Med numbers increasing again

A light SW wind. Dry with sunny spells till early evening, when rain set in.

South Shore

Mediterranean gulls 22 minimum - Pete saw 14 between Red Nab and outflows on the ebbing tide. These included a distant 2nd calendar year with a dark ring with possible yellow characters. Also 2 juvenile.

I went down a little later (MD). By that time there were no small gulls on Red Nab, but there were 2 juvenile Meds feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow, plus 20 resting and occasionally feeding on the beach by the wooden jetty. These included at least one 2nd calendar year and the green ringed German adult, plus a white ringed adult.

This is the green ringed adult. The clip shows the current high density of sandmason worm tubes, which presumably alerts the Meds to their likely availability.

Most of the Meds were just resting/preening, presumably already eaten their fill
2nd calendar year, now in 2nd winter plumage left
White ringed adult top right

I returned to check Red Nab as the tide was reaching it, again at least 20 Meds with no juveniles seen. There were three previously read white ringed birds plus the green German bird again. Unfortunately I couldn't find the dark ringed bird, but it could well have been there, most of the time, most of the legs were obscured. 

This one was an exception, stood on the mud and providing easy views of its ring

This clip is from this morning, I'd walked along the shore rather than the sea wall. It shows the gulls feeding on No.2 outflow. The smaller Black-Headed gulls hovering and diving, while most of the young large gulls preferring to wait until something is passing before diving. You might want to turn the volume down on this one, I was right behind the water outlet.

No Rock Pipits seen or heard, although the foreshore wasn't checked.

Wheatear 1 near wooden jetty.

Wheatear

Waders:

Curlew - must have been 300+ flew past to the south shore.

Whimbrel 1 flew south from Red Nab in the afternoon 

Oystercatcher 600+

Redshank 100+

Turnstone 4

Nature Park 

Jay 2

Migrant Hawker 1 - glimpses seen over the past week but this was the first one to be able to identify with confidence. Unfortunately it refused to settle.

Common Darter 3

Male Common Darter

Red Admiral 2

Large White 1

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 4

Gatekeeper 2 (looking worn)

Common Blue 1