05/01/2023

I spent all morning at the fishing boats with DW and OL, where 100s of Gulls were feeding on the huge quantities of shellfish washed up by the recent stormy weather. A minimum of 6 Caspian Gulls were seen as well as a single Yellow-legged Gull, 250+ Mediterranean Gulls flew west as did a single flock of 200+ Red-throated Divers, many Kittiwakes, Gannets, Auks and  the now usual several 1,000s of Cormorants. Although there was 1,000s of birds present this morning there was very little variety, just 2 Brent Geese and 8 Wigeon.

The 2 Whooper Swans were at the southern end of the ARC early morning and the 2 Cattle egrets and 2 Glossy Ibis were in the paddocks early afternoon. The sward at Scotney held 1many Lapwing, Golden Plover and Wigeon but little else. 8 Cattle Egrets roosted this evening per CT and the Bewick Swans and Whooper Swans were reported still present on Walland today.

Polish ringed Caspian Gull P:YL8

Great Black-backed Gull J37EU that I have now recorded every January since 2021

A near summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull which was 1 of c250 that flew past the fishing boats

3rd calendar year Caspian Gull

Gulls feasting on the abundance of shellfish washed up by the stormy weather