A strong and biting east wind. Overcast, but it remained dry.
North shore - Malcolm 14:30 - 16:00
I did the same walk as yesterday at the same time in the tide. The results similar other than many fewer Knot
Pale-bellied Brent goose 33. There were some feeding on the play area rocks as I set off, then 33 flew past to the rocks out from the fishing platform. Later something spooked all the waders, probably a Peregrine, which in turn lifted the Brent which then flew back south.
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| Heading to the fishing platform rocks |
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| Lifted by the spooked waders |
Eider 60
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| Eider |
Red-breasted Merganser 4
Great Crested Grebe 1
We are at the peak of spring tides now, the tide was rushing out, helped on its way by a strong east wind. The Black-Headed gulls were feeding in flight, they could only have been catching shrimps like this. The shrimps will be larger now, allowing the gulls to spot them in these difficult conditions. This clip shows about half of the feeding gulls.
Not long after, something had changed, possibly the speed at which the water was draining, and the gulls reverted to their more typical feeding method of floating on the sea.
There were no Knot feeding along the waterline today. I saw just three small flocks. c250 in two early flocks left to the south when all the waders were spooked. I could only find one flagged bird amongst them. As I was leaving a small flock of 50 arrived and fortunately two of those were flagged. Unfortunately, I only managed to read one of them. It was very difficult standing still in the strong wind, it didn't feel too bad close to shore with buildings and banking providing protection, but out on the skear you get the full force.
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| Ringed in Bangor Wales in 2024 |
Other wader number similar to recent, these are the cast.
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| Oystercatcher having a scratch |
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| Curlew |
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| Redshank |
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| Turnstone |
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| Dunlin |
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| Ringed Plover and Dunlin |
