Tuesday 3rd November was a calmer and colder day with occasional showers and I decided to see if the Grey Phalarope was still present off Plymouth Hoe. It had shown well the previous day but with the better weather conditions I wasn't sure if it would still be around.
I arrived at Tinside Pool but couldn't find the bird on a quick scan around. However I eventually found it feeding on the sea at the nearby Wet Wok restaurant and so I walked over to there for a better and closer view. It showed very well as it busily fed amongst the floating leaves and flotsam and was very much appreciated by a growing number of birders who arrived to see it.
Eventually it moved along the harbourside before flying off a short distance and resettling on the sea. Unfortunately I took my eye off it briefly and then couldn't refind it and despite scanning around it never reappeared before I had to leave but I was very pleased to have seen it again and in much better conditions than on Sunday.
Also seen were a very smart looking flyby adult Mediterranean Gull in winter plumage, a distant Great Northern Diver off Drakes Island, 7 Turnstone on the rocks and 2 Portuguese Man O'War floating around amongst the flotsam in the harbour.
I decided to walk up to the Plymouth University Campus on the way home to have a look for Firecrest which have still been showing in the trees where I saw them back in October and shortly after arriving I found one busily feeding in the Yews. Viewing was difficult amongst the branches and eventually it moved off deeper into the foliage but it was nice to see at least one bird was still present.
