Monday 30 May 2016

Any Tern will do.......

3 Roseate Terns and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 10 this morning. It was misty when i arrived for my very early 4.30 start but you could see with bins and later use a scope. The birds were passing close inshore which helped give me fantastic views of the star birds. Saint Mark and the Sheriff joined me for a while before heading for that garden. After our forth species of tern we thought we might be on for 5 species like yesterday. Would it be Whiskered, Bridled, Gull billed, Black or Little.
Sadly it was none of the above this time
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 30th May 04.30-10.00 N2-3 mist drizzle full low cloud cover

Puffin 42n 3s
Gannet 179n 21s
Fulmar 216n
Blue Fulmar 1n L
Common Gull 7n 8s
LBBGull 3n
Common Scoter 6n 37s
Arctic Tern 19n
Red th Diver 1s
Teal 5n
Sandwich Tern 19n 36s
Canada Goose 4n
Common Tern 9n
Roseate Tern 3n
Swallow 24n
Sand Martin 28n
Mallard 3n
Ringed Plover 2n
Dunlin 1n
Black h Gull 1n

Sunday 29 May 2016

Double Dolphin Delight.....

White-beaked and Bottlenose Dolphins passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 today add in 2 close Roseate Terns and you've got a good sea watch. It was a light northerly not encouraging birds to move but giving a calm sea which helped us find the Cetaceans.
I picked up the distant White-beaked and Magic Mark confirmed the id, they were spread out over a large area and our estimate of 30 is probably a bit low. Then the Sheriff called more closer Dolphins which were Bottlenose. It was the usual pod of about a dozen and the youngster couldn't resist breaching. Lets hope they all hang around for the summer. Saint Mark was basking in the glory of getting Glossy Ibis on his garden list, it just shows its never safe to leave the Obs
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 29th May 04.50-09.30 N1-2 full cloud cover calm sea

Sandwich Tern 16n 433s
Puffin 128n 19s
 Gannet 97n 22s
Common Scoter 49n 18s
Common Gull 3n 12s
Common Tern 13n 13s
Red th Diver 3n 2s
Arctic Tern 22n 17s
Shag 2s
Tufted Duck 2n 2s
Manxie 11n
LBBGull 4n
Dunlin 1n
Shelduck 8s
Canada Goose 5n
06.30 30+ White0beaked Dolphin south till 06.50
Porpoise 1n
Kestrel 1s
Roseate Tern 2n
Black h Gull 1s
Little Tern 2s
08.15 12 ish Bottlenose Dolphin south till 08.30
Red br Merganser 1s
Grey Heron 1n

Saturday 28 May 2016

Raptor city.....

Marsh Harrier Little Gull and Velvet Scoter passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30  this morning. Saint Mark and the Sheriff joined me today and later Boy Wonder. The Obs could easily be re-named Raptor City this year,  this Marsh Harrier was my third of the year, add to that Osprey, Merlin, Peregrine etc...
You cant expect much on a sea watch when the winds easterly but we did ok today. I picked up the Harrier as i left and Ross and others were happy for the patch tick. I went back inside for more but passage was slowing so didn't add much. This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 28th May 04.55-10.30 E1-2 90% cloud

Red th Diver 13n
Puffin 227n 7s
Common Gull 34n
Dunlin 5n
Gannet 118n 9s
Sandwich Tern 41n 268s
Common Tern 22n 17s
Common Scoter 86n 18s
Arctic Tern 32n 20s
Shag 9n
Black h Gull 5n
Tufted Duck 2n
Manxie 10n 1s
Little Tern 8n
Porpoise 2
Little Gull 1s
Gadwall 3n
Kestrel 1n
Velvet Scoter 1s
Teal 2n
Knot 1n
LBBGull 1n
Marsh Harrier f west over the rifle range 09.10-09.20

Friday 27 May 2016

Puffs Galore....

