Little Gull, 2 Whimbrel and 3 Scaup passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. After dipping Grey Plover on April fools day it was nice to get my year list back on track. I had already added Moorhen and Chiffchaff when Boy Wonder called the 2 Whimbrel that went north fast and high, just got on them, what a hero. They are the earliest recorded from the Obs by 8 days when they were seen in 2008 on the 10th
It was a packed Obs and we saw a good selection of birds in the rain. The Bottlenose Dolphins showed not once but twice. Ian Mills had them yesterday and mentioned one had a floppy fin, and sure enough it was in the pod today. They went south close inshore then came back north less than an hour later, they were fantastic.
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Saturday 2nd April 06.25-10.30 S3 full cloud cover with light rain
Common Gull 7n 182s
Gannet 5n 12s
Black h Gull 17s
Eider 9n 3s
Common Scoter 19n 3s
Sandwich Tern 6n 5s
LBBGull 1s
Chiffchaff 1calling by obs
Redshank 5s
Little Gull 1s ad
Reed Bunting 1s
Shag 1n 1s
Red th Diver 1s
Turnstone 2n
Skylark 3s
Whimbrel 2n
Scaup 3n
Pintail 4n
Bottlenose Dolphin circa 12s 09.25-09.32 then north 10.07-10.15
