Lots of wind.......Little gull

Strong SW wind all day with some very heavy rain showers.

Fortunately Pete and Jean were in the area late morning conducting this month's WeBS count (Wetland Bird Survey). Today's count included:

Pale-bellied Brent goose 37 on Red Nab

Wigeon 225 at Ocean Edge saltmarsh

Oystercatcher  5005 on heliport and 1680 on Heysham village bay field (below Knowlys Rd)

Knot 600 on heliport plus 56 Turnstone and a Snipe. 

Ringed Plover 15 on Ocean Edge grass and 3 on Heysham Village Bay field.

Little gull 1 adult on the seaward end of No.1 outflow

I had walked along the south wall earlier, but the Little Gull was not there then, so I had another look in the afternoon as the outflow became exposed again. The good news was that it had remained dry as I walked out, and that the Little Gull was now feeding on the mid section of No.1 outflow. The bad news was that as soon as I relocated it, the heavens opened driven by an even stronger wind. I just managed a few record shots. Some of these images show No.2 outflow in the background, but the bird was feeding over No.1.

There was a dark line on the primaries of the right wing,
but it appears to be a displaced feather

I also managed this brief clip, but the image quality is poor (it's not easy when both you and the bird are moving erratically!)

The only other pictures I have today are of two flocks of the Pale-bellied Brent geese heading towards Red Nab this morning.

Brent flying along the sea wall 

A different flock of 8 Brent flying between the wooden jetty and the roundhead