Tuesday 27 July 2021

Mainly Meds news

Light west breeze all day. Mainly cloudy but no rain till mid evening when light showers began.

First I forgot to add Pete's sightings from yesterday:
Mediterranean gull 15 red nab/ocean edge saltmarsh/on sea nearby latter stages incoming tide plus one by heliport.  All adult or 3cy (2) 
2 Whimbrel Red Nab

Heysham skear - low water 09:10
Great Crested Grebe 2
Greylag goose 13 low to SE
Eider 1
The single Eider 
Curlew c30
Redshank c50
Turnstone c40
Little Egret 14
Grey Heron 2 - yesterday I extolled the virtues of a heron's stealth. Sometimes you have to move in a similar fashion to approach wildlife. I like these two clips, this first one the immature Heron almost strikes, but misses the opportunity (MD)

Undaunted by the near miss, and a complete miss of a neighbouring bird it remains focused and catches a small flatfish on its next attempt.


South shore early evening.
Just a quick walk along the wall to check the Meds feeding beach
Rock Pipit 2 on Red Nab
Whimbrel 1 by No.2 outflow 
Mediterranean gulls 13 (8 adult, 3 x 3cy, 1 x 2cy plus 1 juvenile). Unfortunately the nature of the beach this year does not seem to support the patchwork feeding method normally employed, where the meds defend their own patch of mud to feed on sand mason worms. When that happens the meds end up reasonably evenly spread across the whole beach. But at the moment they are following the tide out (and in again). There are several on this clip, plus some Black-Headed gulls. The juvenile flies in near the start of the clip.