Roseate Tern and Arctic Skua went north past Whitburn Obs by 11.00 this morning. No two days are alike in the obs and after yesterdays northerly and mist today it was easterly and perfect light. It was my earliest start of the year and i saw plenty of movement early on but this soon dried up to a trickle, still its always a pleasure in good light. Puffins were on the move....
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Friday 27th May 04.30-11.00 NE1-2

Tufted Duck 4n
Puffin 367n
Common Gull 8n 1s
Gannet 144n 18s
Fulmar 28n
Common Scoter 56n 19s
Red th Diver 19n 1s
Common Tern 19n 10s
Arctic Tern 22n 4s
Manxie 10n
Shag 6n
Sandwich Tern 46n 92s
LBBGull 3n
Shelduck 1s
Porpoise 4n
Sanderling 2n
Roseate Tern 1n
Arctic Skua 1n
Little Tern 1s
Goosander 7n
Red br Merganser 3n
Whimbrel 2n
Curlew 1n
Swallow 25n
Turnstone 4n


Thursday 26 May 2016

Rush hour blues........

Arctic Skua and 48 Manx Shearwaters passed Whitburn Obs by 07.30 this morning. It was a murky morning as i made my way down the path to the obs this morning, i saw a flycatcher sp sitting low down on a bare branch but couldn't get my bins on it before it flicked into cover, with my walking stick in my left hand and my brolly in my right hand....
It was bins only in the obs with mist and rain making my scope obsolete, i had a steady flow of Gannets and Fulmar then at 06.30 ish it cleared but sadly only myself and Mickie the mouse were in and i haven't trained him to click Gannets yet so it was a bit hectic
The rush hour started with a mess of Manxies (9) and it was non stop for the next hour before the mist rolled in and i headed for work
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 26th May 04.55-07.35 N2-3 full cloud cover, rain, mist

Gannet 551n 13s
Fulmar 176n
Manxie 48n
Sandwich Tern 1n 9s
Puffin 23n
Arctic Skua 1s
Common Gull 2n
Arctic Tern 6n
Common Tern 2n
Red th Diver 1n
Turnstone 2n

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Shear delight....

2 Roseate Terns and 2 Great northern Divers passed Whitburn Obs by 07.30 this morning. Magic Mark and Fos joined me in perfect sea watching conditions. A brisk northerly and full cloud cover greeted me as i sat down this morning, and my first bird a close Manxie....it was great to get some real movement of these special birds
Sadly its a work day for me today so i had to leave early, this is what we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 25th May 04.55-07.30

Manxie 48n
Gannet 325n
Fulmar 304n
Puffin 92n 1s
Arctic Tern 19n
Common Gull 2n 2s
Sandwich Tern 24n 3s
Common Scoter 2n 9s
Red th Diver 1n
Roseate Tern 2n
Great northern Diver 2n
Eider 4s, 5 on sea
Bonxie 1n
Common Tern 1n
Teal 2n

Monday 23 May 2016

When i'm calling youuu....

Great northern Diver and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 this morning. Fos popped into the obs and called the superb Great northern that flew north. He left soon after but ran straight back in shouting Golden Oriole, i dashed out but missed seeing it fly into the trees on the eastern edge of Shearwater. I did however here it call a couple of times which will do me for the obs year list. Stoney arrived not long after...
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday 23rd May 04.45-09.30 NNW 2-3 full cloud cover then 25%

Sandwich Tern 17n 97s
Sanderling 17n
Fulmar 47n
Puffin 22n 9s
Gannet 50n 8s
Swallow 11n
Common Gull 3n 3s
Common Scoter 4n 18s
Curlew 1n
Common Tern 24n 11s
Arctic Tern 7n 1s
Shag 4n 9s
Shelduck 2n 1s
Black h Gull 3n 3s
LBBGull 5n
Goosander 5n
Yellow Wagtail 1s
Red th Diver 4n 1s
Eider 2n
Sand Martin 11s
Blue Fulmar 1s L
Tufted Duck 1n
Bar t Godwit 1n
Grey Heron 1n 
Golden Oriole 07.20
Diver sp very large diver south but distant 08.10
Sparrowhawk 1n

Sunday 22 May 2016

Silence is Golden....

