Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Castle Point and Pendinas

As I looked out to sea from Castle Point early this morning, several feeding rafts of Manx Shearwater, totalling ca 200 birds, added a summery feel to what was already a fine, sunny and calm day.
Around 15 Gannets and 12 Kittiwakes accompanied them. A party of eight Sandwich Terns went north, followed by two more, 
Later, two tight little flocks of Black-headed Gulls, 36 in all, also flew north: I wonder where they were going.
Other odds and ends passing by were, a male Red-breasted Merganser, two Common Scoter,  a Whimbrel and two Bottle-nosed Dolphins. 
A Wheatear was on the rocks below me and on Constitution Hill perched a Peregrine; a regular spot when it isn't windy.
I then had a walk along the lower slopes of Pendinas, where I surprised a Fox which sloped off into the gorse. Lots of Speckled Wood butterflies along the footpath. 
Three Goosander flew upriver and quite a few Goldfinches around, but I couldn't find any new migrants.