Tuesday
1st
November Strong W High seas.
Sunny
intervals, one very quick light shower, cool
After
the last two days seawatching, after a very late bedtime the previous
night due to Halloween fun and with a very strong North west to west
gale blowing, I decide to have a rest morning.
A
video of the passing dot, I mean Fea's petrel is downloaded onto
Youtube. That takes over three hours for a twenty second or so video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr_MzOa7Nfc&feature=youtu.be
Out
eventually after lunch I head for the harbour quay with the intention
of looking along the seaward side of the high sheep-proofing dry
stone wall. This wall goes around the island keeping the World famous
seaweed-eating sheep on the seaweed located side of the wall. There
is a large flock of these doing just that, eating seaweed. Adds to
the flavour, I have been told.
The
gale is strong, whipping up the sea so much that there are areas of
white or chocolate coloured foam amongst the rippled rocks. Purple
sandpipers are on the calmer sheltered side of rocks whilst shags
ride the waves.
The
usual disappointing amount of plastic is to be found, mostly large,
clear plastic bottles and carrying them soon proves to be without a
bag. One hard plastic ring has come from Bergen, Norway. I wonder
whether 'Rosendahl' would like it back?
To
Gretchen, after admiring the rolling coasters and the crashing waves,
into the battered hide and within seven teal viewed I have my second
green-winged
teal
of the year.
The windswept pool has over a hundred wigeon, thirty
nine teal and six mallards; a curlew, four redshank and three common
gulls.
Back
to the Bird Observatory, I see that the bags of plastic I collected
from the beaches back in August are still behind the shed. What
should one do with so much plastic waste when one is on a remote
island far away from any recycling facilities? Leave it there in the
forlorn hope that one day it will be taken to a recycling plant or
burn it. I will leave it for the former. It isn't going anywhere.
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