I can see clearly now....the fog has gone

3 Red throated Divers went north past Whitburn Obs early morning.The fog is gone, its still misty but you can see the sea and birds were starting to move. My early morning sea watch time before work is limited with the change to the clocks. This is what i saw

Monday 31st March 06.15-07.30 ENE2 mist

Cormorant 3n 11s
Curlew 7n
Razorbill 48n
Black h Gull 30n
Common Gull 27n
Eider 5n 1s
Guillemot 15n
Kittiwake 86n
Gannet 3n
Mallard 4n
Red th Diver 3n
Tufted Duck 1n
Scan Herring Gull 1n

Cormorants in the mist

A Peregrine past Whitburn today was again the only bird of note. The fog was thicker and stayed longer than expected so we had no chance of a sea watch. I was joined by Magic Mark and later New Mark. We sat counting Cormorants waiting for the fog to clear but it never did. This is what we saw

Sunday 20th March 06.30-08.30 E2 fog

Cormorant 5n 28s
Peregrine 1n
Curlew 1n

I headed to Jackie's Beach to look for my first Wheatear of the year, i didn't find any but did find a Snow Bunting and a newly arrived Chiffchaff
New Mark found a Wheatear at Souter but i dipped it and had to find my own at Trow

bad day at the office....

Peregrine was the best bird past Whitburn Obs in 4 hours this morning, otherwise it was disappointing, not sure why but i expected better
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Saturday 29th March 05.30-09.30 E 2 mist drizzle scope not required

Cormorant 19n 20s
Fulmar 37n 5s
Peregrine 1s
Shag 1n 4s
Common Scoter 7n
Kittiwake 40n 12s
Black h Gull 4n 1s
Gannet 3n 4s
Guillemot 1n 1s
Curlew 9n
Eider 3s
Common Gull 17n 3s
Razorbill 1n
Shelduck 4n
Goosander 1n
Red th Diver 1 on sea

the tide has terned at last

Sandwich Tern and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 7.30 this morning. Yes our first Sandwich Tern of the year was a welcome sight, i was joined by Magic Mark and Pink Floyd and this is what we saw up till 07.30 when i had to head to work.

Thursday 27th March 05.30-07.30 SE2-3 mainly cloud cover but some bright sun

Cormorant 5n 5s
Guillemot 8s
Eider 7n 5s
Razorbill 50n 5s
Kittiwake circa 1200n
Gannet 89n 2s
Common Scoter 6n 3s
Goosander 11n
Red th Diver 1n
Blue Fulmar 1n
Sandwich Tern 1n
Fulmar 160n
Common Gull 25n

Great Tit and Sandwich Tern were new Obs year ticks for me bringing my Obs list to 84

still no terns.............

Iceland Gull (2nd w) and Long tailed Duck flew past Whitburn Obs this morning. I am still waiting for my first Tern of the year and was disappointed not to connect this morning. This is what i did see in order of appearance

Tuesday 25th March 05.45-07.30 SE3 cloud cover

Cormorant 6n 28s
Eider 8n 5s
Black h Gull 7s
Common Gull 1n 26s
Kittiwake 10n 52s
Guillemot 3n 14s
Common Scoter 3s
Curlew 2n 1s
Gannet 1n 3s
Red th Diver 1n 1s
Porpoise 2
Razorbill 6n 3s
Iceland Gull 1s 2nd w
Long tailed Duck 1n
Shelduck 1s
Shag 1n

all quiet on the eastern front

2 Snow Buntings went north past Whitburn Obs this morning on a much quieter day. I was joined by new Mark again and we were full of optimism following Saturdays species fest but it was quiet. The Snow Buntings were an Obs year tick for me bringing my list to circa 78.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 23rd March 05.45-09.00 WNW2 bright sun

Mallard 1s
Cormorant 19n 34s
Curlew 6n
Eider 4n 5s
Black h Gull 3n 3s
Common Gull 13s
Razorbill 10n
Meadow Pipit 34 in off
Guillemot 6n
Gannet 17n 3s
Pied Wagtail 2n
Yellowhammer still calling nearby
Common Scoter 2n 11s
Red th Diver 2s
Crow 5 in off
Teal 4n
Shag 2n 1s
Snow Bunting 2n
Tufted Duck 2n
Porpoise 1

Falcon Frenzy

A Merlin and two Peregrines went north past Whitburn Obs this morning picked up by eagle eyed new Mark.It was a better than average sea watch for this time of year with Great northern Diver and 4 Velvet Scoter also recorded plus a movement of Pink feet
Here is what we saw by 10am in order of appearance

Saturday 22nd March 05.40-10.00 SW2-3 broken cloud

Black h Gull 2n 55s
Cormorant 23n 70s
Curlew 28n
Razorbill 18n
Eider 14n 7s
Guillemot 8n 2s
Shag 11n 1s
Common Gull 3n 14s
Common Scoter 16s 6n
Redshank 3n 2s
Red th Diver 4n 10s
Porpoise 1
Peregrine 2n
Merlin 1n
Gannet 20n
Velvet Scoter 2n 2s
Red br Merganser 1s
Great n Diver 1n
Meadow Pipit 29 in off/north
Turnstone 1n 1s
Mallard 3s
Pink footed Goose 390n with skeins of circa 140 and 250

I left Mark in the obs but he hadnt added much by 11am so the first Sandwich Tern will have to wait till tomorrow

Whiter shade of pale..........

