Wind of change....

 Shore Lark, Great Northern Diver and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 11am this morning. The wind of change was blowing as i arrived, a warmer southerly wind i enjoyed Gropper reeling and Whitethroat singing as i made my way down. It was busy and i sent a few tweets trying to muster some support as both Marks were not in today and Stoney was not going to be in the house, maybe Boy Wonder would come to my rescue. I hadn't expected to be working this hard lots of birds and lots of species to keep a note of. Eventually Pink Floyd arrived and made a big difference you cant be looking through your scope at distant Terns and still see Divers going past close in. The Shore Lark was a bonus bird only the second year I've seen one from a sea watch
The sea was flat and calm so it was no surprise we had a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins heading north as well as a good selection of birds
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 29th April 05.40-11.00 SSE2 7/8

Common Gull 107n 14s
Gannet 259n 27s
Red br Merganser 1n
Common Tern 17n 18s
Wigeon 2n
Common Scoter 227n 52s
Eider 7n 11s
Grey Wagtail 1s
Sandwich Tern 32n 113s
Arctic Tern 23n 1s
Puffin 3n 4s
Redshank 3n
Black h Gull 2n
Red th Diver 13n 3s
Curlew 1n
Teal 2n
Grasshopper Warbler 1 reeling by the Obs

Shoveler 1s
Yellowhammer 1 singing
Porpoise 3s
Whimbrel 12n
Oyster Catcher 11n
Turnstone 5n 5s
Swallow 6n
Sand Martin 1n 2s
Great n Diver 1n
Shore Lark 1s 08.55
LBBGull 1n 3s
Goosander 3n
Mallard 2s
Shag 1n
Blue Fulmar 1n L
Sanderling 2n
Bottlenose Dolphin circa 12n fairly close inshore 07.48-07.55

Barnacle spring migration gets underway...

84 Barnacle Geese went north at Whitburn Obs this morning as the spring migration started. They warmed my cockles on another cold and damp spring morning. Conditions were calmer and the light was good but early rain kept passage down with hardly any Terns seen today
Our Yellowhammer was singing again for the first time in weeks from exactly the same spot, and i managed to get my first Whitethroat of the year. My Obs year list is on 132 which is two ahead of my end of April total in 2016....still on track
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 27th April 05.30-09.30 W2 8/8

Auk sp 1850n the majority of these were by 7am
Fulmar 137n
Goldeneye 1n with auks 
Dunlin 8n
Gannet 212n 5s
Common Gull 105n 8s
Barnacle Goose 84n my first at 05.58 and last at 07.35the video is a bit rough sorry

Ringed Plover 4n
Eider 3n 3s
Common Tern 2s
Red th Diver 8n
Sandwich Tern 6n 3s
Whimbrel 3n
Turnstone 6n 2s
Goosander 9n
Shelduck 5n
Yellowhammer singing
Black h Gull 2n
Common Scoter 1n 2s
Redshank 32n
Greylag Goose 2n
Sand Martin 1n
Whitethroat 1 singing
Red br Merganser 1n

Blue all over...

Manx Shearwater Hooded Crow and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings watch. Magic Mark joined me and Stoney was in the house and yes we were all feeling blue, with the cold that is. And of course the star bird was a close Blue Fulmar
Rob rang me as he walked to the Obs to say a Blue Fulmar had just flown north behind the Obs, we dashed out but missed it but you can't be greedy Ive had a couple already. It was a County tick for Rob, still a difficult bird to catch up with not many are twitchable
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 26th April 05.35-09.35 N3 6/8

Gannet 784n 13s
Fulmar 721n
Common Gull 45n 16s
Black h Gull 1n
Common Scoter 9n
Red th Diver 4n 1s
Sandwich Tern 23n 1s
Manxie n
Eider 2n 1s
Turnstone 1n
Common Tern 2s
Hooded Crow 1n
Redshank 15n
Arctic Tern 5n
Goosander 1n
Red br Merganser 1n
LBBGull 1n
Kittiwake 3,200 by 9am
Auk sp 2,900 by 9am
Blue Fulmar 1n

Migrants in the rain...