Roseate Tern and 22 Manxies passed Whitburn Obs by 9am this morning. Saint Mark beat me in by a mile(id been Nightjaring), and we were joined by Magic Mark, Stevie Thunder and Stoney was in the house. Its a hot sunny day and the sea was calm so birds were hard to find but we still had a hat full. The golden moment was when 11, yes eleven Mute Swans silently went south close inshore. This was the biggest ever day count for this scarce sea wathcing species
I left early to go and open my birthday presents and prepare the back garden for the immanent arrival of 5 Grand kids. The guys had an Arctic Skua north after i left
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 22nd May 04.25-09.00 SW1-2 very little cloud

Sandwich Tern 24n 465s
Arctic Tern 13n 5s
Puffin 18n 13s
Common Gull 5n 5s
Red th Diver 4n 11s
Gannet 82n 63s
Common Tern 38n 20s
Ringed Plover 12n
Common Scoter 3n 6s
Dunlin 14n
Eider 2n 2s
Black h Gull 1n 2s
Greylag Goose 2s
Mute Swan 11s 05.30
Manx Shearwater 15n 7s
Goosander 1s
LBBGull 1s
Shelduck 2s
Tufted Duck 4s
Porpoise 2n
Shag 1n 1s
Swallow 2s
Curlew 1s
Roseate Tern 1n
Turnstone 4n 1s
Little Tern 1n

Saturday 21 May 2016

Fergie time....

Roseate Tern and Bonxie north were the best of a mixed bunch passed Whitburn Obs this morning. The Obs was full with the usual bunch but Boy Wonder and Stoney left early. We all hoped for a class bird in Fergie time but we didn't make them pay,  this time.....
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 21st May 04.55-10.30 SW1-2 broken cloud

Sandwich Tern 15n 464s
Common Gull 12n 7s
Porpoise 1s
Common Scoter 37n 22s
Puffin 59n 5s
Gannet 79n 39s
Dunlin 16n
Manxie 7n
Arctic Tern 12n 7s
Common Tern 13n 25s
Ringed Plover 14n 1s
Red th Diver 4n 2s
Shelduck 5s
Swallow 5n 8s
Sand Martin 7s
House Martin 1s
Roseate Tern 1n
Sanderling 33n
Turnstone 3n
Little Tern 2n 13s
LBBGull 1n 3s
Red br Merganser 1n
Bonxie 1n
Grey Heron 1n
Black h Gull 2s
Shag 1n

Friday 20 May 2016

Swanning around.......

2 Manxies and nearly 500 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs by 09.00 this morning. Skinny Dipper turned up and Stoney was in the house on a mish mash of a sea watch. Star bird was a Mute Swan that Stoney called, a real obs rarity last year i had to wait till October to see one. Add to this the handful of Swifts moving and my Obs year list leaped to 144, as many as id seen by the end of August last year.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Friday 20th May 04.50-09.00 W1-2 broken cloud

Sandwich Tern 16n 479s
Common Gull 7n 16s
Puffin 13n 2s
Manxie 2s
Common Scoter 5n 8s
Shoveler 2s
Gannet 62n 21s
Common Tern 4n 46s
Arctic Tern 12n 11s
Whimbrel 5s
Sand Martin 35s
House Martin 1s
Shag 2s
Turnstone 1s
Black h Gull 5n 5s
Shelduck 1s
Mute Swan 1n 1s same bird
Eider 7s
Oyster Catcher 3s
Red br Merganser 1s
Red th Diver 6n 1s
Greylag Goose 2n
Pink footed Goose 1n
Sanderling 14n
Porpoise1s
LBBGull 1n
Swift 6s

Thursday 19 May 2016

Birds in the mist

a Long tailed Duck went north at Whitburn early morning on a foggy day. Sigourney would have been right at home in the obs. Visibility varied from poor to impossible but birds were passing and this is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 19th May 05.05-07.05 NW2 fog/mist

Common Gull 10n 1s
Guillemot 570n
Kittiwake 437n
Fulmar 66n
Dunlin 15n
Common Scoter 10n 1s
Gannet 30n 5s
Sandwich Tern 3n 3s
Long tailed Duck 1n female
Ringed Plover 48n
Puffin 5n
Sanderling 1n
Turnstone 4n
Whimbrel 5s
LBBGull 1s
Red th Diver 1n
Shag 1n

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Ducked off...........

