Imperial Rd

The only warblers seen/heard here today were Willow Warblers

Swallow 1 north

Buzzard 1

Common Buzzard

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

Glossy Ibis not there at 10:00, but it was feeding happily at 11:30

Six warbler species and butterflies emerging

A dry, largely sunny day with a NW wind.

South shore

I just checked from the saltmarsh to Red Nab in the morning (Malcolm)

Wheatear 8

Linnet 2

Rock Pipit 1

Janet had a walk along the sea wall.

At least 2 more Rock Pipit near the lighthouse 

This one has a grub

Above the nest site

Linnet - at least one male above their breeding area.

Turnstone 

This gull struggled to swallow this small fish.
It looks to be a Sea Scorpion (Bullhead)
They have large heads and sharp, but not venomous, spines

In the evening I walked to the waterline out from Ocean Edge, on the rising tide (Malcolm)

No Godwits today

Oystercatcher 100

Curlew 20

Knot 270

Dunlin 300

Sanderling 1

This is the Sanderling, first with Knot then Dunlin, these already in partial summer plumage.

This winter plumage Dunlin catches a small invertebrate at the beginning of this clip.

Common Gulls 116 immature - they were picking "food" off the water surface as the tide came in. It was difficult seeing what they were eating, as the sun was directly behind them. I can only think of tiny molluscs with some air trapped inside floating up from the mud as it was covered. This clip gives a sense of the activity, the water is only a few centimetres deep here, in what is effectively the estuary of one of the drainage channels.

Whatever the feeding opportunity was, it was soon over and all the gulls left together. This was 16:35 

Report from Clay Garland, later in the evening.

I had a walk down by the power station and back from about 16:45-18:15. 

- 4 little egrets on Red Nab. 

- Large gulls only on the outflows on my way out. Then they were joined by some common gulls on the way back. No black-heads at all. 

- c60 redshank and c25 turnstone sheltering from the wind on outflow 1. Plus another 30 redshank and 5 turnstone on the inside of the north harbour wall. 

- 18 cormorants on the wooden jetty. If the shag was with them, I couldn't see it.

- 1 stubborn cormorant getting hammered by the wind on the outflow railing 

- 4 brent geese on Red Nab on my way back. 

- Song thrush singing in the bushes by the entrance to Ocean Edge. It was so loud I could still hear it from the slipway even through the wind.

- 1 rock pipit and 1 wheatear on the foreshore. 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a brief morning check of the central Marsh.

Cetti's warbler 7 singing (2 each western marsh and "no swimming" pond, 3 on central marsh)

Lesser Whitethroat 3 singing (first of the year)

Reed warbler 1 singing

Balckcap 2 male seen

Chiffchaff and Willow warbler 4 each

Orange Tip 4 (3 male and a female)

Male Orange Tip

Janet saw this female Small White by the heliport

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

Glossy Ibis still present mid morning at least

Not a day to spend out at sea, although some have no choice.

A very strong WNW wind all day. Heavy showers and sunny spells.

Pete checked the sea:

Common Scoter 11 (1 flock)

Teal pair 

Red-Throated Diver 1

South shore

I had a walk along the sea wall this morning, then a brief evening check (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 on Red Nab in the evening 

Eider 4 (3+1) out in the morning 

Shag 1 adult flew into the harbour mouth this morning, it didn't so much land as stall.

At this point it was near the south roundhead, 

it then moved over to the north roundhead and fished near the rocks, before moving along the north wall.

At least the wind made its crest look slightly more impressive 

Apart from the Eider, nothing seemed to be moving, so I decided to head back. Then I noticed that the SeaTruck was heading in, I estimated about 10 minutes. 20 minutes later it was still out from the wooden jetty. It clearly wasn't safe to attempt to enter the harbour so it turned back.

SeaTruck doing a U-turn

The Stena Line was coming in behind it but I'd done enough waiting and headed for home. I could see from further along the wall that the  Stena Line also turned back. This was 09:20.

Both ships were still moored in deep water at 16:30

Rock Pipit 4 - 2 at lighthouse, 1 each Red Nab and saltmarsh 

Linnet 4 on saltmarsh 

Pied Wagtail 1 (makes a change having a Pied Wagtail clip, this one is actually from yesterday).

Wheatear 14 at least, most sheltering around the saltmarsh edges.

Wheatear - one of Janet's shots from yesterday 

These shots are also from Janet from yesterday. This Lesser Black-Backed Gull is regurgitating a waste pellet.

