Tuesday, 24 December 2024

Not many geese and no sea ducks as we approach Christmas........probably just a coincidence.

A gentle SW wind. Low clouds supplying drizzle for much of the day.

First an update from yesterday.
Shag 1 - feeding by the green marker post out from Knowlys Rd. Too distant to age, identified by its dive - David Kaye.
Remarkably, there are currently 32 Shag across the bay at Walney.

Today's stuff:
Kittiwake 1 1st calendar year (soon to be a 2nd calendar year) still along the south sea wall - Kevin Eaves

Heysham skear - low water 12:20 (Malcolm)
Pale-bellied Brent goose - just 13 seen, but there may have been more. This clip shows where they were feeding.

Pink-Footed goose 47 came from inland and continued west across the bay.
Some of the Pinkfoot

No Eider, Red-breasted Merganser or Great Crested grebes seen

A reasonable selection of waders.
Oystercatcher 1,500
I see this partially leucistic Oystercatcher about one in ten visits

Curlew 158 many once again arriving from inland 
Bar-Tailed Godwit at least 1

Bar-Tailed Godwit with Knot

Knot 700
Redshank 120
Dunlin 15
A mixed flock of Knot, Redshank and Dunlin 
Plus a few Oystercatcher 
Turnstone 50
Ringed Plover 6

Later,  Ian Hartley managed 43 Pale-bellied brent geese from Knowlys Rd (which kind of belies today's title, but never let the facts ruin a good title!)

Not quite as exciting as Christmas eve last year!