Black Terns hang on, and a wildfowl passage

A fresh west wind. Mainly dry with some sunshine.

Report from Pete:

Black Tern 4 juvenile on No.2 outfall. All four headed south towards the Lune estuary at 1105 after a previous attempt to fly out to sea was aborted in the strong winds. Looked like they may have been heading off, but by 1200 all four were back on No.2.

Common Tern 1 juvenile on outfalls

Southbound wildfowl; 

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 distant

Canada goose 6

Pink-Footed goose 60 

Pintail 9

Wigeon 7

Shelduck 191 (8 flocks)  

A check behind the lunchtime ferry:

Kittiwake 2 - Ad and Juv 

Common Tern 1 additional Juv

Mediterranean gull 7

distant cross-over with outgoing freight ferry probably cost a few birds. 

I had a morning walk along the wall (MD). 

Yesterday's Greylag goose hadn't flown off, perhaps it's injured. This morning it was in the harbour mouth trying to get to calmer water.

It managed it as Kevin saw it near the waterfall in the afternoon. I can't think what, if anything, it can find to eat here.

Rock Pipits 3

I had another look in the afternoon (MD)

The 4 juvenile Black Terns and the juvenile Common Tern were still on No.2 outflow. But three of the Black Terns were resting on the rails.

Three juvenile Black Tern resting along the top rail.
Note the Turnstone below the bird on the left for a size comparison 

Zoomed in shot of a juvenile Black Tern and a Turnstone 

This is a visualisation of the relationship between the four Black Terns. Two routinely stick together with a third in association, while the fourth bird has its own agenda.

Today's light made their paler rumps look particularly pale, especially on one of the birds. The independent one.

Juvenile Black Tern

Mediterranean gulls 11 arrived at the beach by the wooden jetty to feed

Shelduck 33 on mud beyond Red Nab (224 for the day)

Wigeon 11 south (18 for the day)

Wigeon

Guillemot 1 near the waterfall, don't think it is the same one as yesterday.

Healthy looking Guillemot