Storm Bert, Day Three

The wind eased off a bit today and by mid-morning the sun was out and Bert was fading away. Not a bad morning seawatch with highlights including an incredible 22 Great Northern Divers (presumably re-orienting with a flock of 6 and birds flying overhead high too) , a Long-tailed Duck and 2 Velvet Scoter. Ebird list HERE. 

After the two and half hour seawatch I did a bit of post-storm exploring (looking for moribund birds) so walked along the seafront past Hillfield Car Park to coastguards and then back the other way to East Beach and checked the freshwater pond there too. Nothing extra but did find a feeding area for gulls at Coastguards and next time there's a storm will keep an eye on that area. 

Interestingly when the sun came out I had 2-3 Painted Ladies flying around and a dragonfly went darting past too- presumably migrants pushed in on Bert's warm airflow. For fear of the moth trap blowing away I didn't put it out the last two nights but I put it on for two hours this morning before it got light and had a Diamond-back and a December moth. Will try tonight as there could well be some migrant moths blown in. 

Great Northern Divers on the move- 22 was an all time record count for Selsey Bill 

Long-tailed Duck - another patch tick, now on 177 HERE

Velvet Scoters 

I wish I checked this area out over the last couple of days because this is where all the gulls were being pushed. Only a Med Gull today and this presumed juvenile/first-winter Northern Herring Gull (below)