6 Whimbrel and 7 Wheatears dropped in during this mornings storm. The sea watch was quiet with rain keeping birds down and when it cleared through and the wind dropped and the birds stopped. The Wheatear were on the wall, fence, horse jump, and hut. Some birders (Hoggie) would like to see the hut demolished i like it for tired migrants to land on and to call out its coming over the now...
Sadly i missed an Obs mega today Pink Floyd called to say a Raven was flying over Shearwater Estate but i had already left
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 24th April 05.25-09.25 NW3 then 2 rain 7/8

Common Gull 65n 41s
Gannet 102n 13s well down on yesterday

Whimbrel 6n
Sandwich Tern 5n 78s
Puffin 1n
Black h Gull 2n
Eider 6n 4s
Shelduck 3n 2s
Fulmar 144n
House Martin 2n
Common Scoter 84n 2s
Red th Diver 5n 2s
Curlew 1n
Turnstone 22s
Red br Merganser 2n
Common Tern 2n
Grey Heron 1n
Wheatear 7

24........

Sooty Shearwater and an Arctic Skua passed Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. Magic Mark was late but he didn't miss much what a difference a day makes...
The shear volume of birds yesterday was a sight to see, but today didn't disappoint it was a slow burner. A very early Sooty Shearwater was our reward, no one is better int Obs than Mark on the distant stuff, thanks marra
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 23rd April 05.25-10.30 NW1-2 7/8 calm sea with moderate swell

Fulmar 358n
Common Gull 106n 11s
Sandwich Tern 69n 52s
Puffin 13n
Gannet 675n 3s
Red th Diver 5n
Common Scoter 74n 29s
Redshank 3n
Black h Gull 8n 4s
Eider 8n 6s
Turnstone 12n
Knot 17n
Swallow 2n
Arctic Tern 6n
Whimbrel 3n 5s
LBBGull 1n
Sand Martin 7n
Greylag Goose 2n
Shag 9n
Common Tern 5n 1s
Arctic Skua 1n
Manxie 4n
Sooty Shearwater 1n

The tide has Tern'd.......

2 Long tailed Ducks and 7 Manxies passed Whitburn Obs in 5 hours this morning. Sandwich Tern numbers have been increasing with a credible 80 odd yesterday but today we had an incredible 300 plus when i left the Obs and Magic Mark was staying......
Stevie Thunder was in for a rare visit and tried to wind me up with double calling but i was having none of it. It was canny conditions with difficult light at times. Pink Floyd picked up the Dolphins heading south and again later when they came north well done mate. Hoggie was happy to catch up with a few new year birds so all in all a cracking watch.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 22nd April 05.35-10.35 NNW2 6/8

Sandwich Tern 30n 281s
Fulmar 264n
Gannet 338n 22s
Razorbill 541n
Common Gull 372n 13s
Common Scoter 14n 4s
Dunlin 1n
Common Tern 3n
Arctic Skua1n
Black h Gull 4n 1s
Puffin 14n
Blackcap singing
Mallard 3n
Shelduck 2n 2s
Manxie 7n
Eider 5n 3s
Arctic Tern 7n 3s
Red th Diver 10n 2s
Long tailed Duck 2s
Red br Merganser 1s
Shag 5n
Whimbrel 2n
Bottlenose Dolphin 20 plus south 07.05-07.50 then same north 09.45-10.00

Wonderful Westerlies......

