even more teal vicar

6 Roseate Terns a Balearic Shearwater 11 species of wader and 1082 Teal past in another super Whitburn sea watch.Add to this another Obs year tick,  Pied Flycatcher (147) and i can go on my holidays happy
Just Mark Newsome@whitburnbirds and myself in today, although unlucky Dave made a late entrance and a first mention on my blog, he just missed the Pied Fly...............
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Friday 23rd August 05.30-09.30 SE2 fog clearing to broken cloud

Curlew 6n 3s
Teal 926n 156s
Black h Gull 58n 56s
Common Scoter 176n
Whimbrel 2n 4s
Cormorant 7n 95s
Knot 13s
Med Gull 1s juv
Oyster Catcher 35s
Bar t Godwit 1s
Manxie 13n 7s
Ringed Plover 1s
Arctic Skua 3s
Sandwich Tern 3n 117s
Redshank 3n 2s
Red th Diver 1n 5s
Shoveler 3n
Arctic Tern 2n
Wigeon 7n 2s
Roseate Tern 2n ad and juv 4s 2 ad
Common Tern 38n 57s
Balearic Shearwater 1s
Sparrowhawk 1s
Golden Plover 2s
Greenshank 1s
Turnstone 2n
Pied Flycather 1 on the wall
Grey Plover 1n

Back on the 1st of September

2nd bite ....

Balearic Shearwater, Yellow legged Gull and a hat full of Skuas went past Whitburn Obs this afternoon. Both Mark@whitburnbirds and myself had the same idea a late sea watch as the wind direction changed to an easterly flow after westerlies. So a second bite for me today. Mark started we met in the middle and i finished
The bonus bird and an addition to my Obs year list was Whinchat, viewed from the door by both of us and gone 10 minutes later.
This is what we saw

Thursday the 22nd August 14.00-18.00 SE

Manxie 21n
Common Scoter 5n
Teal 26n 19s
Dunlin 3n
Oyster Catcher 137s
Whimbrel 1s
Redshank 38n 7s
Turnstone 1n 1s
Arctic Skua 12s
Bonxie 1s
Black h Gull 3n 41s
Common Gull 1s
Yellow l Gull 1n juv
Sandwich Tern 150n 13s
Common Tern 115n 19s
Arctic Tern 14n
Balearic Shearwater 1n at 5.45
Whinchat 1 Obs list now 146 for the year

back early tomorrow for more before a week off

Snap!

2 Roseate Terns, Sooty Shearwater, Red necked Grebe and Arctic Skua passed Whitburn Obs early morning, yes very similar to yesterday but a much quieter day overall. Stoney was in the house again and helped to keep me awake. This is what we saw in order of appearance

Thursday 22nd August 05.30-07.15 W1 dead calm

Curlew 4n
Common Tern 8n 23s
Sandwich Tern 7n 50s
Manx Shearwater 26n 10s
Black h Gull 66n 3s
Common Scoter 28n
Cormorant 3n 31s
Teal 32n 5s
Arctic Skua 1s
Redshank 5n
Porpoise 3
Red necked Grebe 1n
Arctic Tern 1n 6s
White beaked Dolphin 10 plus feeding well to the north
Sooty Shearwater 1s
Turnstone 4n
Roseate Tern 2s adults
Grey Heron 1s

We closed the watch early to look for a Parakeet sp reported by a passing birder but didn't find it

Who ate all the pies?

Pom Skua,Red necked Grebe,Sooty Shearwater and Med Gull all went past Whitburn Obs early morning. Yes @NTsteely ate all the pies , not content with having a captive Bridled Tern to release every time visitor numbers need a boost he is now trying to capture all of the Manxies in the North Sea with 300 off the Farnes yesterday evening. Thankfully we still managed to find some birds off Whitburn this morning. Stoney was in the house and i needed him as it was busy.This is what we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 21st August 05.25-07.30 SSW2 cloud cover

Black h Gull 10n 63s
Manx Shearwater 18n 2s
Curlew 13n 1s
Common Tern 1n 18s
Teal 189n
Med Gull 1s ad
Cormorant 14n 69s
Shag 1n (first I've seen for ages)
Eider 3n
Pom Skua 1s ad
Arctic Tern 48n 3s
Knot 59s
Common Scoter 8n 1s
Whimbrel 6n
Wigeon 1n
Turnstone 1s
Red necked Grebe 1n - a new Obs year tick for me bringing the total to a very credible 146
Common Gull 1s juv
Sandwich Tern 4n 141s
Bonxie 1n
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Redshank 9s
Sanderling 10s
Ringed Plover 2s
Dunlin 5s
Golden Plover 1s

