How many fish in the sea?

The Safari was out as usual on the sea wall at Patch 2. We had a quick look at the water’s edge and noted a few gulls, Oystercatchers and Sanderlings. We were hoping for a fluky sighting of a colour ringed CommonGull 

Well if you don’t look you won’t see and well we did look and we didn’t see any Common Gulls :-(

Out at sea which was pretty rough in the stiff breeze the gull flock was still mooching around in a tight circle indicating the shoal of fish was still not far below the surface. Again there were a lot of Great Black Backed Gulls, perhaps as many as 20 and we counted 26 Cormorants but there could have been more unseen in the troughs or even underwater. A Red Throated Diver flew past in a disinterested way – must be the wrong species of fish – and much closer in we had a drake Eider fly past heading towards the estuary.

With not a lot doing and no chance of seeing any cetaceans we set off back to the office, at the steps we saw something move beneath our feet – a Sea Slater...as luck would have it we had a little pocket camera with us and managed a few grotty snaps of it. Need to work out how it works or at least how to get the best out of it.

The fatball feeder was buzzing with House Sparrow activity every time we ventured down the corridor. Much better light today so we sat quietly close by for a few minutes at lunchtime.

Still no Blue Tit though – wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in France now! – but we did manage to get a pic of a female House Sparrow enjoying the fatballs. 

And we got a couple of ‘natural habitat’ pics too.

Just two Greenfinches were found chewing on the Rosa rugosa hips neither of which waited around for their pic to be taken.

The sea wasn’t much cop...the fish shoal has either dropped to deep water, dispersed or been eaten as there was no gull activity to give away its position. What few Cormorants there were weren’t concentrated in any particular area and we had a line of 12 fly well out to sea suggesting there wasn’t any local food anymore.

A few Common Scoters were sat in the very choppy water not far behind the breaking waves, close enough for a good scope view but not close enough nor visible for long enough before disappearing into a trough for a pic.

Still not enough Starlings at the piers to wqarrant stopping on the way back to Base Camp.

Where to next? More of the same but will the fish be back?

In the meantime let us know what's ripping the feeders apart in your outback?
Late Edit: Peregrine roosting on the tower and Redwing(s?) going over at teatime.