skuas steal the show again

2 Poms 2 Bonxies and 14 Arctic Skuas passed Whitburn Obs this afternoon. I cant fit in an early sea watch before work anymore as its nearly 7am before its light so i am trying a few afternoon sessions
Yesterday was fantastic but today's easterly flow was anything but with few birds passing. Derek Charlton started the watch and i joined him later. This is what we saw

Monday 30th September 13.00-17.30 SE3-4

Red th Diver 1n 1s
Gannet 294n
Brent Goose pb 5n
Brent Goose db 2n
Common Scoter 10n
Wigeon 11n 74s
Eider 1n 3s
Pintail 1n
Arctic Skua 14n
Bonxie 2n 1s
Pom Skua 2n

its a game of two halves

Long tailed Skua, Bonxie and 25 Arctic Skuas passed Whitburn Obs this evening. Yes a game of two halves this mornings sea watch had its moments but was lacking a bit bumf, this afternoon took the biscuit.Or was it just that the light was better anyway we enjoyed it. Once again i was joined by new mark who is putting in a few hours of late for both sessions.I wasn't expecting much tonight but the Skuas started and didn't stop
This is what we saw today

Sunday 29th September 06.30-10.00 SE3-4 bright sun

Red th Diver 5n 26s
Common Gull 26n 11s
Eider 2s
Black h Gull 56n 55s
Grey Heron 2n 2s
Common Scoter 12n 49s
Curlew 2n 2s
Cormorant 1n 9s
Wigeon 125n
Arctic Skua 9n
Teal 3n 16s
Sandwich Tern 8s
Brent Goose 1n pb 1n db
Pintail 1n
Scaup 1n
Pink footed Goose 3n
then i managed to see 4 yellow browed warblers over 3 different sites

15.15-18.30 E2-3 brrr

Red th Diver 2n 2s
Arctic Skua 25n
Bonxie 1n
Common Scoter 3n 2s
Puffin 1n
Wigeon 8n
Cormorant 4n
Teal 6s
Knot 6s
Eider 1n 1s
Common Tern 1n
Little Gull 2n
Long tailed Skua 1n juv
Shag 1n
Sandwich Tern 2n

what a cracking few days its been at Whitburn

mellow yellow

Yellow browed Warbler from the Obs was the highlight this Saturday with few sea birds passing in poor viewing conditions. it was one of those days when kicking bushes was more productive than sea watching but i still managed to see a Yellow browed Warbler from the Obs and a Goldcrest (thanks Jason) bringing my Obs year list to 154. Much better than i expected at the start of this adventure i reckon 160 must be on
I was joined by new Mark and this is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 28th September 06.20-09.30 S2-3 bright sun

Black headed Gull 120n 33s
Cormorant 26s
Peregrine 1n
Red th Diver 1n 15s
Eider 6n
Common Scoter 15n
Arctic Tern 1n
Curlew 2n
Sandwich Tern 14n
Teal 9n 33s
Yellow browed Warbler
Goldcrest
Grey Partridge 13 in Obs field

16.30-17.30
Arctic Skua 2n
Puffin 1n
Knot 7s
Sandwich Tern 1s

pass the bottlenose

14 Bottllenose Dolphins,Red necked Grebe,and 18 Barnacle Geese were the highlights past Whitburn Obs this morning.Its always exciting to watch Dolphins and we have had plenty of White beaked this year so it was a nice surprise when i picked up this pod moving south to see they were Bottlenose.I have only ever seen small parties before of 2 or 3 so 14 maybe more was fantastic.They were close inshore along the flag line and were watched moving south for half an hour. I managed some video so will post it on my youtube channel after I've edited it
Away from the Dolphins things were a bit quieter for birds. Yesterday over 100 Skuas passed the Obs today none. This is what we did see in order of appearance....oh i was joined by Stoney,Hoggie, Millsie and a few others

