Sunday, 18 December 2016

More Tugs than Shags...........

Glaucous Gull and Great Northern Diver passed Whitburn Obs by 10 o'clock this morning and a canny few other cracking birds. It was a dreek day that faced us looking out of the Obs this morning, grey, dank, and not much wind so my expectations were not high. On the plus side Magic and Saint Mark were already in and poised for action. A lot of large gulls were milling around and it wasn't long before the Glauc was picked up again my 5th of the month and probably the same bird as yesterday. I reckon I've seen three different birds so far.
A procession of Tugs were showing well going north fairly close inshore and Saint Mark commented we'd had more Tugs than Shags, can't imagine what he meant...
I was on Granddad duties so had to finish early to a flurry of activity, Whoopers Whooping as they flew inland over the Obs and PTB arriving to tick Glauc at last, phew
This is what we saw till then, no doubt the two Marks will make me regret leaving early

Sunday 18th December 07.55-10.00 SW1-2 cloud 8/8

Red th Diver 2n 2s
Black h Gull 9n 10s
Common Gull 3n 9s
Eider 5n 3 on sea
Cormorant 12s
Fulmar 18n 1s
Redshank 3n 30s
Turnstone 2n 25s
Scan Herring Gull 2s
Curlew 120s
Long t Duck 2n
Shag 4s
Common Scoter 1n
Manxie 1n
Great Northern Diver 1s
Glaucous Gull 1 juv on the rocks below the Obs
Gannet 1n
Whooper Swan 22s