I may have to cancel my family holiday on Saturday how can i miss all this action

Still going...not all gone yet

1 Sooty and 7 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Med Gulls and an Arctic Skua went passed Whitburn Obs early morning.The Terns keep going south and im still looking but no Bridled, its sure to pass next week when i am on holiday. Another nice mixed bag on this mornings sea watch with a bit of quality as well. Here's what i saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 20th August 05.20-07.20 SW1-2 early cloud then bright sun

Teal 6n 3s
Curlew 2n
Common Scoter 15n
Dunlin 3n
Common Tern 1n 16s
Sandwich Tern 237s
Cormorant 3n 63s
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Black h Gull 15n 33s
Med Gull 2s ad and 2nd w
Shoveler 2n
Redshank 36n 3s
Ringed Plover 2s
Manx Shearwater 7n
Oyster Catcher 23n
Turnstone 3s
Arctic Tern 2s
Arctic Skua 1s

I had a Wheatear as i walked back to my car a sign of things to come

Going going..................

Roseate, 7 Arctic, 28 Common and 187 Sandwich Terns went south past Whitburn Obs early morning. Yes the terns are heading south and not returning. This mornings movement of Sandwich Terns was in two forms. Small groups flying south fast and low and family groups feeding and moving south slowly. Not much else this morning a nice peaceful start to the week, lets hope it picks up. Here's what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 19th August W1-2 bright sun then cloud cover by 06.30

Turnstone 1n 3s
Curlew 3n
Cormorant 7n 76s
Sandwich Tern 187s
Common Tern 3n 32s
Black h Gull 8n 7s
Redshank 54s
Arctic Tern 7s
Arctic Skua 1n
Whimbrel 1s
Common Scoter 52n 2s
Teal 10n
Roseate Tern 1s ad

Black tailed Sabbath

43 Black tailed Godwits were the best of 10 species of Waders that passed Whitburn Obs this morning and 4 Bottlenose Dolphins north rounded off another bumper watch. It was just the original breakfast club members in the Obs this morning, myself, Magic Mark and Stevie Thunder. We had another action packed watch which is good going on a westerly with bright sun in your eyes. Steve nearly left at 8.30 because it was a bit quiet, hes glad he didn't.Terns were moving again but still no sign of the Bridled
The best birds were the two groups of Black tailed Godwits 23 and 20 flying south, vis mig in action
Here's what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 18th August 05.10-09.30 W2 bright sun calm sea

Common Tern 19n 51s
Curlew 3n 3s
Redshank 1n 15s
Turnstone 1n 6s
Cormorant 15n 157s
Sandwich Tern 8n 241s
Arctic Tern 7n 1s
Oyster Catcher 26s
Common Scoter 26n 2s
Dunlin 7s
Swift 2s
Manxie 15n 3s
Velvet Scoter 1s
Black h Gull 3s
Sparrowhawk 1n
Porpoise 1n
Knot 6s
Ringed Plover 2s
Heron 1 on the rocks
Teal 37n 9s
Shelduck 5n 2s
Black tailed Godwit 43s
Grey Wagtail 1s
Whimbrel 2s
08.35 4 Bottlenose Dolphins went north watched for 10 mins, a nice change from the White beaked we have been seeing lately
Swallow 13s
Snipe 5s
Bonxie 1n

Southward Bound

4 Great and 4 Arctic Skuas,48 Whimbrel and 348 Sandwich Terns were the highlights passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 this morning. Yes the Terns are heading south and we wont be seeing some of them again. I noticed Steely on the Farnes said his Terns were heading off, well can you send us the Bridled please. I fancied it might have went passed with the Sandwich Terns today but not on my shift, maybe tomorrow
The Obs was busy and the front row was full even with Magic Mark and Stevie Thunder my normal early morning companions missing. Stoney was in the house for the third day running i think we've got a convert, also Mark H from Notts was back along with Derek Lawrence and Colin Wilson and Desperate Den again bringing up the rear!
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 17th August 05.15-09.30 SSW 3 cloud cover