Friday 27th September 06.35-10.35 SSE 2 cloud cover calm sea

Black headed Gull 30n 15s
Common Gull 5n 9s
Cormorant 2n 21s
Wigeon 41n
Med Gull 1s 1st w
Common Scoter 83n 31s
Eider 9n 5s
Red th Diver 6n 15s
Sandwich Tern 3n 11s
Teal 22n 50s
Sanderling 1n
Shelduck 2n
Curlew 2n
Manxie 1n
Brent Goose 1n db
Shag 4n
Velvet Scoter 2n
Barnacle Goose 18n
09.00 Bottlenose Dolphin 14s till 09.30
Red necked Grebe 1s
Mallard 1n
Turnstone 2n

poms longtails sootys,poms longtails sootys

2 Long Tailed Skuas,3 poms,15 Bonxies and 48 Arctic Skuas passed Whitburn Obs this morning on a superb sea watch.Its an often repeated mantra in the Obs,'poms sootys longtails' made famous by a bird club member who can get a little excited by the prospect of a special sea watch, and thats what we had this morning.The Obs was full with Magic Mark, new Mark,Pink Floyd,The Babysitter,unlucky Dave and more
This is what we saw in sort of order of appearance

Thursday 26th September 06.25-11.55 SW2 light cloud
Common Scoter99n 16s
Wigeon 106n 21s
Manx Shearwater 86n
Red th Diver 11n 112s
Shag 13n 11s
Sooty Shearwater 25n
Bonxie 15n
Velvet Scoter 10n
Common Gull 3n
Arctic Skua 48n
Barnacle Goose 35n 95s
Pintail 2n
Cormorant 3n 36s
Little Gull 20n
Peregrine 1n juv female
Arctic Tern 3n 1s
Eider 4n 6s
Pom Skua 2n 1s
Brent goose pb 4n
Brent Goose db 3n
Common Tern 11n
Sandwich Tern 2n 1s
Grey Wagtail 1s
Puffin 2n
Black h Gull 5n 40s
Long tailed Skua 2n both juvs
Shoveler 2n
Red br Merganser 1n 1s
Gadwall 2n
Pink footed Goose 4n
Kestrel 1n
Song Thrush 3 in off 

going back for more this afternoon

Little and Large

10 Little Gulls,5 Arctic Skuas and 18 Red throated Divers passed Whitburn Obs by 10.15. It was nearly a case of little and large after the10 Little Gulls a large corvid was circling high up very distant, was it a Raven, we couldn't nail it. Not quite up to yesterdays standards but another nice watch with just Mark and myself and a brief visit from Pink Floyd before he left to look at a Lap bunt
Here's what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 22nd September 06.15-10.15 SW1-2 cloud cover sometimes

Cormorant 3n 61s
Black h Gull 278n 16s
Wigeon 54n
Arctic Tern 1n
Shag 3n 6s
Red th Diver 8n 10s
Teal 251n
Eider 7n
Common Scoter 45n 1s
Heron 1n
Little Gull 10n
Goosander 4n
Scaup 1n female
Common Tern 3n 2s
Sandwich Tern 6n 15s
Arctic Skua 2n 3s
Bar tailed Godwit 1n

Bandits at 12 o'clock

Red necked Grebe,4 Little Gulls 36 Red throated Divers and 9 species of wildfowl passed Whitburn Obs by 10.15.It was an action packed sea watch with only Magic Mark Newsome@whitburnbirds joining me.On a pleasant morning with good light and a calm sea, and to top it all off we saw some White beaked Dolphin early on.The ducks were coming at us from all directions cracking seawatch
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 21st September 06.15-10.15 SW1

Cormorant 5n 70s
Black h Gull circa 80 up and down
Wigeon 244n
Sandwich Tern 5n 2s
Common Gull 7n 5s
Eider 6n 2s 4 on the sea
Common Tern 18n
Red throated Diver 9n 27s
Common Scoter 152n 1s
07.50 3 plus White beaked Dolphin south
Pintail 13n
Turnstone 5n 2s
Dunlin 7n
Grey Heron 1s
Teal 660n 2s
Lapwing 50s
Arctic Skua 2n 1s
Redshank 2n
Porpoise 1n
Red necked Grebe 1n
Shag 4n 3s
Knot 2n
Curlew 4n
Bar tailed Godwit 2n
Goosander 1s
Arctic Tern 2n
Little Gull 4s
Bonxie 3n
Sanderling 9n
Tufted Duck 1s
Brent Goose pb 1n
Mallard 1n

Quiet day at the office

Little Gull,Bonxie,2 Arctic Skuas and 6 Sandwich Terns were the best of a small bunch past Whitburn early morning. Nice calm morning but little moving. Hopefully the American Golden Plover will end up in the Obs field soon. As i left the Obs Swallows and Pipits were heading south could be a good day for vismig
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Friday 20th September 06.10-07.30 W1-2

