Sea Ducks?

Did I? Read on, Macduff...

Yesterday; Ducks and the sea were on my mind for some strange reason. Can't think why..??

The Patch did get bashed, with a strange emphasis - why I know not - on the coast, especially the bits with shallow-ish water, weedy rocks, and fresh water flowing thereinto. Much scanning was done for little [ish] ducks of a white, black, and orange nature [maybe with a bit of green, too].

What did I find? Well, on land exactly what you'd expect for a winter Patch. Out to sea, a few Gannets hung about. On the rocks at Hope's Nose, there were no less than 33 Oyks. There was also another wader, which flew in and landed on the far side of the Lead Stone - I have a horrible suspicion it was a Patch Tick - but I got on it too late and it never came out... Bugger.

There were also some ducks, flying around and even sitting on the sea! Common Scoter, 51 of them and all females. They came quite close in, and even found a spot to feed. I kept on them for far too long, hoping they might draw something else in, as they moved around and split up, but no.

Oh well. Hopeless causes and all that, eh?