Sunday 10 December 2017

Cold & Stormy!

Saturday morning I drove around Walland hoping the cold weather had pushed some wild Swans and Geese south, but only found a couple of small parties of Fieldfare. Most the rest of the day was spent looking at Gulls on the reserve, where at least 6 Caspian Gulls, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls and several colour ringed birds were the highlights. All the usual wildfowl were seen but still no Smew. Nearby on Lade Pit the Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe still in residence.
DW did a very disappointing Egret roost count at the ARC where only 5 Great White Egrets and 3 Little Egrets came into roost.
 3w Caspian Gull (HCL23) ringed in Latvia in May 2015 & seen at Dungeness in October 2015 and again yesterday.
 Today I didn't venture out until late though the rain was still falling and the wind rising.
10.30-11.00 from The Point:
Red-throated Diver: 8 up    3 down
Fulmar: 2 down    1 up
Gannet: 96 down    43 up
Cormorant: present n/c
Great Skua: 1 up
Kittiwake: 32 up      6 down
Guillemot: 27 up    8 down
Auk sp:   34 up       18 down
The howling gale dictated that Gull watching from Makepiece was the only viable birding to be done,  we were rewarded with at least 7 Caspian Gulls (an Adult, 3 x 3w, a 2w 2 x 1w) also 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. The highlight being a Polish red ringed 3w Caspian Gull which came in just after sunset.
Goldeneye sheltering from the storm below Makepiece
26P5 Polish ringed 3w Caspian Gull came in very late 4000 iso needed
 Adult Caspian Gull from Makepiece  taken at iso 3200 
3w Caspian Gull from Makepiece

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