Black Guillemot and Curlew Sandpiper passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 today along with a load of waders. It was a different watch to yesterday with dead calm sea and little wind so the duck passage all but disappeared as well as Tern movement. Stoney was in the house and in truth it was very leisurely apart from getting on and identifying the fast moving waders. I had started going through all the Kitts and Auks on the sea hoping for something good and Rob must have been doing the same as he found the Black Guillemot on the sea fairly close inshore. Probably the same bird i called north 2 days ago and it slowly drifted south still being seen an hour or so after we picked it up.
Hoggie had missed that bird in the panic on that day so when i rang him and he got over for sloppy seconds we were all pleased about that. Remarkable that he could get up get dressed drive across and walk down to the obs and still get the bird, well done Peter and well done to Rob who is on a roll
I tried for video but the full cloud cover was challenging, i got a bit and will put it on my youtube channel if its any good
I know a few people County ticked the bird today, a tricky species to catch up with unless your a regular sea watcher.
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Wednesday 7th September 06.00-09.30 S1 cloud 8/8 then 6/8
Black h Gull 4n 54s
Common Tern 19n 30s
Common Gull 2s
Golden Plover 4n
Bar tailed Godwit 1n 6s
Curlew 3s
Grey Heron 2n 2s
Ringed Plover 15n 66s
Common Scoter 31n 5s
Teal 40n
Dunlin 5n 48s
Shag 3s
Red th Diver 3s 2n
Turnstone 16n 2s
Sandwich Tern 20n 4s
Knot 7s
Red br Merganser 1s
Redshank 29s
Curlew Sandpiper 1s
Little Gull 1s juv
Porpoise 3s
Manxie 1n
07.20 Black Guillemot moulting adult drifting south close inshore
Eider 4n
Meadow Pipit 14s
Whimbrel 2s
Arctic Tern 2n
Black tailed Godwit 3s
