27/02/2022

Brent Geese and Shelduck passing the sea watch hide this morning

As a stiff South Easterly was blowing I had hopes of a good sea watch this morning, it was not quite as good as hoped for but a definite improvement, with good numbers of Brent Geese and Gannets on the move, also a few dabblers. 

 07.15-10.00 with CP & OL

Brent Goose: 627E (24 parties)

Shelduck: 17E

Teal: 29E

Shoveler: 7E (4 drakes)

Common Scoter: 12E

Red-throated Diver: 159E     88W     

Great-crested Grebe:  15E   

Fulmar: 18E    2W

Gannet: 1,385E      17W     

Cormorant: Present n/c

Oystercatcher: 9E

Kittiwake:  104E       19W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E  2W

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c 

Guillemot: 47E   7W

Auk sp: 379E         

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Whilst I enjoyed a hot breakfast and got some domestic stuff done, RW braved the bitter SE wind on the reserve and was scantly rewarded with a few Ruff, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Snipe and Dunlin on the Hay Fields but little else. The Cattle Egrets were still inset at Cockles Bridge this morning.

An unplanned visit to the fishing boats this afternoon thanks to call from OL to say the Iceland Gull had returned to the roost. A few minutes later I arrived not expecting the bird to still be present, as because as usual on a sunny Sunday lots of tourists and there dogs were wandering around, so I was surprised to find the bird still present though not for long as the Gulls were soon flushed by wandering tourists.  

2w Iceland Gull by the fishing boats this afternoon

2w Iceland Gull by the fishing boats this afternoon

It was Harrier count day today after it being abandoned last weekend due to the weather, once again no Harriers roosted in the reed bed I was watching though there were plenty of squealing Water Rails and some Bearded Tits as some recompense.