Very cold north wind all day with some light snow and hail showers, but at least the sun shone in between.
Saltmarsh to Red Nab rising tide (MD)
Pale-bellied Brent goose 65 landed on Red Nab together.
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| Today's Brent coming in to land in the freshwater stream |
Shelduck 58
Knot c250 - I was watching the Knot reluctantly move out of the way as the Brent fed, and wondered how many years it would take for them to be as comfortable with people, if no one ever bothered them. Probably never, but it would be nice.
Just a quick check of the two main ponds:
Mute Swan 2 nesting pairs plus another adult. No sign of last year's cygnets. Looks like they've all been moved on. The remaining unattached adult wasn't welcome.
Canada goose 1 visitor
Coot 6
Moorhen 4
Mallard 6
Gadwall 8
Little grebe - just one seen today
Warblers, three species singing:
Cetti's warbler by "no swimming" pond
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 3
Imperial way (Pete and Jean)
Green Sandpiper on pond next to Imperial Way.
Pair Gadwall and pair Teal on pond at end of Imperial Way/entrance to recycle facility.
Heysham skear - low water 18:50 (MD)
Light nights and a high spring tide meant very low water (0.9m). I had a walk out to the Kent channel, it was a nice bright evening, but an icy wind.
Eider c180 - no more than recently just that the birds in the gunnel included in count
Shelduck 3 over to NW Red-breasted Merganser 5
Great Crested grebe 6
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| Snow on the South Lakes hills |
Visibility was good, so I took this 30 second trip around the Bay. It starts at Black Combe and ends at the Alambra on Morecambe front, with a snow dusted Ingleborough behind.
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| This is just the final frame from the clip,above, I was panning quite quickly so you don't really get a chance to see Ingleborough in the clip |
What you may notice in the clip is how flat the mud is out there, and that what creates the potential danger. When the rising tide reaches a critical point, the mud is pretty much all covered at the same time. Not deep of course, but it hides the channels and drains. Not a walk for the inexperienced.
