Friday 30 July 2021

Only minimal coverage

The wind was light and mainly from the north. Plenty of showers, but not particularly heavy.

South shore
I only had time for one short walk today, so I checked the beach next to the wooden jetty 3.5 hours before high water. No other reports so far (MD)
Common Whitethroat 3 female/immature together on Power Station southern perimeter fence.
Rock Pipit 5 - 3 on Red Nab, 2 on Ocean Edge foreshore 
Whimbrel 1 calling from Red Nab
Mediterranean gull 10 - 6 adult/3cy on beach near wooden jetty, also 1 x 2cy and 1 juvenile here. Also 2 juvenile on No.1 outflow.
This clip shows one of the juveniles (I inadvertently followed a young BHG on the original clip I posted here, should have spotted before I posted it though - sorry for any confusion MD)

This is a still of the juvenile Mediterranean gull from the above clip
This is a still from the original clip. The upper bird is one of juvenile meds,
but the lower one a juvenile BHG, unfortunately that's the one I followed! (MD)

I'm not sure what's happening with No.1 outflow. One minute there are lots of gulls feeding, although most are sitting on the water, then a few minutes later there is nothing feeding. There was no dredger activity in the harbour today. Perhaps the fish and shrimps being removed from the cooling water are periodically being fed back into the outflows. More observations required! This clip shows the feeding at it's height.

This is the same outflow 5 minutes later - empty!

Most of the meds were resting on the rocks on the western end of the beach, till moved towards the wall by the tide. No ringed birds today.
Most of the meds were resting on these rocks

This is the 2nd calendar year bird, scavenging Oystercatcher leftovers 

I wouldn't normally bother posting this, but it is a slow news day. This Marbled Beauty moth was sheltering from the rain on my back door this morning. Not an uncommon moth, but nice to see nether the less. It is an attractive moth.
Marbled Beauty