The light wind started SE before swinging round to SW. A bright start but becoming overcast later in the morning, some sunny spells in the afternoon.
Red Nab and Saltmarsh
Just a short check along the shoreline
Greenfinch 4 on Red Nab
Shelduck 85 feeding on mud out from foreshore
Common Snipe 27 among the small tussocks of sea grass out from the saltmarsh
Middleton Nature Reserve
A look at the two main ponds saw a lot of new ducks in.
Mute Swam 2 adult, 9 cygnet
Moorhen 7
Coot 1 - first record since 1st November
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| Coot with male Gadwall |
Mallard 26 on "no swimming" pond plus 3 on main pond
Gadwall 30
Shoveler 1 male
57 ducks on the "no swimming" pond! Although all dabbling ducks, most were either resting of adjusting their feathers. These are just some of them:
Pale-Bellied Brent geese 15 at least - looking back from the skear there were at least 9 visible close in near the children's play area. Later, they must have been spooked and moved away, there were at least 15 amongst the rocks high up the shore from the SE skear corner. Unfortunately an especially nuisance dog flushed them from here too, after clearing the skear.
Shag 1 was resting on Conger rock with 2 cormorants, before flying off to fish about an hour before low water.
Great Crested grebe 2
Eider 100+