Black h Gull 28n 17s
Grey Heron 1n
Red th Diver 3n 4s
Eider 2n
Arctic Skua 1n 1s
Common Tern 1n
Cormorant 15s
Little Gull 1n juv
Sandwich Tern 6s
Wigeon 1n
Common Scoter 1n 1s
Bonxie 1s

Of note were 14 Grey Partridge in the Obs field

the fat lady hasn't sang yet

Great northern Diver, 5 Little Gulls 3 Sandwich Terns and a selection of wildfowl passed Whitburn Obs early am.Following a run of westerlies and few birds it was nice to get some passage this morning. A bit of south in the wind and calmer conditions resulted in an enjoyable sea watch
A chiff chaff was singing as i left the Obs and it felt like spring had arrived
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 19th September 06.15-07.30 WSW2 cloud cover and a magnificent sunrise

Cormorant 6n 17s
Black h Gull 28n 46s
Red th Diver 1n 10s
Common Gull 1n
Grey Heron 1n
Curlew 5n
Goosander 1n
Teal 15n
Little Gull 5n adults
Common Scoter 10n
Sandwich Tern 3s
Great northern Diver 1n
Wigeon 10n
Shag 1s
Manxie 1n
Porpoise 1

hard times

17 Red throated Divers, 3 Sandwich Terns and 12 Canada Geese passed Whitburn Obs early morning.
A brisk westerly and bright sun were not ideal conditions for a sea watch but i managed a short one before work today and was joined by Stevie Howart
This is what we saw by 07.30 in order of appearance. I left Steve in charge

Tuesday 17th September 06.10-07.30 W4 bright sun

Cormorant 47s
Black h Gull 26n 14s
Curlew 1n
Sandwich Tern 1n 2s
Canada Goose 12s
Red th Diver 1n 16s
Common Scoter 2n

Plenty of Black headed Gulls were getting in the Obs fields before flying inland but i couldnt pick out the Bonaparts this morning

Batten down the hatches

Sooty Shearwater,3 Little Gulls and a juv Med Gull passed Whitburn Obs on today's early sea watch.The Indian summer is gone and a blasting south westerly is busy shaking up the birds in the north sea.Magic Mark beat me in today.It was very cold and i must remember my gloves and scarf next time. The Bonaparte's was seen in fields near the Obs yesterday so we were checking all the gulls but no sign early morning. My first Pink Feet of the year south and a good selection of birds made for an interesting watch
Here is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 15th September 06.10-09.10 SSW6 cloud rough sea

Eider 5s
Black h Gull 17n 7s
Cormorant 1n 30s
Red th Diver 4n 2s
Shag 2s
Common Tern 1n 1s
Arctic Skua 7n 2s
Teal 1n
Common Scoter 5s
Sandwich Tern 2n 6s
Grey Heron 1n 1s
Pink footed Goose 7s
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Manx Shearwater 1n
Curlew 1n
Little Gull 3s 2 juv 1 ad
Med Gull 1s juv
Red br merganser 1s
Shoveler 6s
Bonxie 1n

bring on the westerlys

8 Arctic Skuas, 6 Bonxies and 26 Red th Divers passed Whitburn in 4 hours till 10am.Despite the northerly flow we struggled to find many notable birds and recorded no Shearwaters at all. Magic Mark joined me briefly before going to work, and Stevie Thunder. Later the addition of Drunken Duncan and the Hogmeister didn't improve the list much. The discussion turned to the identification and ageing of Sabs Gull and the flight times of said species between Whitburn and Tynemouth
Here is what we recorded in order of appearance

Saturday 14th September 06.00 10.00 NW2 broken cloud and bright sun at times

Cormorant 10n 99s
Black h Gull 90n 17s
Red th Diver 6n 20s
Curlew 2n 1s
Knot 8s
Common Scoter 13n 2s
Eider 7s
Bonxie 6n
Redshank 24n
Bar t Godwit 1n
Sandwich Tern 4n 25s
Arctic Skua 4n 4s
Common Tern 3n
Meadow Pipit circa 20s
Teal 28n
Turnstone 2n
Sanderling 10n
Dunlin 10n
Peregrine 1n
Gannet circa 3500 n
Yellow Wagtail 1s
Shelduck 1s
Wigeon 1n

we had a mouse moth in the obs

unlucky for some

Roseate Tern, 2 Red necked Grebes, 2 Sooty Shearwaters and 3 Arctic Skuas passed Whitburn by mid day Friday the 13th and unlucky for Peter Bell who wanted to see a Roseate Tern but arrived 5 minutes late for the one i saw at 07.45
It was a decent sea watch but lacked another good bird, i was joined by Peter and Ian Mills, Peter Hogg and Adam. Its still northerly tomorrow so lets hope for better. Here's what we saw in order of appearancd

