Sunday 20 April 2014

The loneliness of the long distance sea watcher

3 Blue Fulmars, a Scaup and 138 Puffin passed Whitburn obs by 9 this morning. Magic Marc is leading a birding trip in Spain and Portugal, New Mark is touring Scotland, Stevie Thunder has gone running and Pink Floyd must have a reunion, so its all down to me. I had to finish the watch early due to eye strain but i will be back tomorrow wearing a patch....shiver me timbers. It was a cracking watch and why are Blue Fulmar not a separate species they have their own jizz hugging the sea and looking more like a large shearwater, anyway i enjoyed them
This is what i saw today in order of appearance

Sunday 20th April 05.35-09.00 NE2 full cloud cover

Cormorant 10n 8s
Puffin 138n
Guillemot 725n
Razorbill 890n
Eider 2n 5s
Common Gull 8s
Sandwich Tern 4n 38s
Gannet 34n 5s
Tufted Duck 1n
Black h Gull 2s
Red th Diver 4n 1s
Common Scoter 14n 1s
Red br Merganser 3n
Blue Fulmar 3n (1 off D 2off L)
Scaup 1n
Kestrel
Shelduck 2s

think i will go back when I've found a patch and filled my flask