The sea provides, and in return.....we return

A quite fresh west to SW wind. Some sunshine with the odd shower.

Report from Pete:

Heysham seawatch: 1100-1205hrs

Kittiwake 47

Little gull 1 adult in

Red-Throated Diver 1 out 

 

A check behind Ben my Chree 1200hrs

Kittiwake 14

Little gull 2 adult type

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

Also:

Mediterranean gull 1 2cy ocean edge on grass

Shag 1 immature wooden jetty high tide roost

I set off along the wall as Pete was leaving, just after high water (MD)

Reed Bunting 1 on saltmarsh 

Linnet 10 on saltmarsh 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Wigeon c100 out from saltmarsh and Red Nab

Kittiwake 8 - at least 6 adult plus 2 x 1st calendar year - along the sea wall and on No.1 outflow. This is one of the adult, clearly showing location 

Shag 1 - I saw this bird flying to the wooden jetty. Turned out it was the 2nd calendar year bird, returning to its regular place on the jetty. It shows its profile at the end of the clip. Possibly the same bird as seen at considerable distance by Pete earlier, but unlikely as Pete's bird was at the very end of the jetty and suggested juvenile.

As I was walking back Steve Brown was walking out. We hadn't planned to work in shifts like this, it was just how it happened. As ever, Steve took some great shots - it is worth opening these to appreciate the detail.

First winter Kittiwake 

Adult Kittiwake 

This is what today's cryptic clue of a title refers to. This adult Kittiwake was "resting" on the scrub near the lighthouse, in the lee of the secondary sea wall. I presumed it was just exhausted, but as I took this clip it became apparent that it was ensnared by something.

So I went to help. It was tangled in fishing line which was also entangled to some brambles. It took some untangling as it was very fine line and convolutedly entangled, particularly around one leg. This is not the sort of fishing line typically used by anglers who fish near the lighthouse. I wondered if the bird was already entangled elsewhere and just became ensnared here, although this sort of line does not float, so it will not have become entangled at sea. Either way I removed the couple of metres of line and safely disposed of it later. I walked to the inner harbour to return the bird.

Soon to be returned Kittiwake. It had remained reasonably calm throughout,
clearly resigned to its fate being in my hands

I placed it on the inner harbour wall and it immediately flew off, showing no sign of being any the worse for its ordeal. 

Twenty minutes later as I was returning along the sea wall, this bird was fast asleep on the wall near No.2 outflow.

Birds often look to be asleep, but invariably have half an eye open. But I knew this one was asleep as it awoke with a start as I passed a couple of metres away (I couldn't have passed any further away, without falling in!). It didn't fly off just stood and looked at me.

I suspected that it might be the bird that I had released earlier, particularly as it took a couple of steps, it was clearly favouring one leg. If so, it suggests that it needed sleep more than anything else in order to recover. Had it been ensnared all night? I managed to pass by without disturbing it further, but when I looked back a little later it was just taking to the air and was hanging elegantly on the updraft from the wall - good luck! (MD)