Bar t Godwit 1s
Common Tern 20n 43s
Whimbrel 13n 35s
Arctic Tern 13n 42s
Sandwich Tern 16n 332s
Curlew 4n 4s
Manxie 11n 7s
Black h Gull 1s
05.55 Petrel sp south seen by Rob but we couldn't get on it
Common Scoter 11n 13s
Swift 2s
Cormorant 32n 211s      yes 211s
Teal 11s
Bonxie 2n 2s
Arctic Skua 4n
Redshank 1n 16s
Kestrel 1n
Sandmartin 3s
Turnstone 1s
Ringed Plover 5s
Swallow 4s
Shelduck 1s

I will be back later for a second look and hoping for the Bridled Tern

Seventh Heaven

Pom Skua, 2 Roseate Terns, Yellow legged and Med Gulls and a Sooty passed Whitburn by 08.30 am. Add to this the Minke Whale that went north and its been a cracking morning. I was joined by Magic Mark whose magicians hat was working today and Stoney
The early rain meant things were slow getting started but once it got going it was a great sea watch. Here's what we saw in order of appearance

Friday 16th August 05.35-08.30 SW2 rain at first and good cloud cover

Mallard 2n 2s
Teal 63n 8s
Manxie 12n 4s
Common Scoter 64n 8s
Cormorant 6n 71s
Red th Diver 1s
Black h Gull 3s
Curlew 2n 1s
Redshank 2n 2s
Common Gull 2s
Lesser b b Gull 3s
Golden Plover 7s
Goosander 1n
Sandwich Tern 22n 118s
Arctic Skua 2s
Arctic Tern 1n 7s
Pom Skua 1s
Porpoise 2n
Roseate Tern 2s
Ringed Plover 1s
Sooty Shearwater 1s
07.35 Minke Whale seen twice moving north
07.45 Minke Whale seen once further north
Med Gull juv on sea trying to eat a frog! then flew south
Yellow Legged Gull 1n juv a fantastic find by Magic Mark a new Obs year tick bringing the total to 145, and a Durham year list tick bring it to 227
Whimbrel 1s

Now that's what i call a sea watch

More Teal Vicar

2 Arctic Skuas 16 Manxies and 209 Teal went past Whitburn Obs this morning. I nearly didn't bother with this mornings watch as the rain en route was heavy, however Stoney was on his way and i had the key!
Its just as well i made the effort as we had an excellent sea watch with a good variety of birds and a bit of wildfowl movement
Here's what we saw in order of appearance

Thursday 15th August 05.35-07.35 S2-3

Curlew 1n 1s
Bar t Godwit 2s
Teal 178n 31s (lots of small groups moving)
Oyster Catcher 5s
Common Scoter 106n 10s
Common Tern 7n 83s
Arctic Tern 1n 1s
Cormorant 11n 46s
Arctic Skua 2n
Purple Sandpiper 1s
Manxie 15n 1s
Sandwich Tern 6n 70s
Turnstone 1s
Red br Merganser 1n
Whimbrel 1s

Cetacean hangover

Med Gull, 2 Arctic Skuas and 20 Manxies passed Whitburn early morning. Yesterdays northerly flow was replaced by a westerly and the Shearwaters have all but dried up. I still had a nice selection of birds. No Whales this morning but the sea looks perfect for more cetacean action today, i can feel another evening sea watch coming on
Here's what i did manage to see in order of appearance

Wednesday 14th August 05.10-07.10 WNW1-2 cloud cover calm sea

Cormorant 10n 65s
Teal 2n
Common Tern 9n 23s
Sandwich Tern 31n 78s
Porpoise 3
Arctic Tern 7s
Manx Shearwater 14n 6s
Med Gull 1s 2nd sum
Red th Diver 1n
Common Scoter 15n
Puffin 1n
Shelduck 2s
Arctic Skua 2s
Redshank 10n 4s

Minke Whales steal the show

2 Minke Whale, Balearic 3 Sooty and 96 Manx Shearwaters passed Whitburn Obs this evening. I saw the first Minke at 18.00 fairly distant then 2 much closer inshore at 06.50 till 07.00 at least. It was a fitting end to an excellent evening watch after a disappointing morning. The Balearic Shearwater was my first of the year and brings my Obs list to 144
Here's what i saw this evening in order of appearance

Tuesday 13th August 15.50-19.15 N1 flat calm sea with good visibility

Oyster Catcher 11n 37s
Turnstone 1n 2s
Sandwich Tern 63n 13s
Common Tern 10n 28s
Black h Gull 3s
Curlew 2s
Porpoise 4 at least
Manx Shearwater 85n 11s
Whimbrel 3s
Redshank 9s
Sooty Shearwater 3N
Black tailed Godwit 20s
Dunlin 5s
Teal 2n 3s
18.00 Minke Whale then 2 closer inshore at 18.50 till 19.00
Arctic Tern 1n
Arctic Skua 1n
Balearic Shearwater 1n then swung back south checking the area where Minke had surfaced

ZZZzzzz..........

