The fickle nature of Nature

A dry day with long sunny spells. A west wind.

South shore

Report by Shaun Coyle:

Red Nab to Harbour. 05:30-08:30.

Mute Swan pair south the over outfalls, then landed near Red Nab, before heading off towards Cockerham.

Whimbrel 2 roosting on Red Nab with 27 Curlew.

Bar-tailed Godwit 3 on the beach of Red Nab.

Kittiwake juv on Outfall 2.

Med Gull 14 adults/3CY, single 2CY and 7 1CY

Sandwich Tern 2 feeding on the outfalls.

Cormorant 63 roosting on the Wooden Pier.

Little Egret 2 on Red Nab.

Adult and Juv Peregrine active over Power Stations before heading south. 

Lots of waders on a distant sandbar off Ocean Edge, included, about 30 Grey Plovers 

I had a walk along the sea wall at lunchtime (Malcolm)

Osprey 1 started fishing between the outflows at 12:35. It caught a Bass in less than 5 minutes on only its first dive into the water. It pulls itself up from this dive.

The next dive was completed and it caught a relatively small Bass, then flew off south with it.

It looks to have a blue ring on its right leg

If this is the same bird that has been seen here several times, then this behaviour suggests that it has already fed its family and was now fishing to feed itself. But the earlier opportunity to fish here would have been this morning when Shaun was checking. I still believe that an Osprey would only risk the dangers of grabbing a Bass if there was no easier option. Last time I proposed that the roughness of the sea  was the deciding factor, but then Shan saw one feeding here in what appeared to be ideal conditions to catch flatfish. Obviously there are other factors involved, so more observations required! (Malcolm). This clip is the Osprey beginning to fly south with its catch. Not the best quality, but if you watch in slow motion you can see first how far apart the Osprey's legs are to avoid the Bass' dorsal fin. It then juggles with it trying to get a firm safe hold.

The timing of this walk was to see the beach by the wooden jetty become exposed. Yesterday 19 Mediterranean gulls were feeding on it, today just 2 turned up! I was a bit surprised yesterday as neap tides are not normally good for feeding here. Perhaps the heavy rain yesterday made the sandmason worms more available, or perhaps the atrocious conditions yesterday just meant that the Meds were hungrier.

The juvenile Kittiwake had switched to No.1 outflow

They are very graceful fliers, but not graceful on the mud.

Little Egret 4 - we seem to have a particularly tall one. I couldn't managed a comparison shot, but it looks to be half as big again than the others.

As Little Egret go, this one appears large, probably just a little larger
than normal, but with a very dominant pose. The others kept their distance 

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Linnet 2 on Red Nab and 5 together near the lighthouse.

Three of the five Linnet near the lighthouse 

In the Nature Park 

Speckled Wood 5

Meadow Brown 2 

Very worn male Meadow Brown

Red Admiral 2

Peacock 3

Gatekeeper 2

Common Blue 1

Common Carpet 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Some mobile phone shots by Janet

Speckled Wood 

Female Common Darter

Common Darter pair