A magnificent Humpback Whale was the star of today's sea watch with a cetacean supporting cast of Bottlenose Dolphin and Porpoise. I was joined by Magic Mark, Stevie Thunder and CD our Kansas birder pal, Stevie Makem and Chivs. We had another busy watch with the star bird found by Stevie Thunder a juv Sabs Gull, i only just got on it. Steve has a history of finding them at Whitburn. I was looking at the DFDS ferry as it went past when the Humpback fully breached off the stern, and just in case you missed it it did it again. Gannets were diving in to feed indicating lots of fish in the area so you never know it may still be about. I had a Yellow browed Warbler calling as i left the Obs probably the same bird thats been seen on a number of occations
This is what we saw sort of in order of appearance
Friday 26th September 06.30-09.30 W2-3 cloud cover and calm sea
Black headed Gull 195n 29s
Turnstone 3n
Common Scoter 12n 1s
Red th Diver 19n 24s
Pink footed Goose 16n 30s
Redshank 2s
Puffin 3n
Shelduck 3n
Little Gull 118n 4s
Eider 4n 1s
Arctic Skua 8n
Arctic Tern 7n
Common Tern 25n 4s
Manxie 8n
Golden Plover 265s
Bonxie 2n
Sabs Gull 1n juv
Sooty Shearwater 2n
Wigeon 12n 1s
Common Gull 6n 4s
Porpoise 1 or 2 feeding
Pom Skua 1s
08.05 Bottlenose Dolphin 1 south
Ring necked Parakeet 5s (again)
Sandwich Tern 3n 3s
08.25 Humpback Whale 1 fully breached twice then a few partial breaches we watched its blows moving south and it was probably re seen moving north again later
Curlew 2n
Grey Wagtail 2s
House Martin 3s