Black necked Grebe and a Marsh Harrier went north past Whitburn Obs by 10.30 this morning. I was out it the toon with a few birders (i use that term loosely) last night and Stoney was in the curry house....We discussed how westerlies were good for seeing Marsh Harriers off our coast and blow me.....
The day started well with another Hooded Crow, this time flying in off. This is my 4th in about 12 month, 2 last year and so far 2 this. It didn't hang around as usual. The Black-necked Grebe was my first whilst doing an obs list but not my first from the obs. It wasn't a great sea watch as such with bright sun and a blasting westerly but birds were moving i went full flaps and held on tight for the ride.

Friday 21st April 06.50-10.30 W3 2/8

Sandwich Tern 5n 5s
Common Gull 79n 16s
Curlew 1n
Hooded Crow 1 in off 06.03 then high north over the sea 07.55 not seen between those times by me

Greylag Goose 15n
Swallow 5n
Redshank 1s
Shelduck 2n
Alba Wagtail 2s
Sand Martin 16n 2s
Iceland Gull juv on rocks north of obs 06.45 then flew south 06.55

Black h Gull 2s
Goosander 5n
Shag 1n
Meadow Pipit 21 in off
Eider 10n
Grey Wagtail 1n
Wheatear 7 on range mounds
Stonechat 2 on range mound
Whimbrel 6n
Great Northern Diver 1n 08.23 (i was talking to John Chapman when this flew by but only saw it going away looked interesting)
Black necked Grebe 1n 08.28 fairly close inshore
Marsh Harrier 1n 08.46 fighting its way north being mobbed by gulls
Kestrel 1 in off
Red th Diver 1n

Variety is the spice...

Long tailed Duck and a Blue Fulmar passed Whitburn Obs by 09.30 this morning. If as they say variety is the spice of life i had a hot watch this morning. It lacked some regulars like Divers but made up for that with the mix up of birds i saw, shame about the lack of a year tick

Thursday 20th April 05.50-09.30 W2 7/8

Gannet 6n 3s
Common Gull 34n 206s
Blue Fulmar 1n (D) 06.08
Fulmar 52n
Sandwich Tern 8n 75s
Common Sand 1 on rocks
Curlew 1n
Eider 8s
Pied Wagtail 1n
Shag 1n
Black h Gull 10n 10s
Turnstone 30n 5s
Goosander 1n
Common Tern 1n
Redshank 47n
Shelduck 3s
Sand Martin 10n 4s
Swallow 1s
Common Scoter 4n 3s
Willow Warbler 2
Whimbrel 2n
Ringed Plover 1n
Chiffchaff 1
Dunlin 1n
Long tailed Duck 1n
Grasshopper Warbler 1 reeling close by

Moorland Magic....

Merlin and 3 Ring Ouzel were among the superb birds i watched today on the Durham Moors. No Obs today it was the first of my two visits on the BTO BBS. Ive been surveying a square on the Durham Moors for a lot of years now it's always one of my favourite days of the year. It was cold 4.5 degs and a bit windy when i arrived for a first light start. I could have waited a few days but i like to keep as close to the original survey date as possible. It was obvious some birds were late in with the cold snap, Meadow Pipits were down and some of the waders such as Snipe and Curlew. Golden Plover and Lapwing were about normal.
Although my square is in a productive area i don't often get the sought after species Wheatear and Ring Ouzel but today both were present and a male Merlin shot through as well. With sightings of Common Buzzard and Red Kite it is a bumper year on my patch.
When i was done i decided to go looking for my Ringo, it had flown west out of my square and it wasn't long before i located it sitting in a bare tree by a brook. However it was not alone, not one but three were present in the same small tree. I managed some video but the light was poor and the wind up but you can see what met my eyes

In this same area i found another five Wheatear and a singing male Stonechat

A pair of Redpoll flew over calling and a bird i have not recorded up here before Robin. I staked out a small tree and both Stonechat and Ring Ouzel came into it but didn't hang about then this Willow Warbler

It's back to the Obs tomorrow morning but i can't wait for my second BBS

Playing away........

