Weekend 22/23/02/2020

Fulmar passing the Bouy Saturday morning

Saturday 07.40-08.40 from the sea watch hide in more rain and gales:
Brent Goose: 5E
Common Scoter: 3W
Fulmar: 14W
Gannet: 45W  2E
Cormorants: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1W
Kittiwake: 1W
1,000s of Gulls moving West and feeding along the shore line, mainly Herring & Common.

 Great Black-backed Gull making light of the force wind and huge waves

 Argentatus Herring Gull doing its best to stand in the gale

A Fulmar making flying look easy

 A message late morning from David Walker that the 2nd Calendar year Iceland Gull was roosting near the fishing boats, gave me the excuse leave my suit case packing and to venture out into the gales and rain. When I pulled up at The Point the bird was still roosting, but partially hidden among the other Gulls present. After a little wait other Gulls moved so that I could see it properly, after another wait it took to the air and flew to the sea. We moved off to the other end of the beach look for it, then I got a call from Graham P that it was back beside the road where we had been parked.

 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

Late this afternoon I made my way to a reed bed on Walland Marsh to count the Harriers coming in to roost. I did not hold out much hope of seeing much after such appalling weather this weekend, I was right as only 1 adult male Marsh Harrier came in, Water rails were squealing and a Green Sandpiper flew over calling.