Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Grim.

It goes from bad to worse. Not only is it still dark and raining, its now blowing a force 7 SE'ly. Forecast to brighten up this afternoon. We'll see.

Drove down to the Seawatch seat at high tide to view from the car. The sea is very rough. This weather might turn up a bird or two you know when (if) it clears, but, being from a SE quarter, what can we hope for. Some more Waxwings perhaps, or a shuffle around of current winterers like the divers, or even a Shorelark. Maybe.

Todays best while the car was buffeted on the cliff top?

17. Purple Sandpiper 3
18. Bar tailed Godwit.
19. Red breasted Merganser 6+

I had high hopes you know. Lots of people back at work, me with extra days off. A nice sharp cold winter day, bright and calm and I would have combed the whole patch getting 50+, then, off to the Nanny for Short toed Lark and down to look for JWR's flock of Mealy Redpolls at Shilbottle...

My achievements so far? As Frank Gallagher said last night, not as good as Einstien but better than Fred West...

The weather did indeed improve, turning from Grim to just bloody uncomfortable. Walked around Seaton Point this afternoon adding these to the list -

20. Shelduck 2
21. Dunnock.
22. Collared Dove.
23. Carrion Crow.
24. Oystercatcher.
25. House Sparrow.
26. Tree Sparrow.41 opposite Bowmere Turnips.
27. Curlew.
28. Pheasant.
29. Cormorant.
30. Pied Wagtail.
31. Rock Pipit.
32. Stonechat. 5
33. Wren.
34. Song Thrush.
35. Goldeneye. 1 duck.
36. Mallard.
37. Ringed Plover. 3
38. Knot. 8

4 comments:

Blyth Birder said...

Indeed, truly grim this morning although it does now appear to be brightening up.

Now what about those Mealy Redpoll - may well head up myself tomorrow....

The Wessex Reiver said...

Happy New Year too from Quicksilverbirder (Andrew, as you ask). Good to see you got the Dipper at the Thrum, I spent 2 hours on Saturday trapsing between Pauperhaugh and the Thrum, not a Dipper to be seen (tried again at Lyme Regis, Dorset yesterday, nothing). However managed 91 species in the 5 days for the bird race, not good, but as you say the weather was awful up there. Just for info, 3 Nuthatch at Healy, 6 Goosander at Thrum. Happy birding in 2008

Stewart said...

BB2 - I need to check the whereabouts of the redpolls more closely as they may be on private land. If they are there and ok tomorrow I'll put the word out.

BR - The Dippers were in the Thrum falls itself. I also had two on the Aln just east of the Alnwick A1bypass the other day.
You are right in saying that we don't have any large public friendly nature reserves up here. This means that the birding is generally on the 'wild side', just as I like it! Stick it out and you get some nice suprises. A winter bird race up here should get 100 species in a day if the weather is forgiving...Good luck for next time, if you want any local info let me know...

The Wessex Reiver said...

Thanks for the info, and I may just take you up on a bit of local info this year next time I'm up