Long tailed Duck and Arctic Skua went north at Whitburn Obs this morning on another busy day as the light northerly continued. A duck Gadwall flew south early on then soon after flew back north with a drake Mallard in hot pursuit toward the nature reserve field. Its what we call playing away, expect some hybrid ducklings in the near future.
The meals on wheels guys arrived and i was still in the Obs which hasn't happened often of late. Unlucky Dave walked in as the Long tailed Duck went north but couldn't get on it in time and he needs it for the year, just a touch unlucky that..
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 18th April 05.45-11.10 NNW2 4/8

Fox at obs
Common Gull 301n 7s
Fulmar 197n
Sandwich Tern 35n 49s
Turnstone 1n 7s
Gannet 260n 26s
Common Scoter 4n 7s
Eider 1n 5s
LBBGull 1n
Shelduck 7n
Black h Gull 4n 1s
Velvet Scoter 1s
Shag 1n
Red th Diver 6n 3s
Iceland Gull 1n 2cy
Gadwall 3n 1s
Porpoise 5n 1s
Common Sandpiper 1n
Bonxie 3n
Whimbrel 1s
Redpoll 2s
Alba Wagtail 2n
Common Tern 1n
Arctic Skua 1n
Long tailed Duck 1n
Red br Merganser 8n
Curlew 2n
Bottlenose Dolphin 2n (probable not seen well)
Bar t Godwit 1s
Tufted Duck 1n
Tall Ship 1n

Many happy re'Terns'

2 Great Northern Divers and 2 Manxies passed Whitburn Obs  by 10.30 this morning. Magic Mark and Boy Wonder joined me for a reet canny sea watch in a light northerly wind. For the first time this year we saw three species of Tern as our first Arctic and Common Terns went north, welcome back!
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday 17th April 05.45-10.30 N2 4/8

Fulmar 140n
Razorbill 235n
Gannet 181n 22s
Common Gull 123n 1s
Eider 10n 4s
Bar tailed Godwit 3n
Sandwich Tern 26n 18s
Red th Diver 11n
Manxie 2n
Curlew 1s
Goosander 1n
Arctic Tern 2n

Common Scoter 16n 3s
Shelduck 1n 2s
Common Tern 4n
Grey Heron 1n
Puffin 3n
Tufted Duck 2n
Shag 3n
Redshank 1s
Whimbrel 2n
LBBGull 1n
Black h Gull 4n 1s
Great Northern Diver 2n
Teal 2s
Wigeon 1n
Chiffchaff 1

Wandering Waders....

Whimbrel and Bar tailed Godwits went north at Whitburn Obs this morning. Migrants have been held up with the cold Easter weather so it was nice to see waders starting to move right on cue. Magic Mark joined me and Stoney was in the house and the Whimbrel was our bird of the morning calling as it headed north. We had a bit of a mixed bag today but not the Humpback we were hoping for
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 16th April 05.50-09.50 NW2 6/8

Fulmar 152n
Common Gull 112n 99s
Common Scoter 10n 2s
Sandwich Tern 16n 45s
Goose sp 3n
LBBGull 1n
Eider 13n 1s
Bar tailed Godwit 3n
Turnstone 8n 15s
Alba Wagtail 1n 1s
Swallow 1n 1s
Greylag Goose 7s
Shelduck 5n
Sand Martin 6n
Red th Diver 3n
Shag 1s
Mute Swan 3n 3s
Tufted Duck 2n
Curlew 1n
Black h Gull 5n 6s
Merlin 1n
Meadow Pipit 4 in off
Ringed Plover 1s
Whimbrel 1n

Bakers dozen.......

