Teal Bay & Migration.

Another of those compromises with KT whilst on a visit to Morecambe had us at Teal Bay just after high tide when the waders were assembling to feed and I noted in excess of 1,000 Dunlin, 55 Black-tailed Godwit, and a 'few' Knot. A female Scaup was off here, with 3 Pintail, 6 Wigeon, a Red-breasted Merganser and 4 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret were in the area.

Great-crested Grebe Martin Jump

An interesting record of note was of 124 Great-crested Grebe off Starr Gate at Blackpool today Sunday 17 November.

Migration.

There were predictions of huge movements made last week, some of which came true when almost 60,000 Wood Pigeon were counted flying over Swanscombe Marshes in Kent in a single morning, Fieldfare also arrived in number when 20,000 were counted coming in off the sea in one hour in Norfolk. Cold winds straight from Greenland and Iceland look like they could bring snow to parts of the UK, along with Greenland White-fronted Geese....

Ross's Gull. Pete Woodruff.

 ....and maybe a Ross’s Gull taking refuge on Plover Scar at Cockersands!

The Ross's Gull is a stunningly beautiful bird, and one of the most stunning of all the gulls. My photographic efforts of the bird at Lytham St Anne's in April 2008 resulted in the brilliant sun at the time bleaching out the birds pale grey upperparts to make them appear brilliant white.