For anyone thinking of coming to the field meeting tomorrow the number of divers off the West Somerset coast has dropped away since Dave’s posting at the start of December.This morning from Minehead between 8:00am and 10:30 only 1 Great Northern and 7 Red-throated Divers were seen, normally at this time of year numbers would certainly be much higher probably exceeding 50. Also there appears to be few other birds in the Channel at the moment, again this morning only 1 Common Scoter, 3 Kittiwakes and 3 auks. Rather strange given the strong westerly winds of the last week or so when you would have expected more birds to have been blown up the Channel.

Just in case anybody going to Saturday’s meeting or is in Minehead or nearby, directly opposite the harbour one of the houses in West Quay usually has fresh herring for sale, there is normally a sign up. Today they also had cod and mullet. Speaking to the fishermen it is thought to be the only shore based herring fishery in the UK. Minehead is also now being recognised as an important breeding site for herring which they are engaged in at this time of year, December being the key month. Samples are taken from the catch for the Bristol Channel Herring Project which aims to establish if the herring in the Bristol Channel are a distinct population or sub species or part of the Irish Sea stock.

The last few days from the Somerset coastline has seen a good number of Divers, which are probably taking advantage of the good feeding on the herring and sprats currently in our seas.
Today Brian Gibbs had 35 Red-throated Diver off Hurlstone Pt Andy Slade had 15 Red-throated a Black-throated and 2 Great Northern Diver off Minehead and Roy Kelly had a Great Northern Diver off Dunster possibly one of the Minehead ones
Over the weekend Hurlstone Pt recorded 42 Red-throated Divers

Members are reminded that Brian and myself will be leading a seawatch field meeting on December 14th at 9am at Minehead meet at West Quay SS970471