Arctic Skua, 7 Manxies and 141 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs early morning and little else
We are stuck with this westerly weather and even Magic Mark couldn't pull a bird out of his hat on this pleasant morning
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 13th August 05.10-07.15 WNW 2 bright sun choppy sea

Common Tern 1n 47s
Oyster Catcher 16n 27s
Cormorant 10n 59s
Black h Gull 2s
Common Scoter 8n
Arctic Tern 4n 1s
Arctic Skua 1n
Manxie 5n 2s
Red th Diver 2n
Common Gull 1n
Sandwich Tern 2n 139s

Oh dear.........

Roseate Tern 6 Manx Shearwaters and a Greenshank passed Whitburn Obs early morning I thought the birds had gone on strike this morning, let's hope they are back at work in the morning

Monday 12th August 05.30-07.15 W1-2 cloud cover calm sea

Redshank 7n 1s
Cormorant 6n 41s
Oyster Catcher 11s
Black h Gull 2s
Common Tern 12n 47s
Common Scoter 3n
Arctic Tern 10n 1s
Roseate Tern 1n ad
Sandwich Tern 6n 110s
Greenshank 1n
Manxie 6n
Yellow Wagtail 1s
Dunlin 2s
Sanderling 2s

Lazy Sunday Seawatch

62 Manxies and 307 Sandwich Terns past Whitburn this morning on a very quiet seawatch. Whitburn Mark joined me and Notts Mark the newbie from yesterday, it was a lovely morning very pleasant but not much happening as you will see

Sunday 11th August 05.00- 08.00 W2 some cloud early on clearing

Oyster Catcher 67s

Redshank 9s

Black h Gull 2n 7s

Cormorant 6n 76s

Sandwich Tern 9n 298s

Manxie 62n

Arctic Tern 11n

Red th Diver 2n 1s

Common Sandpiper 1s

We went back to check for a Balearic Shearwater reported north past Hartlepool but had no luck

 

 

 

Train kept a rollin

Sooty and 176 Manx Shearwaters, 325 Sandwich Terns and a Green Sandpiper passed Whitburn Obs by 08.30. Another canny sea watch and the train kept a rollin on my Obs year list with the Green Sandpiper making it 143, and all this on a westerly. Add to this the Bonaparte's gull i saw on the way home, found this year by Ian Mills.....not a bad start to the day
The Obs was busy with Mark, Derek Lawrence, Pink Floyd and a newbie, here's what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday August 10th 04.55-08.30 W2 cloud cover, good light early on

Curlew 5n 2s
Black h Gull 18n 13s
Porpoise 4s
Oyster Catcher 44n
Manxie 55n 121s
Arctic Tern 4n 2s
Common Tern 29n 217s
Redshank 1s
Red th Diver 1n 1s
Common Gull 5s
Whimbrel 1s
Sandwich Tern 24n 301s
Green Sandpiper 1s
Wigeon 1s
Arctic Skua 1s
Dunlin 2s
Sooty Shearwater 1s
Puffin 1n 1s
Grey Plover 1n
Ringed Plover 3n
Shoveller 5n
Mallard 2s
Turnstone 5n

Maybe tomorrow we will get a Balearic or Cory's, seems plenty to the south of us

Double Wammy

2 new Obs year ticks added on a short sea watch this afternoon bringing the list to 142. It was thanks to Mark Newsome@whitburnbirds. We had decided to do an afternoon watch and it turned out pretty good. As i was packing up to leave Mark called the Greenshank which i just got on and seconds later directed my attention to 4 Snipe going north, i left a happy man
I left Mark in the Obs he was in great form so anything may have happened. this is what we saw in order of appearance

13.30-15.05

Sandwich Tern 23n 11s
Manxie 5n 4s
Oyster Catcher 34s
Whimbrel 9s
Common Scoter 6s
Common Tern 17n 10s
Black h Gull 6n
Curlew 5s
Arctic Tern 4n 1s
Roseate Tern 2n (1 ad )
Red th Diver 1n
Med Gull 1s juv
Common Gull 2s
Greenshank 1s
Snipe 4n

