Tuesday
8th November Very strong SE-E Sunny intervals
and showers, cold 5C (wind chill makes it feel 1C)
The
wind is back in a vengeance and from a different direction as of
late, south-easterly. Samuel Perfect and I make our way to the
north-west end of North Ronaldsay yet again for a morning's
seawatching. A face-stinging rain shower has both of us sheltering
against a dry stone wall but it soon passes in the gale.
Most
passing birds are hurtling past but a long way out. Immediately
apparent is the number of auks; hundreds of them, guillemots and
razorbills, maybe puffins but too far out to discern species. We take
turns in counting them for half an hour each. The one hour count is
1411!
Otherwise,
bird-wise there are just a few sooty shearwaters and red-throated
divers, three of each, two great northern divers and fair numbers of
gannets and fulmars zooming past in fewer numbers than of late.
Leaving
the shelter of the trembling bird hide, Samuel and I go to look out
over The Skerries to search through the gulls hunkering down on the
rocks. Great black backed and herring gulls only, we turn our faces
back into the wind.
Two
whooper swans have recently arrived and move from a small pool to the
larger Bewan Loch.
Remembrance
Poppies are available at the airport waiting room. I feel better to
have one for Friday.
Now,
after a laundry afternoon, it is time to watch the news as the US
Presidency is decided.
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