Saturday 21 February 2015

The cod army and two coot

Heysham Obs
The lack of small-fish-eating birds (e.g. Guillemot) this winter appears to down to a large, late and prolonged influx of cod - hence all the anglers - which have hoovered up all the small fish.  Don't tell the Arctic terns as they plan the spring migration


Ocean Edge flushed off saltmarsh by spring tide
Snipe - 9
Jack Snipe - 2
Reed Bunting - 1


Middleton NR wetlands
Coot - 1OY? 2
Pochard - 3 male
Tufted Duck - 26
Mallard - 6
Gadwall - 5
Teal - 2
Moorhen - 1
Mute Swan - 2 + 6 .


Waders
Ringed Plover - 11 Ocean Edge, 28 Heliport area
Dunlin - 17 heliport
Redshank - 210 heliport
Oystercatcher - 3850 heliport


Thanks to Malcolm for most of todays info