Friday 6 October 2023

Tern and Little Gull numbers grow throughout the day

A steady SW wind. The early morning showers stopped by 09:00. After that just a few showers, but overcast all day.

South Shore (MD/PM)
Common Tern 5-6. There were 3 at 09:20, 4 by 14:30 and 5-6 when Pete checked early evening (when visibility wasn't good from Ocean Edge)
Little Gull 6. Just 1 x 1cy at 09:20, 2 adult and 2 x 1cy in the afternoon and 3 adult plus 3 x 1cy in the evening
Sandwich Tern 1 in the afternoon 
Two adult and a 1st calendar year(1cy) Little gulls in the afternoon 

1cy Little gull and a Common Tern

This clip begins with a 1cy and an adult Little gull and ends on a 1cy Common Tern
Once again very few other gulls feeding, by Pete's evening check there were more Little Gulls and Common Tern than anything else on the outflows.
Other stuff:
Shelduck 2 south
Rock Pipit 3
Rock Pipit on foreshore 

Wheatear 1
Wheatear hunkered down against the wind


Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Just a quick check of the two main pons in passing.
Mute Swan pair plus 7 large cygnets 
Mallard 12
Coot 12
Moorhen 3
Little Grebe 1 
Little Grebe

Grey Heron

Cetti's Warbler 1 male singing in the distance, probably from the central marsh

This shot from Janet, as she says, you wouldn't want to be the Oystercatcher at the back!