Saturday 2 April 2022

Gannets start to move, plus an Osprey

The wind started light from the east before freshening mid morning and swinging around before settling to NNE. Plenty of sunshine between the high cloud.

Morning seawatch report from Pete:
Osprey NW at 0810 over Kent Channel 
Gannet 5 adult, flew out together - first of year I think 
Eider 224
Red-breasted Merganser 16
Great Crested Grebe 8
Pale-bellied Brent goose 52 on the water near the eider on the north side, before flying to south - they were seen landing at Red Nab, long before the tide reached it.

Foreshore to saltmarsh shore (MD)
Wheatear 2 together on foreshore 
Shelduck 17
Curlew 70 
Redshank 60
Grey Plover 2
Dunlin 1
Grey Plover in winter plumage 

Grey Plover with Redshank 

The other Grey Plover had an "unwelcome" hanger on. Today's only Dunlin.

I know that it is unlikely, but a part of me thinks this has to be the same Dunlin that refused to leave the Red Nab rock yesterday. It obviously has an identity crisis and seems to think its legs are longer than they are. Eventually the Plover went out into water above the Dunlins depth, but the Dunlin stuck with it.
The Plover eventually flew off south, with the Dunlin hot on its tail.

Tim had a promenade in the afternoon sun, whilst the tide was still quite high:
Walking from Morecambe to Heysham 15.20-15.45
26 Eider out from north of Sunny Slopes
Another 23 Eider out to South
2 Merganser 
No geese seen