The Bay

Just time for a quick scan along the coast road after work. I particularly wanted to have a look around the Chapel island area after seeing a post on the LDBWS website by Jon Stagg regarding reports that the Eiders on Chapel Island had suffered 100% failure possibly due to some sort of predation. This seemed at odds with the impression I got over the last few visits though I haven't been across to the island.

It was pleasing to see good numbers of Eiderlings with 3 creches totalling approx 60 + chicks maybe even more but the tide started flowing strongly and made counting more difficult.

What was even more heartening was the sight of at least 15 young Shelduck. I haven't seen numbers like these around Walney /Foulney for years.

I was told that persons had been across to Chapel removing/destroying eggs of vermin species on the island this may account for the signs of predation recorded.

I don't visit this area often enough to say wether these bird numbers are typical/good /average but I know a proper Ornithologist who will.

It's that time of year when we should start getting Med Gulls so I checked a few of the Gull roosts on the way home no luck but the leucistic B.H.Gull was showing again.I wonder if this is the bird that gets seen in the Heysham/Morecambe area.

There was little of note along the coast road towards Barrow but it was good to be out checking gull flocks.