Long tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter passed Whitburn Obs on our early morning sea watch today but the stars of the show were circa 20 Bottlenose Dolphins. It is always a real pleasure to watch Dolphins off our coast and so few people are aware of what they could see locally. I picked them up when i noticed Gull activity to the south and moved into camera mode but the full cloud cover made it hard to get the camera to focus. Still i got a bit of film as you can see
Common Scoter numbers are at last beginning to increase and it was amusing that Rob called three different flocks of ducks coming north that all had 13 in the flock, bakers dozen...
This is hat we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 12th April o5.55-09.45 W3 8/8

Common Gull 183n 32s
Eider 1n 15s
Common Scoter 69n 14s
Gannet 24n 8s
Black h Gull 3n 10s
Sandwich Tern 10n 29s
Turnstone 14n 6s
Shag 2n
Redshank 6s
Teal 2n
Long tailed Duck 1s
Red th Diver 3n 1s
Velvet Scoter 1n
Porpoise 1n
Bottlenose Dolphin-12n 06.40-06.55 then 8n 07.10-07.15

Lightning strikes twice.......

Hooded Crow went north passed Whitburn Obs this morning on an otherwise poor sea watch. Westerly winds and bright sun are not very inviting for sea watching so i didn't hang about this morning tho plenty of birds are on the move
On the 10th of April 2016 i called a Hooded Crow flying south it was a new Obs bird for me. When news came yesterday of another at St Mary's i jokingly asked @WhitleyBirder to send it south and thought that would be the last i heard of it. This morning things were slow so i popped out the back of the Obs to have a scan looking toward the firing range i looked through my scope and without moving it one fraction would you adam and eve it a Hooded Crow was in my scope. Now they say lightning doesn't strike twice but they are wrong, it did as it is the 10th of April 2017.
Well done Jack Bucknall you were true to your word. I don't do the lotto but as i left Whitburn i bought a Euro millions lucky dip ticket and one of my numbers is 10......
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Monday 10th April  05.55-09.30 W then NW 2-3 0/8

Common Gull 25n 56s
Curlew 3s
Sandwich Tern 1n
Meadow Pipit 6s
Alba Wagtail 3n 1s
Shelduck 4s
Eider 5n 1s
Hooded Crow on rifle range 07.05 then north passed Obs 07.15

Sand Martin 3s
Black h Gull 3n 4s
Turnstone 7s
Wheatear 2 on Jackies beach
Grey Heron 1s

That spoon that spoon that spoonbill....

Iceland Gull and 26 Whooper Swans were seen from Whitburn Obs this morning. We have a new south facing bench and it didn't take long for us to abandon the Obs on a day with rubbish light and go for the outdoors. It helped us nail House Martin and Swallow plus a few Wheatear but not the hoped for Ringo today....
Some years ago Saint Mark saw a Spoonbill from the Obs and i need it for my all time Obs list. So when news came of two Spoonbills flying North from Saltholme it was game on. I waited patiently on the new bench and picked up on a large bird heading our way but it was a Grey Heron, next time..
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 9th April 06.00-10.30 S2 0/8

Eider 7n 3s
Gannet 6n 4s
Red th Diver 3n
Sandwich Tern 3n 18s
Iceland Gull 2nd won range again
Gadwall 2n
Alba Wagtail 5s
Red br Merganser 1n
Common Scoter 32n 3s
Black h Gull 21s
Grey Heron 1n
Sand Martin 2n 10s
Shelduck 2n
Shag 2n 1s
LBBGull 1 on range
Wheatear 3or4
 Whooper Swan 26n
Swallow 1n
Yellowhammer 1 still in hedge
House Martin 1s

Common as muck....

8 Velvet Scoter and 30 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings early watch. Saint Mark joined me and later Pink Floyd. Common Gull numbers have been building up all week and today it went crazy. I logged over 800 the second largest count ever. Its still well behind the record count set last year on the 17th April of 1611....hope I'm not counting the day they peak.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 8th April 06.00-09.35 W2 0/8

Common Gull 868n 8s
Red th Diver 3n 2s
Cormorant 31n 52s
Common Scoter 30n 5s
Black h Gull 7n 1s
Turnstone 9s
Redshank 3n 1s
Sandwich Tern 14n 16s
Alba Wagtail 4n 3s
Eider 13n 10s
Shelduck 1s
Gannet 4n 5s
Grey Heron 2n 1s
Sand Martin 3n 7s
Willow Warbler 1
Shag 8n
Meadow Pipit 42 in off
Velvet Scoter 8n

Gloria Gaynor time.....