Friday 13th September 06.10-12.00 N 3-4 cloud and early rain clearing

Black h Gull 36n 2s
Cormorant 14n 30s
Common Scoter 122n
Curlew 2s
Red th Diver 8n 25s
Gannet 932n
Teal 23n 11s
Wigeon 58n
Sandwich Tern 19n 15s
Redshank 1n 1s
Fulmar 70n
Eider 1s
Manxie 5n
Roseate Tern 1n ad
Common Tern 6n
Arctic Tern 1n
Arctic Skua 3s
Sooty Shearwater 2n
Red necked Grebe 2n
Tufted Duck 1n
Pochard 1n
Dunlin 2n

heyup duck

6 Red throated Divers, a Bonxie and good numbers of wildfowl passed Whitburn Obs early morning.
The best conditions to see ducks moving past Whitburn are light south westerlies and a bit of low cloud and mist helps. That's what i had this morning and they didn't disappoint
My morning watches before work will  be ending soon so i am making the most of what little time i have, unless of course i win the lottery
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 12th September 06.10-07.30 SW1-2 cloud and early mist

Curlew 14n
Black h Gull 41n 5s
Cormorant 1n 25s
Red th Diver 6s
Sandwich Tern 3n
Wigeon 46n
Eider 1s
Pintail 1n
Arctic Tern 1n
Teal 251n
Common Scoter 194n
Manxie 2n
Bonxie 1n

calm after the storm

2 Sooty Shearwaters, a Little Gull and a Med Gull passed Whitburn Obs early morning.The Norherly is going and things have settled down to a nice easy pace. Conditions were very pleasant with full cloud and a nice grey sea
New Mark joined me today and i had to leave him in charge as work once more gets in the way. This is what we had in order of appearance

Wednesday 11th September 06.10-07.45 NW2 full cloud cover heavy swell

Cormorant 5n 22s
Eider 5 on sea
Common Gull 3n 6s
Black h Gull 53n 10s
Common Scoter 3n 12s
Arctic Tern 1n
Red th Diver 4n 4sTeal 74n
Wigeon 34n
Little Gull 1n juv
Manxie 7n
Common Tern 6n
Sandwich Tern 4s
Med Gull 1n juv
Bonxie 1n
Sooty Shearwater 2n

Skua city

Sooty Shearwater 4 Bonxies 10 Arctic Skuas 10 Red th Divers passed Whitburn early am by 07.45 on what could prove to be a very good day. Sadly i am at work
Magic Mark the Chairman and later Pink Floyd joined me for an early look
this is what we saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 10th September 06.00-07.45 NW3 cloud cover great light

Cormorant 2n 65s
Sandwich Tern 3n 6s
Arctic Skua 4n 6s
Curlew 5n
Eider 3s
Grey Heron 1n
Manxie 1n
Grey Wagtail 1s
Bonxie 2n 2s
Redshank 6s
Common Scoter 1s
Teal 12n
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Shag 1n
Black h Gull 20n 8s
Red th Diver 10s
Common Tern 6s

Gilbert O'Sullivan

8 Red throated Divers passed Whitburn Obs early morning were the only birds of note on a quite sea watch. Over 30 observers visited the Obs over the last few days but it was 'alone again naturally' this morning. You can feel the Autumnal chill and my morning watches are getting shorter as the days close in. I didn't see much at all but the forecasted northerly flow over the next few days may improve things.
Here's what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 9th September 06.00-07.15 W1-2 part cloud

Curlew 55 off the Obs field
Black h Gull 24n 121s
Dunlin 8s
Arctic Tern 1s
Cormorant 2n 63s
Common Tern 4n 4s
Redshank 3s
Eider 4s
Red th Diver 5n 3s
Common Scoter 6n
Teal 3n

you might notice no Sandwich Terns!

peace and quiet returns to the Obs

Red necked Grebe, 2 Arctic Skuas Little Gull and Spot shank passed Whitburn Obs early am. Peace and quiet was back after yesterdays noisy frantic packed Obs sea watch. Only Stoney and myself were in i even had time to sweep the floor after you messy lot. Even so i got 2 new Obs year ticks bringing my total to 152, the spot shank flying south with Redshank and a Tree Pipit flying south with Mipets called.The Cuckoo was still in the Obs field and some vis mig was evident
It was quiet, after yesterdays 1000 Manxies today we had 1. This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 8th September 05.50-08.30 S2 bright sun

