Friday 12 December 2014

Roa Island ,

 In the eye of the storm on Wednesday, I managed to get to |Roa island causeway , half way across is a small car park I decided this was a good place .Gale force winds battered the headland, but with this were birds lots of them...Hundreds of Curlew and Oystercatcher headed in land, and at least 4000 Knot could be seen twisting and turning off  Walney island, small flocks of Widgeon 30, 40 and 50;s
flying past the car over the causeway and then inland. Next 145 Pale bellied Brent geese landed in the sea in front of the car , rapidly feeding in and around the seaweed, waders were covering the foreshore as the tide came in, 1 Grey Plover 100 + Turnstone, 300 +|Sanderling, 40 Golden Plover, 10 Lapwing , another flock flew in, at least 30 Ringed Plover  and 20 Dunlin joining the now masses of waders.
   More Curlew , Widgeon , 200 + Shelduck were seen to pass by  and 3 Bar tailed Godwit landed on the beach. Out at sea I could just make out some duck in the  masses of  crashing waves ....Eider.... yes masses of them a quick count was inexcess of 500 +...Redshank starting come through and more and more Curlew and Oystercatchers. I picked up 3 small passerines being blown towards the car, 2 were Skylarks and the other landed under the car........a large pipit for sure..I had seen on birdguides that a Water Pipit had been seen in this general area and after a  short time the pipit showed its self to be this species.4 little Egrets , 2 Ravens and a peregrine were seen briefly.
  At this point I started to head back along the coast road and noticed the fields were full of Curlew and Oystercatcher in one field alone I counted 400 curlew and 150 Oycks, A last look at the sea produced the birds of the day 2 Pomerine Skuas about 100m from the road at one point I thought they were going inland but headed north along the coast, the first one still had very tatty spoons. Winter   birding at its very best                            ...............Happy xmas EVERYONE
..

2 comments:

David Sutcliffe said...

Happy Xmas indeed !!!!

Nick Carter said...

And to you guys, great read Andy