Monday 6 March 2017

Stonechat highlight

The Stonechat passage is getting going with some decent counts already south of here and today's is our second so far - another female, but this time on Heysham barrows

Iceland Gull - 3CY still Fisher's Roof
Red-throated Diver - one in wp quite close in feeding in a low tide riffle
Eider - c90
Stonechat - female Heysham barrows by old go kart track

Malcolm's email from Middleton (thanks)
Cetti's singing from western scrape this morning. I was really pleased! No other Cetti's singing from other areas, so perhaps this one has been having a reconnoiter and decided to return to its old haunt.
4 Reed Bunting, including one singing male.
Buzzard being mobbed by crows.
The pair of mute that claimed the "no swimming" pond, decided to oust the pair from the model boat pond last week. That leaves us with only two pairs and a vacated "no swimming" pond. I have gone down to the reed mace there a couple of times, but no sign of bittern.

Mute 2 pair
Coot 2
Moorhen 5
Little Grebe 1 ("no swimming" pond)
Gadwall 5
Tufted 3
Mallard 7
Teal 4
Water Rail 3
Common Snipe 6
Cetti's Warbler 1
Common Buzzard 1

Sunday sightings

Other than an invasion by Arctic mutts (husky club) at the excellent Half Moon Bay Café and a Cetti's warbler singing from possibly a new area/new bird at Middleton, routine stuff today

Iceland Gull - seen several times, roof area in the morning and flying about later in the afternoon

Siskin - flock of 5 by the office feeders

Eider - perfect viewing conditions offshore but a complete seaduck monoculture - just 104 Eider and no RBM at low tide

Meadow Pipit - 2 grounded north harbour wall

Cetti's Warbler - singing male by pumping station (but none in the usual area for a few days now)