The Black and White show

Sooty Shearwater, a Black Tern, 3 Arctic Skuas and a Bonxie went past Whitburn Obs early morning.
Stoney was in the house and he was enjoying the good light conditions, the Manxies were looking black and white, and we were hoping for a brown one
It started quiet as early morning rain cleared through but did pick up, not as busy as yesterday but still some quality birds and yes the Dolphins. Only 3 seen this morning but feeding close inshore with some breaching a fantastic sight. A Peregrine south over the sea was a bonus as we were packing up
Here's what we saw in order of appearance

Friday 9th August SW1-2 05.15-07.30 good cloud cover, early rain clearing

Common Scoter 35n 7s
Whimbrel 11s
Black h Gull 1n 8s
Cormorant 2n 30s
Common Tern 5n 12s
Manx Shearwater 35n 22s
Arctic Skua 3s
05.55 White beaked Dolphin  3 feeding close inshore till at least 06.30
Sandwich Tern 13n 126s
Redshank 5n
Arctic Tern 12n 6s
Puffin 1n
Black Tern 1s
Bonxie 1n
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Peregrine 1s

Quality Street

Roseate Tern, 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 2 Velvet Scoters passed Whitburn Obs this morning
It was a quiet start to the morning with little passing but it built to a climax of birds and Dolphins by the time i had to leave for work. Sadly i couldn't linger due to a heavy schedule today, how many more Rosy's would pass, the Dolphins were showing........damn damn damn

Thursday 8th August 05.10-07.00 W1 broken cloud calm sea

Oyster Catcher 71n 39s
Cormorant 6n 55s
Common Tern 3n 72s
Sandwich Tern 3n 263s
Puffin 1n
Manxie 35n 2s
Common Scoter 31n
Sooty Shearwater 2n
Arctic Tern 2n 4s
Redshank 2s
Eider 1n
Velvet Scoter 2n
Black h Gull 2s
Roseate Tern 1s adult
Whimbrel 1n 1s
Arctic Skua 1n
White beaked Dolphin 10s

Rosy Terns on the move

2 Roseate Terns went south past Whitburn Obs early morning along with 140 Sanwich Terns.
A calm sea with little wind resulted in a quiet early morning watch with few birds moving
Here is what i saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 7th August 04.50-07.00 W1 calm sea and broken cloud

Sandwich Tern 11n 129s
Arctic Tern 13n 4s
Cormorant 7n 64s
Curlew 1n
Common Tern 12n 22s
Common Scoter 42n
Black headed Gull 7n 6s
Manxie 11n
Shelduck 3n
Whimbrel 1s06.25 circa 6 White beaked Dolphins breaching distantly to the south
Roseate Tern adult and juv south

Yesterday evening i did a short watch 16.30-18.00
Arctic Skua 1s
Arctic Tern 7n
Sooty Shearwater 1n (my first of the year tho others have seen them ) bringing my Obs year list to 140
Sandwich Tern 10n 17s
Sanderling 6s
Common Tern 1s
Manxie 11n
Whimbrel 2s

Bog standard sea watch 2

15 Manxies and 5 Black tailed Godwits passed Whitburn early morning on a poor sea watch.
The least said the better, westerly and bright sun sums it up. Shame the Bee-eaters didnt come over the Obs

Tuesday 6th August 04.55-06.55 W3 bright sun

Turnstone 4n 1s
Black h Gull 2n 4s
Cormorant 3n 31s
Common Scoter 28n
Manxiev 3n 12s
Redshank 12n 8s
Common Tern 4n 3s
Black tailed Godwit 5s
Oyster Catcher 8s
Sandwich Tern 8n 22s
Red th Diver 1s
Arctic Tern 1s

It never rains it pours..............waders

67 Manxies and 218 Common Scoter and a Curlew Sandpiper went past Whitburn Obs this morning along with a good selection of waders
I had to abandon my early morning watch due to the weather. Its was still raining when i arrived in the Obs but the cloud was lifting. As soon as i sat down 32 Manxies went south right under my nose and a flock of 120 Scoter went north so i knew it had been worth the effort
Waders was going south regularly and i was wondering what had i already missed, still it was a canny couple of hours
Here's what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 5th August 09.55-12.30 S2 rain, mist cloud cover

Golden Plover 3s
Dunlin 27s
Oyster Catcher 15s
Sanderling 19s
Manxie 67s
Common Scoter 123n 95s
Teal 1n
Bar tailed Godwit 3s
Knot 23s
Sandwich Tern 4n 67s
Common Tern 15n 14s
Curlew Sandpiper 1s
Puffin 1s
Arctic Tern 22n 4s
Curlew 2n 1s
Turnstone 3s
Redshank 10s
Arctic Skua 1s

