What looked like a grim drizzly day turned out not so bad really. It was a summery 8 degrees and fair with a moderate NW4 breeze. On the coast the snow has all but gone, but it is still white inland.
As last month we parked JWR's car at Boulmer and walked north back to my house for my car then back to Boulmer.
First bird of the day was a Peregrine flying steadily north over Boulmer Hall farm. I saw a Peregrine later on in the afternoon near Ratcheugh that may be the same one.
We had caught the tide just right, and it was just beginning to fall back when we started, making the waders feed at reasonably close range.
Oystercatcher 65
Lapwing 4
Ringed Plover 4
Grey Plover 18
Dunlin 160
Purple Sandpiper 3
Knot 4
Sanderling 78
Bar tailed Godwit 55 an excellent count and possibly a record for me at this site. The norm here is somewhere between 14 and 28 birds.
Curlew 7 an opposite to the Godwits. There are usually 200 - 300 here.
Redshank 23 again low numbers.
Turnstone 42
Only a few wildfowl -
Mute Swan 2 flew in and landed on the sea.
Wigeon 22
Mallard 2
Eider 16
Goldeneye 6
Red breasted Merganser 1
Some of the Bar tailed Godwit flock...
From the Howick Burn we walked back via the Long Walk up the dene. In here we had 3 Treecreepers, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Woodcock, 1 Sparrowhawk and 3 Buzzards.
Near home 2 Water Rails were still squealing in the Vilage Wood. Unseen.
3 comments:
One of these days I should try coming to the coast to see what I might see, Stewart. One of each would do me!
Hi Stewart, I saw a moth flying around at dusk this evening..... any ideas what that could be ? I was quite surprised considering the serious cold snap we've just had
Emma - Go on, do it...
Gary - Probably a Winter Moth. This thaw will have kicked a few frozen species into action - Winter Moth, Mottled and Scarce Umber, December Moth, Chestnut...
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