Friday, 24 January 2025

Gale force winds brings at least one Little gull close in

SW gale force winds began easing by late afternoon. A dry and often sunny day after overnight rain.

South sea wall (Malcolm)
I battled out against the wind just after lunch when the wind was at its strongest. This coincided with low water, but it wasn't too far out as low water was only 3.5m and the SW wind was blowing it up the shore.
Little Gull - three sightings but likely all of the same adult.
There was one flying over the low water to the south of No.1 outfall 
This is No.1 outfall, you can just make out the Little gull in bottom left corner
The sea in the foreground would normally be mud at this point in the tide,
but the strong winds have driven it high up the shore

Adult Little gull. 

You could barely stand at the roundhead, I had to shelter behind the lighthouse. From there I managed a couple of glimpses of a distant Little gull, before this one drifted into the harbour mouth.

I assumed it was going to drift in and rest in the relatively calm harbour water, but it decided to take off and see if there was anything around to eat......

.....before flying off, surprisingly quickly, to the SW directly into the teeth of the gale!





Little gull

Great Black-Backed gull

Herring gull

Cormorant 

This Cormorant, near No.1 outfall caught a Bass.

Immediately it was surrounded by gulls. I don't really know why, as Cormorants always swallow their fish whole. Possibly they just look for any broken gill filaments. By the time I managed a clip the Cormorant was taking its catch under again. It turned out an awful clip quality wise, but probably better conveys what today's conditions were like.


Redshank, trying and ultimately failing to rest on No.1 outfall

Wigeon resting in the lee of the wind on No.2 outfall.
It wasn't a day for counting!

The wind blew me back, but it was even harder staying upright. By the time I was back to my car I was shattered! And all the while, I hadn't seen another soul - Can't think why!