As the weather has been so atrocious lately most of my time has been spent staring out to sea watching and counting storm blown sea birds, from the relative shelter of the fishing boats and of course the sea watch hide. At the ARC all the islands are now submerged and the Willow Trail is only passable wearing wellingtons, the boardwalk is still and should remain dry, though the track to Hanson is understandably a little muddy, the entrance to the ARC carpark is flooded but passable with care.
Burrowes has become just a large lake with the few islands remaining that are usually commandeered by the Cormorants, the new islands at Makepiece are still above water, but as I expected very little appears to use them, what does is immediately flushed as soon as anybody walks by. Firth Lookout is absolutely useless in this weather. Our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has just appointed Esther McVey minister for common sense and to put an end to wokery, perhaps she should start at the RSPB and tell them people want to sit in dry wind proof hides to birdwatch, not stand behind a slatted fence in gale force wind which drives the rain through soaking visitors and their optics.
There still seems to be 30+ Cattle Egrets around along with the 4 Glossy Ibis, I was unable to find the Whooper Swans today but hopefully they are still around, also hopefully soon to be joined by Bewick swans. There was no sign of yesterdays Slavonian Grebe looking from Dennis's but it could easily be up at Firth or Makepiece, I certainly wasn't going to walk up there and stand exposed in todays weather.
Adult Sabine's Gull, 2 of these beauties have been entertaining us.
Sabine's Gull feeding on the abundance of storm washed shellfish
They are absolutely super stunning birds
Juvenile Arctic Skua
We have been treated to some close fly pasts by a few Skuas recently
Great Skua
Juvenile Arctic Skua
100s of Little Gulls have passed The Point in the last few days
Some Little Gulls like this juvenile lingered to feed
This juvenile Arctic Tern has been lingering off The Point for over a week now
Juvenile Arctic Tern having a rest on the beach
One of several Velvet Scoters that passed The Point
A 1w Caspian Gull was feeding along the tide line
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