Tuesday 7 January 2014

Still a tad on the windy side

The Safari was out briefly on Patch 2 (might have to rename it Patch 1 as we aren't getting there these  days) yesterday but the weather was 9 1/2 out of 10 for awful and we only managed a few Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and Common Scoters but a long way down the beach across our southern boundary amongst the Oystercatchers was a Bar Tailed Godwit (74).
This morning's visit to the seawall was no better or perhaps even worse but after lunch we had (yet another) hospital appointment which finished leaving just enough time for a quick scamper to the coast before the daylight ended. Before we started we had to rinse the salt off the end of the scope, about enough for about 20 bags of chips!
The tide was up but not as high as the weekend and the wind had dropped to a mere 30mph, almost flat calm by recent standards.
JP was already ensconced in our favourite watching place behind the public lavvies - who said he could stand there? He'd not seen much but had had several Kittiwakes and a few Little Gulls. It didn't take long for us to get onto a Kittiwake (75) or three but we couldn't find a Little Gull, nor a Red Throated Diver to add to our year's tally.
JP left to have a late look for Otters and owls at the nature reserve, don't know if he was successful, while we gave it another quarter of an hour without any more joy.
With the pre-op all sorted we're all OK for our next op in 10 days time.
Where to next? More Patch 2 tomorrow with the threat of improved weather - now that'll make a refreshing change.
In the meantime let us know who's been avoiding your optics in your outback.

3 comments:

Stuart Price said...

I heard abour these storms, made me recall those poicemen who died all those years agao trying to rescue that bloke who jumped in after his dog..........

Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lancs and Lakes Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

I was stood only a few feet above where the tragedy happened and the memorial now stands Stu. It was the 30th anniversary of the incident this weekend just gone.

D