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| Angle Shades moth |
I added a few Blackbirds feeding on berries at Mains Terrace, and there were also the usual flock of Feral Pigeons around too as well as a few more Jackdaws. Swannie Ponds felt very open to the elements with the wind adding a little 'chop' to the water. Mallards and Tufted Ducks were on the water along with Herring and Black Headed Gulls, while the local Mute Swan pair were hauled out at the boating ramp. The other pond held more gulls including a few Common Gulls. The rain started to fall quite heavily so I sought shelter at the pavilion in the hope that it would pass quickly. I checked the Black Headed Gulls perched on the path for rings but saw none. At the end of their line a single drake Goosander with a strong pinkish tinge to its underside hauled out to preen on the path. I took a short video clip and a photo before moving round to the back of the building where there was better shelter from the elements.
A single Carrion Crow was foraging on the grass and it was joined by a group of Black Headed Gulls, but again there was no sign of any ringed birds among them. A pair of Woodpigeons wandered around in the kid's play area. Thankfully the rain eased off and I decided to head into Baxter Park, rather than to the much more exposed Eastern Cemetery. There were a few Blackbirds feeding on the grass but no Redwings or Fieldfares. A Pied Wagtail did land on the roof of a building as I passed. The rain increased in strength again though I was close enough to shelter again and managed to stay mostly dry again.
When it eased again I decided to head to Albert Street to catch a bus into town rather than walk to City Quay. The bus service wasn't following either Saturday or Sunday service but a bus did eventually arrive. It was rather wild at City Quay with the wind creating a lot of waves across the quay. Looking for a predominantly grey bird against a grey water background in poor light and rain wasn't going to be easy but I knew Dave the Diver had to be around (barring something serious having happened to him). I spotted a bird in the water over towards the Unicorn but it turned out to be a Cormorant. The wind and rain meant I chose not to take a photo of what might have been a 'Sinensis' race bird.
Once the rain eased again I headed off across the bridge. Halfway across I spotted a shape low on the water towards the Apex Hotel. Red Throated Diver on the list. Seconds later he dived and I failed to see where he surfaced and indeed didn't see him again. I walked along to check out the outer part of the quay in the hope of some other sheltering seabirds. The Grey Heron roosted in its usual spot on the dry dock jetty. Another Cormorant was hunting in the water in the old dry dock. There were a few more hauled out at the outer quay area and at least one more on the water. A pair of drake Red Breasted Mergansers gave me my third new species of the day and nearby was a single Little Grebe (haven't seen the second bird for a while). A strong blast of wind off the river almost blew me off my feet but I walked out along the front of the flats to check the river but there was little to see other than a few gulls and Cormorants.
I decided that I was unlikely to add anything else so I headed back in the direction of the road and the City Centre. As I walked back round the wooden walkway on the part of the complex that sits over the water I spotted something rather unexpected at eye level on a window out of the wind. A brown moth. I took a photo (and even a short video clip of it doing nothing) with my phone before trying for a better one with the P900. I suspected it was an Angle Shades moth. Certainly an unusual sight on a wild, wet and windy early January day. I popped into Waterstones book shop to check my ID after sharing the phone photo on facebook. On the way to the bus stop to head for home I added one more species to the list for the day in the shape of a Blue Tit in the trees on the High Street.
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| Goosander |
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| Black Headed Gull & Herring Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull |
Only 21 species seen but 3 of those (in bold) were new for the year. Not too bad considering the awful conditions, though not many photos to show for it.
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Cormorant, Goosander, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Feral Pigeon, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.