Terns and Great Skua
The rain and overcast conditions dropped in a few passage birds today, a distant and due to the conditions, rather tricky to study flock of 45 Common/Arctic Terns were settling on the mudflats and pools off Middle Point, at least two Black Tern accompanied them with a Sandwich Tern nearby associating with the Black-headed Gulls. Earlier a Great Skua flew upriver at 0735-0740am.
MJM
Further sightings from the hide rounds to 0930am included the following.
Middle Point
Great White Egret, flock of Common/Arctic Terns, single Sandwich and 2 Black Terns, Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank flew toward the scrapes, 4 Golden Plover upriver, Wheatear at the point.
The Dumbles
Two Peregrines.
South Lake
Two Green Sandpiper, 27 Ruff (early on but some moved off), 89 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, 1 Snipe, 116 Teal, 33 Shoveler, 33 Tufted Duck, 33 Pied Wagtail and 2 drake Pochard. A Kingfisher settled on the perching rail.
Rushy Hide
Spotted Redshank, 13 Redshank, 1 Avocet and 40 Teal on the lower pond.
Tack Piece
45 Teal and 30+ Gadwall + 4 Black-tailed Godwit.
Top New Piece
188 Lapwing, 11 Ruff (many of these had probably relocated from South Lake), at least one Snipe, 300+ Teal with Shoveler and Gadwall.
Lower Dumbles
Ross's Goose with the Barnacle Geese.
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