27th January 2013

distant winter Gannet

A fresh gale force 8 was blowing in from the WSW today - just the right conditions for sitting in the sea-watching hide out of the wind with a flask of tea and a packet of ginger-nuts over the hightide.

It was obvious from the moment we arrived in the hide that there were good numbers of birds moving with Red-throated Divers and Great-crested Grebes being seemingly the most common. We eventually counted 48 Red-throated Divers and at least 350 Great-crested Grebes.  Auks had also been displaced and 22 Guillemots and 2 Razorbills were recorded.

 Good winter records were provided by 2 adult Little Gulls that flew west an hour before high tide and a Black-throated Diver that showed several times before departing out towards the windfarm. 3 adult Gannets were also a good record although they were distant. More expected were the 78 Common Scoter that were counted with many more out beyond the windfarm that couldn't be counted due to the spray! It was ovious the stormy conditions were making finding a safe place to roost difficult and at least 100 Knot were seen leaving the mouth of the Mersey over the high tide and flying towards N Wales. 30+ Bar-tailed Godwits also battled their way west in the same direction

Purple Sandpiper



With the waves crashing over behind the hide it took us awhile to brave the inevitable soaking and dash back to the Obs for a warming bowl of soup. Many Oystercatchers were roosting on the top of the Island and didn't seem inclined to fly off in the teeth of the gale. Most of the Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers were roosting on Lion Rock in the shelter of Niffy Bay and we eventually counted 16 Purps. Also of interest were 3 Grey Plover also on the west side and a Redshank that searched for foods around the edge of the freshwater pond.

Purple Sandpiper

Returning to the hide as the tide and wind dropped 450 Herring Gulls, 60 Black-headed Gulls and 50 Common Gulls were recorded streaming out of the Mersey with 300 Cormorants.

Passerines were, as expected, keeping their heads down but a quick walk around the south end resulted in two Song Thrushes being flushed from the bracken. Singles of Robin, Wren & Blackbird were also seen.

( PSW & Alastair Orton (guest)   photos  PSW