Medicinal Leach's: Overdose

If this morning’s session was a bit pony and trap, then stint number two this afternoon at the Point of Ayr certainly made up for the slow start this morning – and then some.

As soon as I had hunkered myself down in the dunes I was on to a Bonxie that was quickly joined by a couplet of dark phase Arctic Skuas that proceeded to harass the bigger Great until flew high back into the estuary.

The next couple of hours up to high tide at around five produced a constant heavy passage of Arctic Skuas (more then I have ever seen), Manxies and a constant drip of Leach’s Petrels.

Next, torrential rain.

Then, as the skies finally cleared, bird of the day: a cracking juvenile Sabine’s Gull that flew very close to the shore, quickly followed a few minutes later by number two that nearly slipped by unnoticed in a small group of juvenile Kittiwakes.

With the wind easing things began to relent a little, with one notable exception – Leach’s Petrels, that right up the point that I called it an evening at half six were moving out of the estuary one after another…

Strange business this birding.

Flintshire this year: Sabine's Gull 2, Mediterranean Gull 0.

Who'd have thunk it?

Point of Ayr 15.09.10 3:00PM to 6:30PM

2 Sabine’s Gull (both juveniles)
60+ Leach’s Petrel
30+ Arctic Skua
1 Great Skua
30+ Kittiwake
80+ Manx Shearwater
4 Fulmar
1 Gannet
1 Red-throated Diver
10+ Common Scoter
Gazillions of Guillemots

Until later.