12 Bottlenose Dolphins went north at Whitburn Obs early morning. It was a very quiet sea watch and for the first time i can remember i didnt see any wildfowl, you could say i was Ducked off
The dolphins saved the day with what has become the regular pod going north. I saw at least 12 but suspect it was 20 plus
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 18th May 04.55-07.15 S2-3 cloud cover

Sandwich Tern 5n 117s
Common Tern 4s
Common Gull 4n 10s
Gannet 9n 16s
Red th Diver 3s
Puffin 4n 6s
Bottlenose Dolphin 12+ north close inshore 05.45-05.55
Arctic Tern 5n
Manxie 1n

Monday 16 May 2016

Osprey takes the biscuit......

An Osprey and a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins were the star attractions past Whitburn Obs early morning. It was a very quiet morning from the off with little bird movement and i was enjoying a rich tea with my Coffee when an Osprey flew into the view of my scope, it wasn't far out just on the close flag line. I quickly swapped my scope for my Nikon P900 on my tripod,  relocated the bird and managed a little video. The whole episode was surreal as normally all of the local gulls go up if a large raptor passes but although large numbers of gulls were on the sea in front of the obs they didn't go up. Consequently id had no warning of its presence and i was looking straight out didn't have a lot of time to enjoy it. It was my first passed the obs since 2013.
The watch continued to be quiet when i noticed a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins heading north. The first was a pod of 10 or so that i could id as Bottlenose, the second pod of 4 followed and i saw a pale stripe, could the White-beaked be back, it seems early. Sadly the battery in my P900 was dead but i had my Sony video camera to capture the event. If its any good i will post a link later.
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 16th May 05.10-09.00 WNW1-2 bright sun

Sandwich Tern 1n 107s
Common Gull 8n 43s
Gannet 35n
Common Tern 6n 5s
Black h Gull 2s
Puffin 2s
Red th Diver 4n
Ringed Plover 20n
Dunlin 8n
Arctic Tern 4n
LBBGull 1n
Common Scoter 20n 27s
Swallow 1n
Osprey 1n 05.55
Whimbrel 4n
Eider 4n
Red br Merganser 1s
Curlew 2n
Shag 3s
Bottlenose Dolphin 10+ north 07.40-07.55 then 4 08.05-08.25

Sunday 15 May 2016

Mine's a treble......

Roseate Tern, Great northern Diver and a load more Arctic Terns passed Whitburn Obs by 10.15 this morning. Both Marks joined me and Stevie Thunder lived up to his name but made a canny contribution
My year ticks seem to come in threes more often than not lately and they did again today with Rosy and Little Tern added plus a Ruff. My Obs list is on a remarkable 141. It was an enjoyable watch on a calm sea with two Dolphins a fitting end to the watch.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 15th May N1-2 calm sea part cloud

Common Gull 130n 7s
Sandwich Tern 23n 272s
Fulmar 102n
Gannet 253n 7s
Whimbrel 3n
Dunlin 54n
Arctic Tern 155n 3s
Ruff 1n
Manxie 33n 1s
Ringed Plover 36n
Great n Diver 1n 2 on sea
Goosander 1n
Shelduck 4n 3s
Curlew 2n
Black h Gull 8n 5s
Common Scoter 6n 6s
Swallow 3n
Little Tern 5n 4s
Roseate Tern 1n
Sanderling 4n
Eider 1s
Shag 3n
09.40 2 Bottlenose Dolphins north maybe more

Saturday 14 May 2016

Loony tunes.......

5 Great northern Divers and 223 Arctic Terns passed Whitburn obs by 10.15 this morning. I was joined by Magic and Saint Mark, Boy Wonder and our guest from London Barns Birder.
The Great northern Loons stole the show with 4 sum plum birds north and 1 winter plumage south, a spring day record count. It was a good watch early on but the light deteriorated as the cloud broke and we headed off. Boy Wonder reminded me it was 10 years to the day since my best ever find a Turkestan Shrike landed on a sign post in front of me in the Obs. Sadly the bird didn't hang around for long and few birders were lucky enough to connect, we are due another.......
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 14th May 05.05-10.15 NNE3 part cloud

Gannet 255n 29s
Fulmar 213n
Puffin 92n 14s
Great northern Diver 4n 1s
Turnstone 29n
Common Tern 24n 6s
Common Scoter 3n 2s
Sandwich Tern 13n 50s
Dunlin 17n
Manxie 23n 3s
Red th Diver 8n
Eider 1s
Common Gull 4n 2s
Arctic Tern 220n 3s
Whimbrel 10n
LBBGull 5n
Sand Martin 7n
Swallow 3n
Shelduck 3n
Curlew 3n 1s
Black h Gull 4n 3s
Porpoise 1
Ringed Plover 4n
Shag 1n

Friday 13 May 2016

Unlucky for some.....

