Thursday 1 October 2020

A lazy sort of day

 A steady west breeze all day. Mainly sunny.

Vis mig and ringing report from Jean
Middleton Nature Reserve
Vis 0730-1130 NW F2 part cloudy
Grey Wagtail 5 (2 caught and colour-ringed)
Meadow Pipit 10
Pink-footed Goose 16
Alba Wagtail 8
Reed Bunting 5
Carrion Crow 7
Linnet 2
Chaffinch 2
Skylark 3
Whooper Swan 16 - seen over the sea from Ocean Edge 

Other than that it was very quiet. Ringing comprised 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Grey Wagtail), 3 Meadow Pipit, 3 Long-tailed Tit (one of which was a retrap), a Goldcrest and a retrapped Blue Tit.

South shore (MD)
Wigeon 18 on Red Nab
Robin 4 grounded along foreshore 
Wheatear 3 on Red Nab and Ocean Edge foreshore plus 2 near lighthouse 
Nice picture from Kevin

Rock Pipit 1
Meadow Pipit 3 grounded

This Grey seal was trying to sleep between the outflows.
I must have just missed it catching and eating a fish. When this happens they are surrounded by a cloud of gulls after any scraps. But it must still have had a scrap left on its face, and these three immature gulls (1 & 2cy GBBG plus Herring) weren't for giving up.

Eventually the juvenile GBBG moved gingerly in.....

.....and got the scrap without the seal even opening an eye.

Then left it to sleep off its meal in peace.