Blogger City

39 Whimbrel and 3 Black tailed Godwits south past Whitburn Obs were the highlights this morning and a Peregrine. None of the regular sea watchers joined me this morning but i did have a visit from two fellow Bloggers. Howden Blogger and Segedunum Warbler, they called in on the way south to Saltholme to check out the Obs after reading my blog, fame at last
It was a mixed bag with no star birds to boast of but pleasant until the cloud cleared to bright sun
Heres what i saw in order of appearance

Sunday 4th August 04.44-09.00 SSW2 then SW3 rain cloud then bright sun, i had the lot!

Common Tern10n 63s
Black h Gull 5s
Cormorants 17n 109s
Turnstone 1n
Arctic Tern 21n 20s
Sandwich Tern 11n 355s
Knot 2n 8s
Whimbrel 39s
Teal 22n
Curlew 1n 3s
Manx Shearwater 16n 1s
Oyster Catcher 10s
Black tailed Godwit 3s
Sanderling 3s
Swallow 3s
Peregrine 1 hunting auks off the obs
Wigeon 1s
Common Scoter 43n 10s
Whimbrel 39s

'Humpty Dumpty' a Humpback past the Obs

Humpback Whale past the Obs this morning was the main event along with 6 Little Gulls 71 Manxies and a good selection of waders and ducks.The Humpback was first picked up by Mark at 08.05 we lost it for a while then he again found it as we watched it move north by 09.00. A few in the Obs this morning as i was joined by Mark, Stevie Thunder, Derek Lawrence and Pink Floyd with Desperate Den bringing up the rear. Here's what we saw

Saturday 3rd August 04.50 -09.10 sw1-2 then SW 5 mainly bright sun

Manx Shearwater 33n 38s
Common Tern 84n 34s
Arctic Tern 56n 15s
Common Scoter 370n 5s
Teal 37n 2s
Dunlin 4s
Red br Merganser 2n
Whimbrel 26s
Cormorant 13n 70s
Curlew 2n 2s
Redshank 2n 10s
Turnstone 1n 1s
Oyster Catcher 12n 16s
Knot 1n 10s
Common Gull 4s
Sandwich Tern 16n 79s
Black h Gull 3n 5s
Puffin 1s
Grey Plover 1s
Bonxie 1n
Swift 6s
Shoveller 2n
Arctic Skua 1s
Little Gull 6n
08.05 Humpback blow seen twice
Bar t Godwit 5n
08.50 Humpback Whale again moving north till 09.00 am ish

Frantic Friday

Little Gull, 111 Arctic Terns and 76 Manxies, and 563 Common Scoter went past Whitburn Obs prior to 7am.It was a busier day than yesterday with a mainly northerly movement of birds on a nice southerly breeze. Lots of Kittiwakes and Gannets were moving but we were looking for bigger fish so didn't record numbers. I was joined by Stoney and he was a welcome guest keeping an eye on the Manxies as i tried to sweep up the rest. Early mist cleatred to bright sun which meant most id was by silhouette only, it was a frantic two hours and great fun. Here's what we got

Friday 2nd August 04.55-07.00 S2-3 early mist then bright sun

Common Tern 13n 23s
Manx Shearwater 46n 30s
Cormorant 7n 25s
Common Scoter 554n 9s
Red th Diver 1n
Teal 4n
Arctic Tern 110n 1s
Turnstone 2s
Dunlin 2s
Sandwich Tern 9n 26s
Puffin 2n
Whimbrel 1s
Little Gull 1s

Breakfast with Rosie

3 Roseate Terns and 3 Arctic Skuas went south past Whitburn Obs today on a much quieter day. Following the excellent Tern passage yesterday you would expect something similar, but no in the first hour the only terns i saw were 2 Common Terns. Thankfully it picked up and 2 Roseate Terns south close in together were a real treat, a third passed before i packed in for work
Lets hope they are a regular sight over the next few weeks, here's what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 1st August 05.00-07.00 SSW2-3, cloud cover

Cormorant 5n 48s
Common Tern 6n 39s
Arctic Skua 3s
Common Scoter 82n
Black h Gull 2s
Manxie 7s
Puffin 2n
Arctic Tern 6n 6s
Curlew 1n 1s
Sandwich Tern 12n 55s
Oyster Catcher 14s
Dunlin 1n
Roseate Tern 3s adults
Whimbrel 6s