2 Great Northern Divers and a Long tailed Duck passed Whitburn Obs early morning. It was a slow day and at times. If the crab sandwich boys had turned up i would have said 'go walk out the door' but it just shows you my last four species were Goosander, Swallow, Long tailed Duck and two GNDivers. Mind thats about all i saw in that last hour. The Common Gull count keeps growing
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Thursday 6th April 06.00-09.00 W1-2 0/8

Common Gull 336n 39s
Cormorant 16n 50s
Eider 8n 10s
Teal 2n
Common Scoter 28n
Black h Gull 12n 32s
Shag 7n 1s
Red th Diver 5n
Sandwich Tern 1n 4s
Meadow Pipit 11 in off
Alba Wagtail 1n 4s
Gannet 3n
Sand Martin 3n
Linnet 3 in off
Shelduck 2n 1s
Goosander 1n
Swallow 3s
Long tailed Duck 1n
Great Northern Divers 2s

Abandon ship.......

Merlin and 13 Sandwich Terns were seen from Whitburn Obs by 9am this morning. Stoney was in the house and from the off we reckoned the conditions looked good for raptors with a brisk NW and sunshine. The light was difficult but it was a nice change when someone other than me saw Merlin from the Obs, 10 minutes later than yesterdays
Rob told me the news that Foss had a Black Kite so we abandoned the sea watch and headed to Cleadon. Sadly we didn't connect but this is what we did see in order of appearance

Wednesday 6th April 06.00-09.00 NW2 3/8

Alba Wagtail 3n 4s
Kittiwake 4000 plus n is a conservative estimate over the watch they just kept coming
Cormorant 13n 35s
Eider 5n 6s
Common Gull 159n 39s
Chiffchaff 1
Red th Diver 3n 1s
Black h Gull 10n 19s
Sandwich Tern 7n 6s
Curlew 1n
Common Scoter 4n 9s
Carrion Crow 20
Sand Martin 4n
Linnet 22 in off
Merlin 1n heading in off 07.21
Meadow Pipit 8 in off
Grey Wagtail 1s
Porpoise 1n
Shelduck2s
Gannet 4n
Shag 1n

We had no luck locating the Kite but the good news is Rob found an Osprey trying

You can't beat a pair of Red-breasts.....

Osprey and Merlin went north at Whitburn Obs this morning. On a much better day with good light and a calm sea early on plenty of birds were moving. By the time i left the cloud had broken and the birds dried up was glad i got the best of them. The Merlin came in off from a long way out very close to me in the end i ran outside to follow it and it headed high north. The Osprey was picked up when i noticed a lot of Gull activity to the north, it was cutting in so maybe someone will get a better view than me. Sawbills were moving with Mergansers and Goosanders moving north
This is what i saw in order of appearance

Tuesday 4th April 05.55-10.30 S1 then NW2 7/8 THEN 4/8

Cormorant 30n 43s
Puffin 11n
Common Gull 132n 111s
Common Scoter 4n 5s
Shoveler 1n 1s
Canada Goose 2s
Gannet 2n 5s
Red th Diver 1n 4s
Eider 3n 12s
Red br Merganser 8n

Goosander 4n
Teal 2n 2s
LBBGull 1n
Sandwich Tern 1n 1s
Merlin in off and north 07.15
Alba Wagtail 1n 1s
Porpoise 2s
Greylag Goose 3n 3s

Turnstone 5n
Shag 4n 1s
Osprey 1n 08.00 low over and putting gulls up
Black h Gull 7n 3s
Shelduck 1s
Grey Wagtail 1s
Sand Martin 1n

Abracadabra.....