Great northern Diver and Long tailed Duck passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 this morning. Yes it is unlucky for some that they are at work today what with some quality migrants about and a good sea watching wind.
I was on my own today and this is what i saw in order of appearance

Friday 13th May 05.00-09.30 NNE3 full cloud cover rain from 08.00

Gannet 210n 23s
Fulmar 88n
Common Gull 67n
Tufted Duck 2n
Manxie 20n 1s
Puffin 38n
Sandwich Tern 101n 2s
Red th Diver 4n
Red br Merganser 1n
Common Tern 69n
Arctic Tern 20n 8s
Turnstone 2n
Great n Diver 1n 05.30
Common Scoter 9n
Long tailed Duck 1n dr 06.30
Porpoise 1
Ringed Plover 1n
LBBGull 6n
Whimbrel 1n

Thursday 12 May 2016

Skua surprise......

3 Bonxies and an Arctic Skua passed Whitburn Obs by 07.30 this morning. It was a nice surprise to call my first Arctic Skua of the year. Its been northerly for a few days now but it has not produced much quality, the extra strength today did the trick. As soon as i sat down i had a Bonxie going north close inshore with a few more before i had to leave for work. I left Magic Mark in the obs so hopefully he will get a few more
This is what we saw in order of appearance by 07.30

Thursday 12th May 05.00-07.30 N3 partial cloud at times but mainly clear

Common Gull 33n
Puffin 40n
Gannet 151n 57s
Eider 2s
Bonxie 3n
Fulmar 118n
Common Scoter 12n
LBBGull 1n
Curlew 1n
Turnstone 2n
Common Tern 19n
Red br Merganser 3n
Arctic Skua 1n
Arctic Tern 2n
Sandwich Tern 10n 8s
Tufted Duck 6s
Manxie 4n 1s
Ringed Plover 8n
Red th Diver 1s
Black h Gull 1s
Guillemot 3750n

Saturday 7 May 2016

Simply the best....

Great northern Diver and Common Sandpiper were the star birds passed Whitburn by 10 o'clock this morning. I was joined by Saint Mark, Stevie Thunder and Pink Floyd at various times during the watch. I only recorded 2 species of bird in the first hour 2 Dunlin and 2 Gannets due to the thick fog. I could here Terns but didn't see any for ages, the fog did clear from time to time and we were all pleased we gave it a go. Common Sandpiper was a welcome year tick as they are never easy on a sea watch. Late in the watch Stevie called a big diver coming north and we all watched open mouthed as a magnificent Great northern Diver went north in sum plum at just the right height and distance. It was the best bird of the day,  but don't mention the Crane...
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 7th May NNE2 fog and mist

Kittiwake 2600n
Dunlin 10n
Gannet 69n 6s
Common Gull 5n 3s
Black h Gull 2n
Sand Martin 1s
LBBGull 5n 1s
Shag 1n
Puffin 12n
Eider 1s
Sandwich Tern 29n 20s
Red th Diver 3n
Swallow 7s
Common Tern 2n 4s
Common Scoter 1n
Arctic Tern 2n
Common Sandpiper 1n
Tree Sparrow 4s
Manxie 4n
Golden Plover 1s
Turnstone 6n
Ringed Plover 1n
Great n Diver 1n

Friday 6 May 2016

Everythings gonna Tern out right...

