Natural Selection

I’ve been too busy to blog recently, but I want to get back into the habit as I’m sailing from Southampton to New York this month and I think that will be a story worth sharing.

During my sabbatical I have managed to continue my monthly look aheads to what wildlife can be seen in Blackpool. You can see the October one here on the Blackpool Social Club website, and if you are local there is lots of other great free content from people who care about the town.

https://www.blackpoolsocial.club/41339-october-almanac-swans-about/

Today I planned to go seawatching before work, but when my alarm went off my arthritis won the argument and I didn’t bother. I was working at North Shore all morning though so whilst the tide state wasn’t great I decided to spend my lunch break on the front looking for seabirds that wouldn’t be there.

There were 20 or so Common Scoter on the sea and nothing was moving. A Pied Wagtail ran around in front of me and provided some distraction. It was followed by a Meadow Pipit and a group of Starlings.

The Wagtail

Then I picked up a duck heading south that clearly wasn’t a scoter. Briefly I couldn’t work out what it was, but then I realised it was a female aythya diving duck. In the past Scaup would have been the default, but as they’ve declined in these parts Tufted Duck is more likely. This however was clearly a Scaup, bulkier and rounder headed which was clear to see as it passed at relatively close range.

Regular seawatching at Starr Gate has produced only one Scaup in five years. I’ve spent half an hour looking in an unpromising time / tide state and seen one. But on the other hand I’ve watched North Shore fairly regularly since the pandemic and this is my first in that time. You don’t find anything sat on the couch.

As I don’t have a picture from today here is one from six years ago, when a small group of Scaup appeared just down the road from me on Stanley Park. I’m not saying this will never happen again, but I think it’s a downward trend with this species in this part of the world.

(The header picture is a Wheatear from Aldingham last week, just because it’s half decent).