A 2nd winter Iceland Gull went south past Whitburn Obs at 06.25 this morning. I am doing an early morning watch most days now but have had nothing to blog about since a Med Gull on the 12th. On one day this week i had no divers or ducks, so its hard work but it wont be long before the terns and puffins are back and I'm doing a daily view from the obs
this is what i saw this morning in order of appearance

Thursday 20th March 05.45-07.30 SW3-4

Cormorant 3n 48s
Eider 4s
Common Gull 3n 4s
Black headed Gull 21s
Curlew 33n 3s
Heron 1s
Razorbill 7n
Kittiwake 8n 15s
Iceland Gull 2nd winter @ 06.25 first for the obs this year
Gannet 4n 9s
Pied Wagtail 6s
Red th Diver 1n
Guillemot 1n 1s

good to be back.....hello,hello

An adult Med Gull went south past Whitburn Obs at 06.45. Its just about light enough for me to do my daily sea watch before work now. I started yesterday but had nothing of note to post but a stunning adult Med Gull with a full cap is worth mentioning this morning. Its good to be back after the winter break, here is what i saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 12th March 06.00-07.30 S2 clear sky

Cormorant 5n 31s
Razorbill 9n
Black h Gull 59s
Common Scoter 8n
Guillemot 8n 1s
Red th Diver 1n 3s
Curlew 3n
Shelduck 1n 1s
Eider 5n
Shag 1s
Med Gull ad 1s
Wigeon 1s
Kittiwake 1s
Gannet 2n

wot no swans

2 Peregrines and a Med Gull flew south past Whitburn Obs early morning. Gone was the excitement of yesterdays Swan movement as were all the sea watchers. I did manage an Obs year tick with Canada Goose bringing my list to 76
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Sunday 9th March 06.20-09.30 S2-3 broken cloud

Cormorant 8n 25s
Shelduck 2s
Razorbill 13n 2s
Black h Gull 2n 47s
Gannet 5n 1s
Shag 5n
Common Gull 1n 6s
Guillemot 1n 5s
Pied Wagtail 1s
Canada Goose 1s
Eider 5s
Common Scoter 2n 2s
Kittiwake 2n 7s
Red th Diver 3n 2s
Teal 2s
Mallard 3n 4s
Sparrowhawk 1s
Peregrine 2s
Med Gull 1s ad
Curlew 5n
Porpoise 1s
Grey Heron 1s

Swan Song 2

115 Whooper Swans flew north past Whitburn Obs by 10 am. It seemed like a constant flow of Whoopers with groups of 2,26,18,37, and 32 it was sensational. Thanks for the news from birders to the south of us we were on tender hooks for the 70ish coming north past Hartlepool, looks like they split into two groups.Magic Mark beat me in today and we were joined by Pink Floyd and Hoggie, this is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 8th March 06.20-10.00 S3-4 cloud cover

Guillemot 5s
Cormorant 15n 40s
Eider 4n 8s
Black h Gull 20n
Razorbill 14n 5s
Curlew 9s
Gannet 46n 4s
Shag 4n
Common Scoter 4n 1s
Wigeon 8n 3s
Goosander 1n
Med Gull 1s ad
Turnstone 1s
Pied Wagtail 1s
Red th Diver 1n 1s
Kittiwake 2n 1s
Goldeneye 1n
Whooper Swan 115n

Swan Song

8 Whooper Swans and a Med Gull passed Whitburn Obs by 10am today. Magic Mark was back and brought a change of luck to the Obs after yesterdays feeble totals. As the Whooper Swans flew majestically north he said he could hear them singing. toady's watch was still a bit quiet but we had a couple of quality moments. This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 2nd March 06.30-10.00 SW2 bright sun

Cormorant 17n 28s
Black h Gull 8n 128s
Razorbill 2n 7s
Common Scoter 9n 6s
Red th Diver 4n 7s
Whooper Swan 8n 06.50
Med Gull 1s ad
Porpoise 5s
Eider 1n 6s
Gannet 3n 6s
Guillemot 9n
Goldeneye 1n
Shag 1n
Red br Merganser 2s
Shelduck 1s
Kittiwake 1n

mad as a hatter

no birds of note passed Whitburn obs by 9.30 this morning except 2 Yellowhammer's that only new Mark saw fly over the Obs. I pointed out they were a mega, you just don't see them these days, didn't even get one on last years obs year list.......i gave it an hour but they did not return, bugger yes i was mad as a hatter.  I did add Chaffinch and Lesser b b Gull to bring my obs year list to74
This is what we did see in order of appearance and it wasn't up to much

Saturday 1st March 06.30-09.30 SW1-2 cloud cover

Cormorant 3n 18s
Black h Gull 24n 36s
Eider 4n 4s
Porpoise 2
Shelduck 2n
Red th Diver 8n 3s
Guillemot 2n
Curlew 8n
Redshank 1n
Common Scoter 2s
Mallard 3
Tufted Duck 1s
Lesser B B Gull 1s
Gannet 2n

I decided to go county year listing in an effort to cheer myself up and managed to see Mealy Redpoll (thanks Chris) and Bittern bringing my county list to 142, lets hope for a better sea watch tomorrow.