Hooded Crow and 20 Whoopers passed Whitburn Obs by 11.30 today. I was joined by Saint Mark and Boy Wonder and it turned out to be a totaly nutty watch. Nuthatch is an Obs mega and was unexpected not like the Hooded Crow. Hoodies have been seen on the east coast to the north and south of us so when i saw one flying south it was welcome but not unexpected. It landed on a fence post on the firing range so i wandered down to try for some better video of it. Typicaly just as i got to the right spot it flew off north and out to sea with a dozen or so Carrion Crows and didnt come back. As i hobbled back to the obs on my damaged right leg Boy Wonder was frantically urging me to hurry and then to run, not easy for a man unable to walk across a room unaided. As i arrived the Nuthatch wasnt in view it then flew straight toward me before heading off swiftly north and out of view, phew. Well done Saint Mark
All in all it was a fantastic watch with other obs megas Buzzard and Bullfinch(thanks to Fos), the list is on circa 115
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Sunday 10th April 05.55-11.30 W2 early cloud clearing to bright sun
Common Gull 50n 27s
Eider 15s
Sandwich Tern 5n 4s
Alba Wags 3n 2s
Common Scoter 6n 6s
Gannet 9n
Black h Gull 8n 8s
Teal 4n
Pink footed Goose 159n (13,4,6,110,13,3,10)
Red th Diver 5n 2s
LBBGull 2n
Turnstone 1n
Hooded Crow 1s 08.00 flew back north 08.20
Nuthatch 1 by the obs then flew north
Shag 6n
Shelduck 3s
Swallow 1n
Goosander 1n
Sand Martin 6n 2s
Meadow Pipit 32n
Canada Goose 4n
Red br Merganser 1n
Common Buzzard 1 soaring
Kestrel 1
Bullfinch 2s
Sarrowhawk 3
Whooper Swan 20n
