The Passage Before the Storm

I joined Ian at the Point this morning for a couple of hours seawatching and it wasn't too bad. It was a bright day with a 20 mph southeasterly wind and there was a little bit of passage, mainly east into the Bay. In fact the movement of Red-throated Divers east made it feel more like March and we wondered whether these birds could detect the 'mucky' weather that was due in later today, perhaps by being able to detect some pressure change. Who knows!

The sea yielded 24 Cormorants, a Pintail, 14 Red-breasted Mergansers, six Eiders, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 23 Red-throated Divers (17 east), six Little Gulls, 39 Kittiwakes, 15 Auk sp., four Great Crested Grebes, 12 Common Scoters and two Pink-footed Geese.

Waders on the shore were 73 Oystercatchers, 300 Sanderlings and 19 Ringed Plovers. On my way home I had look on the Marine Lakes and there were 70 Turnstones, eight Red-breasted Mergansers and a pair of Goldeneyes. Hopefully we'll have a catch of Turnstones next week on one of the higher morning tides.

 Oystercatchers

 Sanderlings

I'm off to a party this evening and depending on whether there is any real ale on offer will depend on how early I am out tomorrow!