Birdwatching - 24/05/05

Went off at 10.45 on the bus to Gress to join an RSPB bird watching walk along the beach, the cliffs and the saltings near Gress Bridge. On arrival at 11.05, nobody was about, but the walk was eventually undertaken by 13 people. Plenty of bird- and wildlife along the beach. Blackbacked gulls, fulmars (related to the albatross), eiders, dunlin, oystercatchers, raven (nest on the cliffs) and seals on the offshore skerries. Once on the cliffs, a skua came swooping by. The boiler of a ship, left there 100 years ago, was sitting on the beach. The tide went right out in the hour we were off the beach. At the saltings, we saw a rock pipit, a heron eating an eel, golden and ringed plover, oystercatcher on nest, greylag geese (not well liked) and more. Said good bye at 1.15 and shot off into the moors behind Back Sunhill. Not an inspiring area, plenty of wrecked cars. A man was digging peats. A girl came up the track in a car, with a dog running alongside. Joined the bus at Gress at 4pm for the return to SY, at 4.40. Binoculars proved to be a worthwhile investment.