Sunday 15 October 2017

Exhausted Brent Goose along North Beach

On Sunday 15th October, a Grey Wagtail flew over the garden at 11am calling but not seen. walking north from Ness Point at about half way along I saw a Brent Goose on the sea along the rocks on the North Beach, it was swimming around the rocks even standing on the rock and flapping its wings it kept trying to search for something to eat. I took a few pics but it looked exhausted, it was swimming dangerously close to the rocks of the original seawall (the last picture accompanying this text clearly shows the strong eddies and waves) something had to be done to save the poor bird getting injured or worse. So after seeing the poor bird being buffeted by the sea around the rocks, I stood up and gently coaxed the poor bird out to sea and it then swam north for around hundred yards towards the groyne, which I knew was seaweed encrusted, and like a homing beacon, it headed for one of the groynes northern wooden supports, which had copious amounts of seaweed on it. The hungry bird then spent a long time voraciously feeding on the seaweed. I left it in peace still feeding, lets hope it gives it the strength to move down onto its wintering grounds. At Ness Point, by the compass, I saw an adult Mediterranean Gull flying south close in. The male Eider was in Hamilton Dock over the far side in the south western corner, after eluding both Neville S and I yesterday. Checking both Crown (where a Grey Wagtail heard flying over) and Maltsters score I failed to see any YBWs although it was late in the afternoon. Between 10.25 and 10.35pm I heard first one and then another Redwing, newly arrived Scandinavian immigrants, calling in quick succession and flying south over the house.

No comments: