Turf wars hotting up!

Another overcast but dry day. The NE wind reduced to a breeze (still cold, but easier to keep out)

South shore (Malcolm)

A walk out to the waterline from Ocean Edge this morning on the rising tide, once again resulted in almost no feeding waders.

Oystercatcher 30 along the waterline 

Curlew 67 on waterline and flying south

And that was it for the waterline, looking further south saw only a small group of Dunlin

Higher up the shore

Ringed Plover 6

Ringed Plover

Grey Plover 3

Redshank 81

Dunlin 4

Redshank and Dunlin

Common Snipe 3 lifted off the saltmarsh and resettled not far away. This was long before the tide reached the marsh. Presumably avoiding a predator (Weasels have been seen here)

Pink Footed goose 320 north in two noisy skeins. This is the largest skein

Pale-bellied Brent goose 34 on Red Nab (40 arrived at the north shore this afternoon)

There was no one along the sea wall today (I didn't disturb them as I kept my distance). As yesterday the Brent took the opportunity to feed close to the sea wall. This large rock is only a few metres from the wall, and the Brent were clearly finding longer strands of gutweed here. Although you would wonder if they were using more energy repelling rivals than they were gaining from the weed.

There were 32 Brent feeding here, 2 more were keeping themselves to themselves on the southern edge of the skear. Eventually the 32 had enough and set off to the south, but they spotted the other 2, did a U turn and landed to see what they were feeding on.

And so the turf wars resumed 

Pale-bellied Brent geese, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Turnstone 

Shelduck 49

Wigeon 180

Rock Pipit 1

Rock Pipit

North shore (Malcolm)

I went down this afternoon as the skear was becoming exposed.

40 Pale-bellied Brent geed arrived from the south in two lots, 32 and 8.

Eider 169

Red-breasted Mergansers 4

Great Crested Grebe 3

Little Egret 1

Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Turnstone and Ringed Plover all present in similar numbers to yesterday.

Knot 2,000 arrived together as the skear was exposed, and were immediately attacked by a Peregrine Falcon.

Peregrine Falcon and the blur is the disappearing Knot

This attack was unsuccessful, and the Knot disappeared to the west, followed by the Peregrine. Fortunately small groups of Knot returned to the skear, eventually totalling 1,000. At least two new flagged birds were seen.........then another, this time successful Peregrine attack.

Then another Peregrine arrived and seemed to expect the kill to be handed over.

Handing over prey in flight is a regular Peregrine manoeuvre that I have seen many times (between paired birds and parents and juveniles), but that isn't what happens here. The prey was dropped onto the beach after that it isn't clear what's going on, other than one of them picks it up with the apparent blessing of the other.

Needless to say the remaining Knot were long gone by this time.