Friday 11 November 2022

Just in......juvenile Shag

The wind had eased from yesterday and moved to south. Once again, the rain threatened all day, but it remained dry.

South shore 
Pete watched the noon ferry come in:
Kittiwake 6 adult with IOM ferry - four carrying on into bay, the other two flying rapidly out as it entered port.
New-in juvenile Shag harbour mouth

It was later in the afternoon when I checked (MD). A  juvenile Shag flew low into the harbour and landed on one of the platforms near the waterfall.

You don't have to be a bird plumage expert to recognise this bird as a juvenile. Every step seems like an adventure. Good to see that it has been feeding recently too.

Juvenile Shag

It was eyeing the waterfall area, and it looked like it was building up courage to go there, then the outgoing ferry's tannoy spooked it and it flew off and dived for cover.

The 2nd Calendar year Shag was also around. Here it is just out from the roundhead before flying to its favoured spot on the wooden jetty.

Guillemot 1 feeding on the far side of the harbour mouth

Kingfisher 1 providing a glimpse both on the way out and the way back on Red Nab
Shelduck 67
Wigeon 90
Linnet 38 over saltmarsh but very flighty 
Greenfinch 4 Red Nab
Rock Pipit 5 (2 saltmarsh, 1 Red Nab, 2 along the sea wall)
Reed Bunting 2 saltmarsh 

A flock  of Long-Tailed Tits near the small anemometer included a calling Chiffchaff 


Janet took this shot of some of the Oystercatcher roosting along the old Heliport wall