We visited Angle Bay late morning and then walked the circuit from West Angle Bay around North Hill to the village and back to West Angle this afternoon. 60 Common Gulls were resting on the sea off Kilpaison, at high tide, but there were not many waders there this morning apart from c.20 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a couple of Redshanks. About 500 Wigeon were resting on the sea in two flocks on the east side of the bay.
Over at the harbour, a mixed species roost on the ridge included: 32 pale-bellied Brents, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, c.60 Oystercatchers, 20 Curlews, a dozen Redshanks, c.250 Dunlin, 8 Knot, c.20 Snipe (some initially in the salt marsh), a few Ringed Plovers and 10 Mute Swans. An additional flock of 60+ Oystercatchers and a dozen Curlews were feeding in grassland on North Hill. A few other Redshanks and 2 Greenshanks were roosting near the outer harbour wall.
A single Chough flew over from the Angle peninsula to feed/rest on Thorn Island, small flocks of Linnets and Skylarks were feeding in stubble fields to the north of West Angle Bay. From the coast path we could see a very distant Great Northern Diver on the sea between Great Castle Head and Monk Haven. Most likely one of the birds associated with the Gann/Dale Roads? In Angle Bay we could see at least 25 Pintails, in small scattered groups and at least 10 Great Crested Grebes. Two female-type Common Scoters were also feeding in the bay. They were first noted between Angle Point and Sawdern Point, but gradually moved further into the bay.
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| The rather distant Scoters spent a lot of time diving, most probably for shellfish |