Mondays are cleaning days, the Visitors Centre, toilets and hides, we also set the Mink trap. After lunch all the cleaning tasks had been finished and we headed over to the Fen Hide to clear the boardwalk area a bit. We were done by roughly 16:00, headed back for tea, then I was straight out onto the reserve.
Tonight I headed for Rattray, and the dunes, 2 miles of wild sea, sand and dunes, I wasn't disappointed. Making use of the reserves pickup truck I headed down the sandy track, parking up and walking through the dunes to the shoreline. The North Easterly wind was pumping out some canny waves, and a light rain made visibility poor, but it was chocker with birds! 60+ Sanderling ran along the beach, along with Ringed Plover and a single Dunlin. Arctic and Common Terns sat on the rocks, joined by Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Shag, Great Black Backed Gull and a lone Grey Heron.
Look at that Tail!
Just off shore 3 Grey Seals were bottling, and a large number of Gannets were diving presumably in a fish bowl just off shore.
Hanging around the area 2 Arctic Skuas flew overhead, one dark and one pale, the pale bird later began mobbing the Heron, with Terns in pursuit.
I did the rounds of the hides afterwards, with 30+ Swift, Grasshopper Warbler and 3 recently fledged Common Buzzards being the highlights.
For some reason the RSPB's computer won't let me reply to comments on posts. So, thanks Johnny, I'm pleased I can continue to keep up to date with my adventures :)
Did you see the Turtle Dove reported up there yesterday.:-) Cheers Brian.
ReplyDeleteI like the term diving into a fish bowl ,sums it up perfectly.
ReplyDeleteBrian