I had this Willow warbler just outside my window this afternoon. It was trying its best to get out of the wind.

On three occasions it tried to get through the glass, before giving up, and moving on

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

The Glossy Ibis has been more erratic of late. Seen yesterday morning and early afternoon but not later in the afternoon. It also wasn't about this morning, so I checked it out just after lunch (Malcolm).

The Ibis was there then, as was a White Wagtail, a Little Egret and six Swallows. 

But within a few minutes the Swallow numbers had grown to 13 plus a House Martin. As I was leaving there were at least 21 hirundines flying about, many quite high. Think they were all Swallow except for one or possibly two House Martins.

Nine Swallow in this shot

A passing check from the road at 15:00 saw there were still c12 Swallow but no sign of the Ibis

Gannets, more Terns and another start

Another, just about, dry day. Sunny periods in the morning, but cool in the fresh SW wind

Report from Pete Crooks:

Heysham South Harbour Wall – 50-minute sea-watch from the lighthouse (8.45 – 9.35 am)
Gannet – 4 flew into the Bay, then back out about 15 minutes later
Red-throated Diver – 1 on sea off North Harbour Wall
Common Tern – 2 lingering off North Harbour Wall
Great Crested Grebe – 3 offshore
Rock Pipit – 4 between Heysham Harbour and Stage One outfall

Knowlys Road, Heysham
Common Redstart – 1 male on the leeward side of the hawthorn hedge extending down from Knowlys Road to the promenade
Pale-bellied Brent Geese – 11 roosting on the shoreline at low tide (plus a distant Malcolm)

And I was that "distant Malcolm", having a stroll around the skear at low water. These are some of the Brent geese, they were totally ignoring me.

First winter Pale-bellied Brent goose, Knot and Oystercatcher 

Eider 50+

Red-Breasted Merganser 13 - just one adult male in this group of five.

Great Crested grebe 3

Little Egret 14

Shag 1 adult feeding briefly on the south side (later seen on the wooden jetty at high water)

Waders:

Oystercatcher c1,000

Curlew 2

Redshank 60

Knot c1,000 (managed to read a ringed bird, details awaited).

Turnstone 40

Bar-Tailed godwit 18 (13 and 5 came from south before continuing north after a rest)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet had a look this Morning

Male Pheasant

Gadwall pair on the main pond......

........before flying to the "no swimming" pond

Peacock butterfly taking advantage of the morning sun

Swallow 1 over the main pond late afternoon - Angela

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

Glossy Ibis still present mid morning at least

A nice Common day

A slightly fresher SW wind. Dry with occasional short sunny spells.

First a couple of shots from Thursday, take by Kevin Singleton on Heysham Head.

Little Egret

Goldfinch 

South shore

I managed two checks today (Malcolm)

Morning - low water

Shelduck 2 individuals. 1 female flew south and this male was looking dejected (rejected?) on the shore.

Solitary Sheldrake 

Wheatear 13

Linnet 16 - 8 on the saltmarsh and now 8 between the lighthouse and the waterfall.

Rock Pipit 5 - 1 each saltmarsh and Red Nab, 3 between lighthouse and waterfall. This is a female above the lighthouse nest site.

Only females build a Rock Pipits nest

She will never fly to the chosen hole when she knows someone is watching. I'll have to be more surreptitious to find out which hole she has chosen this year.

Even though the tide was out, there were a lot more gulls feeding on the seaward ends of the outflows than of late, mainly Common Gulls. There must have been plenty of food coming through them, so I decided to have another look a couple of hours before high water in the afternoon.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 on Red Nab.

Common Tern 1 - feeding between No.1 outflow and the wooden jetty.

Grey seal 1 was feeding in the same area, it took a while, but I eventually managed this shot.

Grey seal and Common Tern

Common Redstart 1 male feeding among the brambles between the lighthouse and the waterfall. It wasn't there in the morning. Another tricky one to photograph, but I eventually got some decent shots.

There were at least as many Wheatears in the afternoon as there were this morning, probably including some new birds replacing ones that have moved on.

The cormorants roosting on the wooden jetty were all hunkered down and it wasn't possible to tell if the Shag was amongst them

Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap singing in the Nature Park 

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

Glossy Ibis still present early morning at least

First Common Tern

It, more or less, managed to stay dry today, just the occasional spot of rain. A light SW wind.

