Cold WNW fresh wind, mostly sunny
Update from yesterday.
Snow Bunting 1 male - initially just south of the recording area at Potts Corner, then flew north into our territory. Report and excellent pictures from Mark Jones.
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| Male Snow Bunting |
A couple of images that I managed to grab of a lovely male Snow Bunting yesterday on my return from Sunderland point mid afternoon. It was, unbelievably, in front of a caravan just 2 away from mine, feeding on the ground, I watched it for around 10 mins before it flew off up the coast towards Morecambe.
Beautiful, striking white back wing feather pattern, just a single call as it took off, easily the best views I've had of one.
Report from Jean:
Pete and I were in the area from 0750 to 0930 and saw the following:
Eider 207
Red-breasted Merganser 15 (groups of 6 and 5 and rest in 1s and 2s)
Great-crested Grebe 9
The mergs and grebes were displaying
Common Gull 270
Mediterranean Gull 2 x 2CY
Peregrine - adult and immature targeting the waders and crows on the skear.
Vis:
Very little overhead.
Meadow Pipit 5 singles north
Little Egret 4 north low to water following the Kent channel
Red-throated Diver - a group of 10 summer-plumaged birds headed high out of the Bay then turned and flew north.
In the woodland on Heysham Head no Chiffchaff were calling so previous birds must have moved through.
A Tawny Owl hooted once and then it sounded like all the Blackbirds, Dunnocks etc had found it as there was quite a racket from them.
A grey seal was in the near channel being mobbed by Black-headed Gulls.
Eider 207
Red-breasted Merganser 15 (groups of 6 and 5 and rest in 1s and 2s)
Great-crested Grebe 9
The mergs and grebes were displaying
Common Gull 270
Mediterranean Gull 2 x 2CY
Peregrine - adult and immature targeting the waders and crows on the skear.
Vis:
Very little overhead.
Meadow Pipit 5 singles north
Little Egret 4 north low to water following the Kent channel
Red-throated Diver - a group of 10 summer-plumaged birds headed high out of the Bay then turned and flew north.
In the woodland on Heysham Head no Chiffchaff were calling so previous birds must have moved through.
A Tawny Owl hooted once and then it sounded like all the Blackbirds, Dunnocks etc had found it as there was quite a racket from them.
A grey seal was in the near channel being mobbed by Black-headed Gulls.
South shore (MD)
Pale-bellied Brent goose 42 flew from Red Nab to Potts
Wigeon 16
Dunlin c200
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| The Dunlin still in winter plumage |
Turnstone c150 on the Wooden Jetty
Redshank c50 each Wooden Jetty and saltmarsh
Wheatear 4 at least along foreshore, I saw 3 on the way out and 2 on return, David Talbot saw 4 later.
Jack Snipe 1, flushed from the saltmarsh at high water
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| Rubbish shot as ever, but not without some charm |
Osprey reported heading our way from Plover Scar. Unfortunately not picked up in the recording area.
