Spurn Day 11

So today started with a bang. Quite literally, by 1.30 in the morning the sky was flashing due to an incredible thunderstorm. There were lightning flashes at least every 10 seconds, natures very own light show. It was certainly the most spectacular night so far, that’s for certain.

Morning came very quiet, with most things probably put down by the storm. No fox again, so I’m obviously doing my job right as it’s not posed a problem for me yet. I did not stay long after daybreak as I also had the day-shift to deal with, so needed to get back and get some rest. As a result what little was still around was not studied vigorously.

As I said, I returned for the dayshift at around half 1, immediately having to start asking people to move, such is the joys of the dayshift. It does mean though that I can see the birds I’m meant to be monitoring. On the Little Tern front I counted 9 juveniles along the shore but the haze was making it difficult and there could have been more. I failed to see the oystercatchers, but the heat had probably put them down, and one adult bird was resting on one of the crab pots, so the chicks might have been there. 2 Little Egrets flew over at one point, and I found one fishing while checking for some other birds. There were good numbers of        Dunlin along the shoreline, at least 1000, but certainly more.  The real highlight from this afternoon was that the first of the Avocet chicks hatched. I was sat trying to count terns through the haze when I spotted an Avocet swimming behind with a tiny chick swimming behind. They reached the shore but out of view and I failed to re-find them before the fret set in.

I called it quits early as a result of the fret, as I could hardly see most of the terns. After dinner I decided to go for a walk around the Warren to see what was about. The highlight was a singing Dunnock, my first for the sight, but it did not stay around for a picture. As a result, in order to find something to photograph, I photographed a lovely male linnet that was singing atop some gorse.

-Linnet

So, on the bird front it was a quiet day again, but the weather made for some excitement, as it often does in this country. So here is today’s brief species list and even briefer daily oystercatcher…

The Daily Oystercatcher

As I mentioned in the main post I failed to see the chicks today, but I was so rough this morning and this afternoon it was so hot its hardly a surprise. I did see a few oyks having a scrap though, not either of the families but four adults, which made for entertaining viewing. With my 5.00 start tomorrow I will hopefully be able to track them down again, and hopefully grab some pictures.

Species List:

Beacon Pools: Little Tern, Avocet, Knot, Ringed Plover, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Egret, Lesser Black-Backed Gull,

Warren Walk: Dunnock, Linnet, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Common Gull, Sandwich Tern, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Black-Headed Gull, Shelduck, Grey Seal,