Cormorant 4n 81s
Black h Gull 41n86s
Curlew 2n
Manxie 1n
Turnstone 1s
Red th Diver 2n 3s
Shelduck 1n
Sandwich Tern 18n 5s
Teal 3n
Common Scoter 5n 5s
Redshank 8s
Spotted Redshank 1s
Little Gull 1n
Red necked Grebe 1n i think that's 5 in 3 days
Eider 1n 1s
Common Tern 5n 1s
Arctic Tern 2s
Dunlin 1s
Arctic Skua 2n
Meadow Pipits 14s as i left the obs many more were moving south and swallows
Tree Pipit 1s flying with mipits called
Porpoise 1s
Cuckoo 1 in field

I'm off to look for a Barred Warbler and do some vis mig, back to the obs late pm

'Another Manxie North'

2 Balearic,32 Sooty and 980 Manxies, 2 Pom Skuas a Sabs Gull and 3 Red necked Grebes passed Whitburn Obs by 11am
Another full Obs another action packed sea watch, shame about the light.The phrase another Manxie north was regular as 980 went past I missed the juv Sabs gull which Stevie Thunder watched through my scope as i had popped out to see Rosefinch in the hand
I will fill more detail in later but birds are waiting for me
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 7th September 05.50-11.00 SE2-3 some cloud early on then yuk

Shoveler 2n
Manxie 980n
Black h Gull 94n 6s
Teal 24n 50s
Cormorant 4n 135s
Arctic Skua 33n 7s
Common Tern 40n 4s
Common Scoter 117n
Sandwich Tern 81n 14s
Sooty Shearwater 32n
Turnstone 5s
Red th Diver 8n 6s
Bonxie 10n 3s
Black Tern 1n
Balearic Shearwater 2n
Bar tailed Godwit 2n
Arctic Tern 27n
Wheatear 1
Kestrel 1n
Shag 3n
Redshank 4s
Ruff 1n
Little Gull 27n
Red necked Grebe 3n
Wigeon 23n
Pintail 4n
Velvet Scoter 2n
Puffin 1n
Pom Skua 2n 1ad
Great crested Grebe 2s
Grey Plover 1n
Curlew 1n
Greenshank 1s
Gannet 1213n

back later for more.........

when the north wind doth blow............

Long Tailed Skua, Balearic and 55 Sooty Shearwaters and a Roseate Tern passed Whitburn Obs in 11.25 hours today. It was a great sea watch with a full Obs we didn't get the biggy that was down to Steely on the Farnes again. The cast is too numerous to mention all but it included Magic Mark who called the 2 star birds, Pink Floyd, The Babysiter(Derek Lawrence),The Doctor was in the house, Timmy Mills and Hoggie,Foghorn,etc etc etc
Here is what we saw mainly in order of appearance

Friday 6th September 06.00-18.00 minus 45mins when obs wasn't manned N6 rain all day

Red th Diver 9s
Manx Shearwater 289n
Sooty Shearwater 55n
Balearic Shearwater 1n
Cormorant 18n 18s
Shag 3n 2s
Common Scoter 56n 1s
Eider 5n 6 on sea
Wigeon 285n 58s
Pochard 3n
Teal 227n 166s
Pintail 5n
Gadwall 1n
Mallard 1s
Tufted Duck 1n
Goldeneye 1n
Scaup 1n
Goosander 1n
Black h Gull 9n 26s
Arctic Skua 6n 39s
Bonxie 19n 2s
Long tailed Skua 1n juv
Sandwich Tern 12n 38s
Common Tern 7n 8s
Arctic Tern 1n
Redshank 2n
Golden Plover circa 500n
Purple Sandpiper 1n
Grey Plover 4n
Fulmar 280 by 11.30


Pergrine 2n
Brent Goose 49n
Red necked Grebe 1n
Roseate Tern 1n
Puffin 1n
Porpoise 1

No two days alike...

