The wind was fresher today and from SW. Overnight rain held off during the day, occasional sunny spells.
Canada geese 52 minimum - Janet saw these 52 flying south over Middleton Nature Reserve this morning, a little later (10:30) they had either turned round or a second large flock was heard over Heysham Village heading north.
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| 52 Canada geese bringing this year's moult migration total to 143 |
Heysham skear - low water 13:00 (MD)
I didn't have much time today, it doesn't take long to check the skear on these neap tides. I wasn't expecting much and wasn't disappointed, for a while it felt like doing a stocktake on Noah's Ark, just two of everything! Eventually I managed to scrape a few extra Eider to add to totals.
Eider just 5 - 2 + 2 male and 1 female - the female flew off south these shots show some plumage detail.
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| Female Eider |
Great Crested grebe 2
Little Egret 2
Curlew 2
Even the Oystercatcher weren't as abundant as typical but still c750.
Similar numbers of Herring gulls. The seed mussels are still forming, but are becoming increasing difficult to extract from in between the larger mussels. They prefer to be in shallow water, presumably to help remove any mud. Watch the bird with the weed, it ends up with a mussel, probably more by luck than sound tactics. This size of mussel is what I think is just about their size limit for eating whole.
I'll hopefully have more time tomorrow.
