Saturday 4 February 2012

Perishing!

I went to the Point this morning for first light and even though there wasn't a frost it was perishing cold because of the icy southeasterly wind. My writing hand soon got very cold every time I took my glove off to enter birds into my notebook!

Overall it was a very quiet morning with low numbers of shorebirds and little on the sea. Waders were represented by 41 Oystercatchers, 9 Turnstones, 13 Sanderling, 4 Knot, 3 Ringed Plover and a single Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the Oycs.

On the sea all I had were 26 Cormorants, 39 Common Scoters, 49 Eiders and 11 Red-breasted Mergansers. The most interesting sighting was a male Peregrine that Ian picked up crossing the Bay. As soon as it hit the shore it dropped onto the golf course. Why it flew right across Morecambe Bay I'm not sure unless it was trying to escape harder weather further north.

 Peregrine

I then went to the Marine Lakes to feed the Turnstones in preparation of a hoped for ringing session tomorrow. In total there were 61 along with two Redshanks. Out on the lake were a male and female Goldeneye and a presumed injured Pink-footed Goose. I say 'presume injured' as there wouldn't be any reason for it to be there otherwise.

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