A lot milder with a SW light wind. Mainly overcast with some light afternoon showers.
I didn't have much time today, but it proved quite productive (MD)
Saltmarsh to Red Nab 08:45 - 09:15
Shelduck 42
Stonechat 2 - this female was in the same area near the slipway as yesterday's bird, but quite elusive.
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| Female Stonechat |
A male at Red Nab was more obliging, the green blur in the background is the gutweed covered Red Nab.
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| Male Stonechat |
Imperial Rd - 09:40 -10:00
Stonechat 1 male - a bit more distant this time
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| A more typical view of a Stonechat |
Greylag Goose 2 - on the wrong side of the road so, "seen from" the recording area.
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| Greylag geese |
Grey Heron 1 feeding
Little Egret 1 feeding
Great White Egret 1 flew over to the west
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| Great White Egret |
Pete and Jean were doing the WeBS (wetlands bird survey) today, including:
Pale-bellied Brent goose 8 flew from the skear towards the south side
Shag 2 immature roosting on the wooden jetty
Details from Jean
Heysham high tide WeBS count today from Ocean Edge saltmarsh to Heysham Head :
Cormorant 42
Shag 2
Wigeon 127
Oystercatcher 3862
Snipe 6
Curlew 8
Knot 180
Redshank 81
Black-headed Gull 7
Lesser Black-backed Gull 4
Herring Gull 35
Wader numbers are lower this count due to several reasons:
a) some have moved inland towards breeding areas
b) Sparrowhawk disturbance at the heliport (hence few Knot recorded which are more sensitive to a predator than the Oystercatchers)
c) a fox prowling about on Near Naze had scared all the waders off there.
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| Pete's shot of a Fox, having seen off the waders from the Near Naze. |
