Thursday, 27 April 2017

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