It rained all day sometimes very hard. A light NE wind
South shore (MD)
I went along the sea wall late afternoon as the tide was ebbing, partly as I didn't have much time today, but mainly as the heavy rain had eased a bit! Also hoping, in vain, that the Ibis might fly along the wall to roost again.
Pale-bellied Brent goose 23 flew from Red Nab to the north side.
Shelduck 5
Wigeon c350
Little Gull 1 first winter on No.2 outflow. It was raining quite hard at this point and the light was fading quickly. The shots I managed were, at best, grainy, but they were hard won so I'm going to use them anyway.
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| First winter Little Gull |
Shag 1 - I couldn't see any on the wooden jetty, but the most mature looking one was in the harbour near the waterfall.
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| Shag |
Rock Pipit 3 - one on Red Nab and two along the sea wall
Just out of the recording area. Middleton Parish Hall (MD)
Glossy Ibis 1 over to the west.
I called in at 10:00 and couldn't see it in the horse paddock or surrounding fields. A second look at 13:30 again saw its regular fields empty. Then it flew over the horse paddock from somewhere to the east and continued west in a line that would take it towards Middleton Nature Reserve.
The constant heavy rain had made many of the nearby fields waterlogged and presumably made for easy pickings for earthworms. It makes "sense" to feed elsewhere when the opportunity arises so as not to over deplete the supply of worms in its favoured feeding area. Although I guess for the Ibis it is more about instinct than logic. Or perhaps it just fancied a fly around!