3 Black Terns and a Little Gull passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. Magic Mark is back from his pilgrimage and back to his best picking out 3 Black Terns. Saint Mark was in briefly and put me onto a Sedge Warbler and i heard a Lesser Whitethroat, so that's another fantastic three year ticks bringing my obs list to 136. Hoggie hobbled in late on. It was our highest count of Terns so far this year, still need to catch up with Little and Rosy.....
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Friday 6th May 05.05-10.30 SE1-2 cloud/mist

Red th Diver 8n 2s
Common Scoter 21n 35s
Eider 4n
Common Gull 20n 22s
Sandwich Tern 29n 365s
Gannet42n 28s
Arctic Tern 12n 47s
Common Tern 29n 164s
Puffin 16n 11s
Shelduck 3s
Shag 6n 1s
LBBGull 6n
Tufted Duck 6s
Manxie 24n 9s
Black h Gull 22s
Sand Martin 6s
Sparrowhawk 1n
Swallow 6s
Ringed Plover 1s
Gadwall 3s
Whimbrel 1n
Greylag Goose 1s
Dunlin 1n
Little Gull 1n
Canada Goose 3s
Black Tern 3s 09.15
Bottlenose Dolphin circa 12 south 09.35-09.50
Gropper 1 reeling
Sedge Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Dawn with the Dolphins...........

12 Bottlenose Dolphins were feeding offshore early morning a nice way to start the day.They went south fairly close inshore,  then they headed further out before moving north again by the end of my watch at 10 past 7. I managed to get some video which i will post later.  A Hooded Crow flew south over my head towards the rifle range with one Carrion as i walked back to the car. I had a quick scan of the range but no crows were about
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 3rd May 05.10-07.10 W1-2 bright sun

Sandwich Tern 3n 175s
Common Gull 4n 36s
Whitethroat 1 singing by obs
Common Scoter 6n
Shelduck 4n
05.25 12 Bottlenose Dolphins south then north again at 07.10
Turnstone 2n
Arctic Tern 16n 10s
Common Tern 3n 16s
Whimbrel 11n
Curlew 3n
Gannet 1n 5s
Red th Diver 1n 2s
Sand Martin 6s
Black h Gull 4s
Canada Goose 2s
Hooded Crow 1s over Shearwater 07.15
















Monday 2 May 2016

Duck tales.....

Long tailed Duck and a Manx Shearwater were among the many species to pass Whitburn Obs by 09.45 this morning. I was joined by Saint Mark and Stoney was in the house. Following yesterdays mega Garganey today we had 3 Pochard go north a very rare duck from the Obs and an important year tick. With Long tailed, Gadwall and Shoveler it was a duck extravaganza
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday 2nd May 05.10-09.45 SSW3 full cloud cover

Grasshopper Warbler still reeling and showing at times
Sandwich Tern 26n 225s
Red th Diver 3n 2s
Gannet 95n 15s
Whimbrel 5n 2s
Common Gull 77n 2s
Puffin 5n
Common Scoter 14n 7s
Eider 7n 3s
Pochard 3n
Arctic Tern 10n 2s
Common Tern 3n 11s
Long tailed Duck 1n
Sand Martin 6s
Dunlin 7n
Manxie 1n
Shelduck 2n 3s
LBBGull 2s
Turnstone 4n 1s
Willow Warler 1 singing and showing well
Snipe 4w
Yellow Wagtail 2s
Grey Heron 1s
Curlew 1n 2s
Gadwall 2n
Sparrowhawk 1s
Redpoll 1n
Goosander 1s
Black h Gull 1n 2s
Shag 3n
Shoveler 1s
Swallow 1s

Sunday 1 May 2016

May Day, Garganey Day......

Drake Garganey and a Brent Goose passed Whitburn Obs by 10 today and were a couple of birds we didn't expect this May Day. I was joined by Saint Mark, Boy Wonder and Wattsap. Lots of birds were moving and we had our biggest count of Arctic Terns so far this year but by far the star bird was called by Boy Wonder a cracking Drake Garganey. It was very close inshore giving great views as it flew south to take bird of the day
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 1st May 05.10-10.00 WSW2 full cloud cover

Common Gull 642n
Sandwich Tern 56n 157s
Red th Diver 16n 3s
Eider 7n 2s
Common Tern 2n 15s
Whimbrel 3n 1s
Gannet 84n 8s
Black h Gull 4n 3s
Common Scoter  25n 25s
Puffin 5n 2s
Arctic Tern 58n 2s
Swallow 2s
Turnstone 5n
Purple Sandpiper 1n
Red br Merganser 4n
Curlew 3n
Brent Goose 1n pb
LBBGull 5n 1s
Shag 5n
Gadwall 2n 2on sea then flew south different birds
Shelduck 1s
Garganey 1s drake 08.40
Teal 2n