Sunday 11 January 2015

11th of January: Melanistic pup

Things are really quietening down in the rookery on Blakeney Point. Many weaned pups have left, as have most of the cows. There have been, however, a small number of births this week. Since the start of the new year, six pups have been born. This takes the total up to 2,425.

Weaned pups are dispersing

Among the moulted pups on the Point, is this melanistic one...

Approximately one in 300 pups are melanistic. Melanism does not affect their behaviour. On the Isles of Scilly, there is a record of a black pup being abandoned by its mother and attacked by other seals. Thankfully this one on the Point seems to be doing just fine.

In bird news, the group of 8 Shorelarks are still being seen from time to time. Similar numbers of Goldeneye and Red-breasted Mergansers are being seen in Blakeney Harbour. Snow Buntings also continue to be a frequent sight between the Point and Salthouse.
Flock of Snow Buntings

On Friday, George captured this Peregrine on Stiffkey Marshes using his phone through a telescope...

Another wildlife sighting this week was an Ocean Sunfish, that washed up near the Lifeboat House.

A number of others have washed up along the Norfolk Coast recently. These large fish are occasionally seen in Norfolk, with a handful of records from the past few years. Fishermen reported at least a dozen out to see in the summer. Presumably some of these stayed into the winter but could not cope with the cold conditions.

- Ajay

No comments:

Post a Comment