South shore

I checked on the rising tide late morning (Malcolm)

Mute Swan 1 immature, possibly one of the displaced birds from Middleton Nature Reserve 

2nd calendar year Mute Swan

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 flew to Red Nab from the north side.

Pale-bellied Brent geese, even in flight the groups of 7 and 4 are still maintained 

Geese sp (likely Pink-footed) 41 in a line, distant and heading NW so only rear views.

Shelduck 2

Little Egret 3

Shag 1 adult on wooden jetty.

Wheatear 7 on saltmarsh and foreshore

Rock Pipit 3 - 2 on foreshore and 1 above nest site at the lighthouse 

Lighthouse Rock Pipit

White wagtail 1 male along the sea wall.

Linnet 4 between the lighthouse and waterfall, where at least two pairs raised young last year.

Peregrine Falcon 1

Peregrine Falcon, it had something dangling from its leg, possibly jesses.

Common Tern 1 - it wasn't around when I walked out, but on the way back I could see it resting on the sea wall by No.2 outflow. Then it began feeding on the outflow.

Common Tern

It was seen feeding here till early afternoon, but had disappeared towards high water. It was back feeding again at 15:00 and seen by Kevin at 17:30.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet checked in the morning

Greylag geese - they keep looking like wanting to breed here, but
the disturbance has always been too much. 

Willow Warbler

Grey Squirrel, "hiding" behind a twig

I covered the same small area this evening as I did yesterday evening (Malcolm).

Mute Swan, just the adult pair on the main pond now, two immature on the fence pond.

Other wildfowl as yesterday, including the Mallard chicks as mum ushers them into cover.

Pheasant 1 male calling

Common Snipe 1

Warblers:

Cetti's warbler 5 - same areas as yesterday

Willow warbler and Chiffchaff c4 each

Blackcap 2 (male and female)

Reed warbler 2

Swallow 5 at least. 3 were feeding over the main pond and others feeding along the roadway to the water treatment plant. These two were having an off passage preen (the awful whine is a sub station).

Male Swallow

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

Glossy Ibis still present 

Distant Osprey and five warbler species

A light SW wind, dry with sunny spells, till evening rain started.

Pete had an early morning seawatch:

Adult Shag flew into harbour to waterfall area; 

Osprey very distant inbound/attempting to fish in Kent channel, 

Kittiwake c50 -  a tightly packed flock of 35 on low tide channel plus c15 floating in and then flying out - Kent channel range 

Sandwich Tern 2 out

Willow warbler 3 along the track to the back of the harbour 

South shore (MD, JP)

Brent geese 7 flew to the Lune estuary quite early in the tide. Presumed to be the group of 7 pale-bellied from yesterday.

Eider 10 - 4 + 6 out

Wheatear 8 - some feeding on the saltmarsh but others feeding on Ocean Edge grass, where they seemed to be easily finding grubs (look like Crane fly larvae (leather jackets)). Janet managed some nice shots of them feeding.

Feeding Wheatears

Rock Pipit 3  - 2 above the nest site near the lighthouse, 1 on Red Nab

Linnet 5 - 4 on the saltmarsh plus a male singing above the nest area near the lighthouse used for the last two years.

Linnet

Chiffchaff in the Nature Park

North shore (TW)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 11 - close to the seawall from Knowlys Rd at 12:00. (Tim Woodward)

Pale-bellied Brent geese, almost certainly including the 
group of 7 seen this morning

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a stroll around the two main ponds and a look at the central marsh, proved quite productive (Malcolm).

First some bad news, the water level on the "no swimming" pond has risen half a metre and has swamped the Mute Swan's nest. The adults were back on the main pond and had cleared it of all but one of the immature birds.

Better news is the arrival of our first Mallard Ducklings. Chiffchaff and Cetti's warbler singing on this clip.

Mallard 6 (excluding chicks) - 1 female

Gadwall 4 - 1 female

Stock Dove 1

Warblers:

Chiffchaff and Willow warblers several each

Cetti's Warbler 5 - western marsh 1, central marsh 2, SE and NE corners of "no swimming" pond.

Blackcap 4 at least but silent. 1 female and at least 3 males.

Female Blackcap

The white fluffy thing towards the end of this clip is a reedmace seed head.

Male Blackcap 

Reed Warbler 1 - it was so bursting with song that I originally mistook it for a Sedge Warbler (Malcolm). Unfortunately it was singing from the middle of a stand of reeds and never showed itself. This clip of a male Blackcap has the Reed Warbler singing in the background.

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

Glossy Ibis still present