Sunday 15 September 2024

Grim!

Probably grim is not a grim enough word to describe this morning's weather! The constant rain alternating between very heavy and not quite so heavy! A SE wind early on shifted to SW after lunch.
It faired up mid afternoon, by that time it had put down 50mm of rain! By evening the sun was out.

Unfortunately, I only had opportunity for a morning walk today (Malcolm)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab
Out from the saltmarsh 
Grey Plover 1
Ringed Plover 12
Redshank 30
Turnstone 12
Oystercatcher 15
I just managed a few monochrome like shots sheltering behind the large sign by the slipway.
Ringed Plover, Grey Plover and Oystercatcher 

Grey Plover and marsh grass 

Redshank and Samphire 

Turnstone and tiny molluscs 

Wheatear 1 on foreshore 
Wigeon 5 flew south from Red Nab
Little Egret 3
Kingfisher 1 - the freshwater runoff was a torrent so it was feeding in the rock pools along the western edge of Red Nab

Middleton Nature Reserve 
Just a quick look at the two main ponds on the way home.
Mute Swan pair plus one large cygnet. No sign of the adult that had been on the "no swimming" pond. The water here is now 1.5m above its normal height, the swan's nest is well underwater (see post 08/09/24)
Mallard 14
Tufted Duck 10
Gadwall 1 male was a new arrival

Male Gadwall

Coot 18 - the rain had "eased" to not quite so heavy, so I took this clip of the Coot arguing. The Gadwall and a male Tufted in the background 

Weather looks set fair for the rest of the week