Grasshoppers arrive, and another Osprey sighting, (although perhaps "sighting" is pushing it a bit!)

 A fresh NW wind with just the odd light shower.

South shore

Janet was first to check this morning.

Nine Pale-bellied Brent geese on Red Nab

Rock pipit near the lighthouse 

Grey seal 1 between the outflows.

It then decided to do its baby elephant impersonation 

The "elephant's ears" are just the waves it displaced as it dived.

Brimstone butterfly in the Nature Park 

I checked a little later (Malcolm)

Linnet a pair on the saltmarsh 

Female Linnet with nest lining material 

Whimbrel 2 - one on the saltmarsh and this one feeding on the foreshore grass.

Whimbrel 

It had already dug up this grub, but decided to have a good look around before eating it.

Warblers in the Nature Park

Two each, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler and Blackcap

Lesser Whitethroat 1 (one of ten Lesser Whitethroat covered in today's post)

Imperial Rd

Just the briefest of stop offs to check the field to NE of the roundabout 

Little Egret 8

Lesser Whitethroat 3 heard from the roundabout 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Another brief check of the central marsh located 7 warbler species in the morning (Malcolm)

Cetti's warbler 5

Sedge Warbler 1

Reed Warbler 2

Blackcap 2

Willow Warbler 4

Chiffchaff 3

Lesser Whitethroat 6 at least, including 3 along the access road.

But by this afternoon at least one Grasshopper warbler was reeling - Rosie Briggs

So, we're up to 8 warbler species now.

Reed Bunting 1

Common Snipe 1

Pheasant 1 male calling

Heysham skear - low water 16:40

I walked out with some trepidation after yesterday's washout (Malcolm). But it turned out to an enjoyable walk, largely in sunshine.

Little Egret 6

Eider 34

Great Crested Grebe 1

Shag 1 adult resting on conger rock.

Shag

Sandwich Tern 2

Initially they were both resting on a rock.

Sandwich Terns

Then one flew off and began fishing

Normally, when one remains behind its a female and she expects to be fed, but that didn't 
happen today. Perhaps the other wasn't catching anything or perhaps it just hadn't got the message.
Either way they both ended fishing along the north side of the skear

Osprey 1 very distant to the north. Fortunately, they and the effect they have on gulls are very distinctive!

Osprey with a cloud of gulls in tow. Its laboured flight suggests that it was carrying a fish.
 It was flying NW at 15:30, heading for Foulshaw?

Waders pretty much as recent, except no Whimbrel seen or heard. This is a nice clip of a Curlew feeding with Oystercatcher and Knot.

Bar-Tailed Godwit just 6

Swallow 1 north

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

Glossy Ibis there mid morning at least.

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