Shorelarks in a northerly gale
On the 8th I ventured down to Gibraltar Point, well accessed the beach from Seacroft, and walked south in a fairly bitter gale with dull and dreary skies in search for four wintering Shorelarks a species that has fallen into rarity status in the county in recent years. In fact I had not seen a Shorelark since 2021 when four were briefly at Theddlethorpe. They proved to be less than visible in the first two hours I tramped about 3 miles up and down the beach seeing a large gang of Linnets a few Skylarks and nine Snow Buntings then finally I came across them in some stunted salicornia at the northern end of the beach where I had not looked earlier! Nice views but not close enough for decent images and there was just no light, the story of this winter. Times have certainly changed for this species in a negative way. Looking at my notes one of my early encounters was at Rimac on December 5th 1971 when I saw 50! yes 50 together on the beach. In fact in the early 70’s flocks of 30 - 40 were not unusual with my highest ever count coming on March 3rd 1999 when 73 were at Gibraltar Point. There were even some local birds with one flying south-west over my head calling on November 18th 1993 between New Holland and Goxhill tilery and three at Barton on the foreshore by the old jetty on December 13th 1997 with one lingering the following day and a repeat in 1998 with oen in the same spot on December 5th surely being one of the birds from the previous year?
Heading south down the beach in a very strong and cold wind with a ray of light breaking through the dismal clouds January 8th 2024.
