Saturday 21 December 2019

Shag located feeding

Heysham skeer - low water
Shag - The cormorant were all resting on sandbars. Only one bird was feeding in the first channel area, saw it dive a couple of times and it's leaping dive Indicated shag. When tide stopped ebbing, it stopped feeding and rested on water, still in first channel area. Most views were just its head bobbing over waves, but I eventually managed a couple of record shots. (MD)
(The original pictures are slightly sharper than when posted, and are diagnostic)

Feeding here on last of ebb on these mid range tides must be on pin whiting, if so, these will be here at same time for similar height tides. This suggests that there may be a repeat performance tomorrow, 14:000 onwards. The first channel is about 250m west of the largest triangular rock on the skeer (conger rock). This will be on the skeer's SW water edge approaching low water tomorrow.

Great- Crested grebe 6
No RBM or Eider

Middleton Nature Reservep
No ducks on the main pond, but 40 on the "no swimming" pond:
Gadwall 27
Tufted 2 (male)
Shoveler 1 (male)
Teal 10

West side of road to re-cycling centre - this is the eastern boundary of the recording area.
Great White Egret 1 - in field in the afternoon.