Good and thorough coverage

Perhaps the last freezing night for a while, light SE breeze. Mainly overcast with a few afternoon showers.

South Shore

I just checked the saltmarsh just before high water (MD). I watched the whole of the saltmarsh being covered and again the Common Snipe surprised me, today by their relatively low numbers.

Common Snipe 15

Jack Snipe 5 seen, 1 possibly duplicated, but unlikely. A possible 6th could not be confirmed 

Reed Bunting 7

Skylark 5

Skylark 

This lark was calling as it flew, I was hoping my camera would pick it up, but it didn't. I just managed a couple of short clips, so I put them together.

Janet had a walk along the sea wall and took these nice shots.

Heron Flushed from its favoured rock

Kingfisher on Red Nab

Rock Pipit having a bath in the groundwater runoff on Red Nab

Not sure what this Black- Headed Gull has, but I'm not convinced that it is edible

First winter Kittiwake with a very edible sandeel or whitebait

Adult Kittiwake on the harbour "kittiwake pipe"

Grey Seal

Pete and Jean did a thorough count as part of this month's WeBS survey. 

This is Jean's report, it includes the snipe recorded above.

From Ocean Edge saltmarsh to Heysham Village Bay:

Cormorant 67

Shag 1

Grey Heron 1

Little Egret 1

Wigeon 198

Oystercatcher 7780

Ringed Plover16

Grey Plover 1

Knot 5425

Jack Snipe 5

Common Snipe 15

Redshank 351

Turnstone 9

Black-headed Gull 66

Herring Gull 24

Great Black-backed Gull 14

Kittiwake 24 (20 x 1st winter, 4 x adult, most in the harbour and a few on the outfalls)

A Grey Seal was fishing by the outfalls

Most of the Oystercatchers and all of the Knot were roosting on the heliport sea wall (with a few overflowing onto the top). The Redshank were mostly on Red Nab, with others on Ocean Edge saltmarsh.

Howard managed to read another 7 ringed Knot today, despite the Near Naze birds being regularly lifted by "snappers wanting in flight shots".

This Knot's flag is blotched, but after careful checks of both sides it was  
eventually read. It is already beginning to get its red summer plumage