Merlin, Little Gull and Med Gull passed Whitburn early morning. No two days are alike in the theatre of dreams. Today hardly a Shearwater, no Skuas, few waders etc etc. Who knows what tomorrow will bring and the outlook for the weekend is promising with easterly winds, i might pull back some of the migrants that i missed on my holiday in Ibiza. Wryneck and Icky could still end up on my year list
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 5th September 05.55-07.15 SW2 broken cloud some mist

Curlew 2n
Black h Gull 5n 179s
Teal 58n 3s
Common Scoter 5n 3s
Common Tern 19n 1s
Cormorant 1n 27s
Sandwich Tern 6n 5s
Shag 1s
Red th Diver 4s
Merlin 1s (my first of the year from the Obs and a landmark as its 150 up for my Obs year list)
Med Gull 1s ad
Arctic Tern 5n
Porpoise 2
Red br Merganser 1n
Wigeon 2s
Manxie 2s
Grey Wagtail 1s

Mix it up

Sooty Shearwater, 2 Med Gulls 3 Little Gulls and 23 Arctic Terns passed Whitburn Obs by 07.30 this morning. It was a pleasant warm morning with early cloud clearing to bright hot sun and plenty of birds moving a good mix of gulls terns waders .....
Here's what i saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 4th September 05.55-07.15 S1-2 flat calm sea cloud at first then bright sun

Knot 2s
Dunlin 1s
Cormorant 1n 72s
Common Tern 19n 5s
Black h Gull 2n 165s
Sooty Shearwater 1n
Sandwich Tern 2n 45s
Med Gull 2s 1ad 1 juv
Arctic Tern 19n 4s
Manxie 9n
Teal 4n
Common Scoter 8n
Little Gull 3n
Turnstone 6s
Curlew 3n 1s
Shag 1s
Arctic Skua 2s
Red th Diver 2n

Call of the wild

Great northern Diver, 25 Manxies and 12 Arctic Terns went passed Whitburn Obs early morning.
On a much better day with calm conditions a few birds did show today although my sea watch time was limited to an hour with work getting in the way. It started with a lovely red sky sunrise and the stars of the show were the two Red throated Divers sat on the sea close inshore that were singing for the whole time. If you haven't heard it before its a real experience, an eerie call
This is what i saw in my hour in order of appearance

Tuesday 3rd September 06.15-07.15 W1 dead calm broken cloud

Manxie 25n
Black h Gull 7n 20s
Fulmar 48n 5s
Common Tern 8n 5s
Cormorant 1n 34s
Sandwich Tern 7n 10s
Great northern Diver 1n (a beast of a bird flying high up)
Arctic Skua 1s
Arctic Tern 10n 2s
Common Scoter 1n 4s
Red th Diver 3n 2 on sea
Teal 10n
Cuckoo juv flying round fields south of obs which is probably the bird that has been on Jackie's Beach lately

Birds, what birds

Sooty Shearwater, Arctic Skua and a Bonxie went past Whitburn Obs early morning on a dissapointing sea watch. A strong westerly wind, poor light and a rough sea put paid to any passage but this is what i did see in order of appearance

Monday 2nd September  05.50-07.05 W5 broken cloud

Curlew 2n
Cormorant 65s
Red th Diver 1s
Black h Gull 1n 1s
Wigeon 1n
Manxie 1n
Arctic Skua 1n
Ruff 1n
Bonxie 1n
Sooty Shearwater 1n

Feeling Ruff

13 Sootys, 229 Manxies 15 Little Gulls and a Black Tern passed Whitburn Obs by 10.00 this morning. Yes its great to be back after a week in Ibiza and a hat full of missed migrants it was business as usual with a great watch this morning. The only birds i had missed from the Obs when i was away were Red backed Shrike and a Ruff and within the first half hour 3 Ruff went north a great pull back bringing my Obs list to 148. As for the Shrike well i missed one earlier in the year as well some things just arn't meant to be
I was late in and joined Magic Mark and Stevie Thunder at 06.15, the Doc arrived later still. As usual Mark was in fine form
This is what was seen by 10am in order of appearance and what a great watch for a Westerly

Sunday 1st September 05.50-10.00 W2 cloud cover

Black h Gull 6n 4s
Common Gull 3n 2s
Manxie 193n 36s
Sandwich Tern 5n 70s
Common Tern 9n 7s
Sooty Shearwater 13n
Common Scoter 6n 3s
Turnstone 2n 8s
Redshank 68s
Dunlin 6s
Ruff 3n
Little Gull 11n 4s
Black Tern 1n
Red th Diver 5n 2s
Whimbrel 1s
Bar tailed Godwit 1n 5s
Arctic Skua 1n 1s
Knot 1n 3s
Shag 1s
Bonxie 2n
Puffin 1n
Pintail 4n
Teal 2n
Ringed Plover 3n
Cormorant 6n 104s