We woke to rain and an easterly wind this morning, the rain clearing by the time we went out to walk but the sea remaining heavy along the shore below Dunrobin, not ideal conditions for looking for shore birds.
The one species which is doing well at the moment is the oystercatcher. Sitting on our favourite bench overlooking the bay we watched a dozen of them feeding on bugs in the seaweed piled at the top of the beach by the high tide, an occupation which required, every now and then....
....a hurried leap into the air when a particularly large wave threatened.
Along the back of the beach we came across this sorry little corpse. It looks a bit like a guillemot but is far smaller - perhaps 6" long - and is obviously an adult. We've found one of these before - see post
here - and been unable to identify it, but it could be a Leach's petrel, which is described as the size of a starling.
If it is a Leach's petrel, this is a rare bird along this coast, and is endangered - its UK conservation status is red. It would now be really good to see one alive.
We woke to rain and an easterly wind this morning, the rain clearing by the time we went out to walk but the sea remaining heavy along the shore below Dunrobin, not ideal conditions for looking for shore birds.
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