A heavy overnight frost froze all open water, and it didn't really get much above zero all day, despite the weak sunshine. Light SSE breeze.
Mediterranean gull 1 adult, still using the lamppost vantage point just north of Four Lane End traffic lights.
Sedge Warbler ringing recovery:
Ringed 1/07/20 Middleton Nature Reserve
Controlled 13/08/20 Tour aux Moutons, Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France
Co-ords: 47deg 19min N -2deg -4min W.
Duration: 43 days Distance: 747 km Direction: 176deg (S)
Half Moon Bay 2hr after high water - tide just leaving the rocks
Just to continue yesterday's theme of feeding waders, here is a Curlew catching a small lugworm. The interesting thing here is that this is only quite shallow mud above a stony bed, you can see the Curlew working its bill along to reach the worm. A possible advantage of a curved bill? (MD)
The background noise is the torrent of surface water gushing from one of the culvert gates on the Heliport wall.
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| Common Gulls rarely get a mention, this one was roosting with the Black-Headed gulls |
Also:
Common Snipe 1
Several Redshank, including the one legged bird. This is the first time I've seen it on the north shore.
Middleton Nature Reserve
Just a check of the main ponds in passing:
Black-Headed Gull c40 roosting on main pond ice, including this Norwegian ringed bird
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| Details awaited |
Once again the wildfowl were all crowded into a small area of open water on the "no swimming" pond:
Gadwall 23
Mallard 6
Coot 1
Mute swan - The 2 adult and 3 juvenile were in a small open patch of water on the main pond, with the 4th juvenile exiled to the ice on the far side. Then 3 more adult arrived followed by another 5. The resident male was not happy and between them, more or less cleared the pond of ice. (Listen for the African Elephant towards the end of this clip)
I couldn't find the Elephant, it must have been hiding behind the breakdown lorry with a hydraulic lift.
