7th December 2010 – overnight snow/frost/calm
Wildfowl and Waders
The results of a weather delayed monthly WeBS count involved: 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Little Grebe, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 136 Cormorant, 5 Shag, 5 Little Egret, 8 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 16 Pink-footed Geese, 14 Greylag Geese, 36 Canada Goose, 110 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 35 Barnacle Goose, 82 Shelduck, 1255 Wigeon, 860 Teal, 151 Mallard, 101 Pintail, 11 Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck, 68 Eider, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 30 Goldeneye, 26 Red-breasted Merganser, 8400 Oystercatcher, 57 Ringed Plover, 222 Golden Plover, 167 Grey Plover, 317 Lapwing, 2255 Knot, 318 Sanderling, 14 Purple Sandpiper, 2880 Dunlin, 78 Snipe, 85 Bar-tailed Godwit, 507 Curlew, 948 Redshank, 10 Greenshank and 293 Turnstone.
While the diversity of waterfowl and wader species to be found on the island at this time of the year is immediately apparent, the figures show that less weather tolerant species such as Shelduck, Lapwing and Golden Plover are much reduced on the expected levels for this time of the year.
Miscellaneous
A ringtail Hen Harrier and the flock of 60 Twite were again seen. Following on from yesterdays theme, several hundred Barrel Jellyfish Rhizostoma octopus were found washed up along a 2 kilometre section of shoreline.
