Monday 17 November 2014

Great Northern In A Northerly For Breakfast

Straight after breakfast I headed to the shore to spend an hour or so watching the sea over the falling tide before heading back home to write yet more reports. I had full cloud cover this morning with a 20 mph northeasterly wind.

Walking up to my observation point I had few waders on the beach including five Turnstones, 157 Oystercatchers, eight Grey Plovers and 16 Sanderlings. There would have been far more waders roosting on the shingle ridge, but time was of the essence this morning so I just stayed at my observation point. I managed to find some shelter and glued my eye to my scope.

After I had been watching for about twenty minutes I picked up a large Diver heading northeast, slightly away from me and across the bay, and I soon realised that it was a Great Northern Diver! The supporting cast included 18 Eiders, 75 Cormorants, 49 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, three Greylag Geese, a Razorbill, a Great Crested Grebe, a Red-throated Diver and an Atlantic Grey Seal.

Unfortunately it was soon time to head home and do some work. I am hoping to escape for an hour or so in the morning on Wednesday and I'll let you know if I do.

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