The Outstrays with Hull Nats

An irregular drizzle followed us most of the day in our visit to the Outstrays, a managed realigment site on the easternmost field of Sunk Island (read about the reclamation of Sunk Island in a previous post). We have parked on the Outstrays farm, then make our way to the pumping station. We can see some scrapes developed on the other side of the drain, which are busy with waders and gulls. A Wheatear is seen atop a mound of soil.

Saltmarsh has developed on much of the surface  of the realigned land (top shot), and we spend some time identifying the saltmarsh plants. A strange, harsh call, almost like a water rail rose from the edge of the marsh. Two Whimbrels then called their wonderful ringing call, rising. Shelduck, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Redshank fed on the ebbing tide. Cormorants dried their wings from driftwood. I flush a Short-eared Owl, and it flies away, then drops on the marsh.

Mute Swans.

Avocet on the new scrape.

Whimbrel.

Redshank, Dunlin and Ringed Plover.

Sea Lavender.

A view of the saltmarsh.

After a while, we notice that the odd lump in the middle of the saltmarsh is actually a beached whale (see top shot). We try to make sense of the carcass, we discuss if it could be a baleen whale given the shape of the mouth, but we don't make much progress on this. The only recent stranding we've heard of is up to 5 male Sperm Whales near Spurn, Skeffling and Cleethorpes.

My best shot of the stranded whale. We can't get any closer as there is a deep gully on the way. I think the mouth is on the right, and a fin can be seen in the middle.

The Devil's Coachman, Ocypus olens.

Roe Deer.

We walk to the meridian monument and then take a path to the edge of the marsh, looking for the shelly beach. Although we don't find it, we have the chance of comparing the flora of both sites and spot some excavated nests that could be those of the Sea Aster bee on the side of a short muddy ledge. And just before leaving the site, probably the same Short-eared Owl flies over, giving me a chance for a few photos.

Short-eared Owl.