Slaters being slaughtered

A fresh SW wind stirred up the sea. Overcast with a few light showers.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)

Just a quick look at the two main ponds.

Wildfowl as recent although just one female type Gadwall seen.

Gadwall, front with Mallard behind

This young Little Grebe provides a tour past the Gadwall and feeding Coot, before the inevitable dive.

This is one of the two summer plumaged adults.

Kingfisher 1 - on the "no swimming" pond. I only saw it briefly, but it didn't move on, just out of sight behind the bushes.

South shore (Malcolm)

Wheatear 1 female/immature on the foreshore 

Rock Pipit 2 - 1 each Foreshore and Red Nab

Whimbrel 2

Whimbrel 

Mediterranean gulls c15 flew early from Red Nab this morning, several were on the mud this evening.

Adult Med flying along the sea wall this evening 

Oystercatcher on the heliport wall at high water

Sea Slaters are like a large fast Woodlouse. Like Woodlice, they like to rest in dark damp areas, only coming out to feed after dark. But they drown if submerged in water so as the tides get higher, as they have been doing this week, they are forced to move from their hiding place and find a new one, making them vulnerable. This first clip is from yesterday when the Red Nab Rock Pipit finds one scurrying up the sloping wall.

But today's higher tide, with high waves forced the Sea Slaters out in numbers. There were c50 Starlings feasting on them at the heliport.

This one caught quite a large one, and had to take it out of sight to eat in peace. The Oystercatchers had no interest in the bounty.