A mainly dry day with just the odd shower. A fresh SE wind moved to SW by the afternoon.
Quick check from Ocean Edge mid morning: 2x 1cy, 1x 2cy Mediterranean gulls seaward end hey one, 4x adult, 1x 1cy and 3x 2cy meds red nab possibly others hidden. Nothing else of note - Pete
Heysham skear (Malcolm) 09:00 - 10:30
It wasn't what you would call cold, but today I was more comfortable with my gloves on than off.
Pink-footed Goose 11 south - first returning birds this autumn
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| Pink-footed geese |
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| Male Eider, almost out of eclipse plumage |
Red-breasted Merganser 3 - 1 + 2 all female/immature
Great Crested grebe 4
Guillemot 1 - initially it was some distance out, but for some reason it decided to head in my direction.
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| It was only 3m away at this point |
I moved to one side and looked back to see it continuing its overland journey. Don't know what it was thinking, it could have swam to to water it was heading to.
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| Guillemot. |
Shag - at least one juvenile fishing
Little Egret 8
Gulls c100 mainly Herring
Oystercatcher 500
Bar-Tailed Godwit 19 possibly 26. At least 3 groups rested a while before continuing south, 2, 10 and 7. A second group of 7 were probably additional, but can't rule out them doubling back.
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| Bar-Tailed Godwits |
Curlew 50
Redshank 350
Turnstone 120
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| Turnstone |
Saltmarsh (Malcolm) 16:30
I went down specifically to see if the Common Sandpiper was still around. I've been very fortunate this week and have had this stretch of shore to myself. But a sunny Saturday afternoon had brought out several families to enjoy the shore there, so I left them to it and just checked the saltmarsh
Little Egret 3
Linnet 25
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| Linnet |
Wheatear 1
Kestrel 1