Glaucous Gull and a Sandwich Tern were seen from Whitburn Obs today. I went outside to look for our regular Iceland Gull and found a Glaucous Gull....and for my next trick
Stoney was in the house and it was good to have the extra eyes but it was a different day to Sunday. Poor light and less birds did for us. Only one Sandwich Tern was a disappointment after 20 plus were logged yesterday. Common Gull numbers are on the up and of the nearly 300 seen i only noticed one adult
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Monday 3rd April 06.10-09.30 S2 1/8

Redwing 8+ in the hedge on the obs path
Eider 6n 10s
Teal 1s
Black h Gull 26s
Cormorant 21n 51s
Shelduck 2n 1s
Common Scoter 5n 14s
Curlew 6s
Common Gull 39n 255s
Alba Wagtail 1n 9s
Red th Diver 1n 4s
Canada Goose 2n
Puffin 1n
Chiffchaff 1
Sandwich Tern 1n
Dunlin 10n
Gannet 3n 2s
Shag 1n 1s
Glaucous Gull juv one on the range
Rock Pipit 1s

They're back......

19 Sandwich Terns passed Whitburn Obs by 10.05 this morning. We can officially say that Sarnies are back! and i will be counting them every day which is great news just another 6 species of Tern required then....
Saint Mark joined me and later Hoggie and Walter and it was another action packed day with loads of birds passing. The year ticks kept coming with a Brambling over. When i heard a warbler like contact call i asked Mark to investigate as i am sandwiched in the middle of the Obs furthest from a door, he shouted Coal Tit and i was up and out in a shot all evidence of a bad leg gone. So already the year list is on 116.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Sunday 2nd April 06.05-10.05 N1 4/8

Cormorant 22n 39s
Common Gull 214n 13s
Eider 7n 8s
Wigeon 2n
Curlew 56s
Grey Wagtail 1s
Yellowhammer 1
Common Scoter 16n 9s
Goldcrest 1 in off
Porpoise 2n 1s
Alba Wagtail 1n 4s
Kestrel 2
Sandwich Tern 18n 1s
Red th Diver 1n 5s
Ringed Plover 4n
Gannet 8n 2s
Oyster Catcher 1n
Greylag Goose 1n 2s
Sanderling 9n
Sand Martin 4n 2s
Meadow Pipit 4s
Chiffchaff 1
Shag 3n
Iceland Gull 1 on range 2nd w
Sparrowhawk 3 up together
Black h Gull 1n
Kittiwake 235 in 15 mins
Redshank 15s
Turnstone 15s
Teal 1n
Coal Tit 1 get in!
Brambling 1

Won't get fooled again....

Long-tailed Duck and Iceland Gull were seen from Whitburn Obs this morning. It was a lovely spring morning with plenty of birds moving. My year tick for the day was a Winter visitor Redwing. Of course it's the 1st of April and we all know what that means...Yes we were taken in for a short while by a tweet from our buddy @SteelySeabirder Narwhal indeed
This is what we saw today in order of appearance

Saturday 1st April 06.25-10.15 S1-2 4/8

Black h Gull 12n 30s
Eider 6n 1s
Gannet 10n
Common Gull 9n 133s
Redwing 4n
Iceland Gull on rifle range 2nd w
Alba Wagtail 15s
Curlew 3s
Cormorant 11n 24s
Red th Diver 7n 4s
Common Scoter

Long tailed Duck 1s
Shag 8n 6s
Porpoise 3s
Redshank 12n 1s
Sandwich Tern 4n 1s
Meadow Pipit 10s
Pied Wagtail 6s
Knot 5n
Goosander 3n 3s
Shelduck 2n 1s
Wood Pigeon 2s
Greylag Goose 1n
Rock Pipit 1s
Sparrowhawk 1n 1s
Sand Martin 1n 5s
Ringed Plover 3s
Turnstone 23s
Sanderling 4s
Goose sp 4s