Gripped off again.....

 Hooded Crow, Merlin, Jay and Lesser throat were all seen at Whitburn Obs this morning. The bad news is i was on the moors doing my BTO first survey, I'd picked which day to do my square based on wind strength and weather in general...big mistake i should have chosen Monday when nobody is in the Obs. The Harper family conspired to totally grip me off. With Mr Harper senior calling the Hoodie as they watched the first Lesser throat of the year. To put this in perspective i found the only Obs Hooded Crows in 2016 and 2017 both on 10/4 and was anticipating a hat-trick....
But well done for finding it and of course to Saint Mark on the Jay and Lesser. I did eventually arrive at Whitburn and pulled back the Whitethroat and had a Yellow Wagtail fly over calling both birds i didnt get last year so it was not all bad news
I also arrived in time to see some of the Bottlenose Dolphins that passed the Obs including the mother and junior featured in the attached video
My Obs list hit 120 and more Hoodies have been seen to the south so you never know, but Jay..forget it
This is what was seen overall in no particular orde

Saturday 21st April 06.05-11.00 S1 0/8

Red th Diver 4n 3s
Gannet 10n
Fulmar 40n 4s
Cormorant 22n 35s
Shag 8n 3s
Shelduck 6n 7s
Shoveler 2s
Eider 12n 5s
Common Scoter 6n 30s
Red br Merganser 1n
Dunlin 2n
Whimbrel 1n 1s
Curlew 4s
Turnstone 6s
Black h Gull 3n 8s
Common Gull 38n 3s
Sandwich Tern 87n 66s
Arctic Tern 3n
Sandmartin 1n 4s
Swallow 5n 2s
Hooded Crow 1n 06.10 grrr
Jay 1s 07.50 grrr
Merlin 1 on range
Wheatear 4
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Yellow Wagtail 1n
Bottlenose Dolphin 1n 14s (3,5,2,2,2) 09.15-10.15 ish

That's what friends are for...

Osprey Arctic Tern and Merlin were all seen from Whitburn Obs on today's watch. It was a mega Obs list day for me with 5, yes count them 5 year ticks and all of them hard to get birds. Saint Mark beat me in and we were joined by Pink Floyd and Boy Wonder, we had little expectation but i should have known when a Ringo flew in off as i reached the Obs.
Our first Arctic Tern of the year was unexpected and earlier than normal and Sandwich Terns reached double figures for the first time this year. Saint Mark stepped out for a scan around and found a probable Merlin perched but distant,  we were aware Osprey had been at a couple of sights south of us so all eyes were looking up. He decided to go and nail the Falcon and was just approaching the Obs on his way back to confirm it's id when he found the Osprey....mayhem erupted and thankfully we all got the bird
Ross stepped out for a comfort break, bins only and found a Stock Dove an Obs mega...that's what friends are for, thanks guys. Next weekend i will be in Gambia for a short birding break so i was relieved to get all these hard to see birds safely on my year list.
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Saturday 7th April 05.55-10.05 6/8 SSE2

Black h Gull 4n 24s
Common Gull 15n 287s
Cormorant 14n 14s
Ring Ouzal 1 in off
Carrion Crow 12n 24s
Shelduck 7s
Manx Shearwater 1s
Sandwich Tern 6n 4s
Razorbill 11n 1s
Guillemot 4n
Red br Merganser 3n
Kittiwake 224n 14s
Arctic Tern 1n
Porpoise 1n 2s
Red th Diver 3n 5s
Oystercatcher 4n 1s
Whimbrel 2s
Merlin 1 female perched on the rifle range
Iceland Gull 2w on the range
Teal 5s
Gadwall 1n
Osprey 1n 07.55
Curlew 1s
Meadow Pipit 4 in off
Shag 3n 2s
Goosander 1s
LBBGull 1n 1s
Tufted Duck 1n
Mallard 2s
Stock Dove 1n

Floppy's back in town...

a Blue Fulmar and 3 Sandwich Terns went north on this mornings sea watch but the Dolphins stole the show as usual. Only five minutes into my watch i picked up on some Bottlenose Dolphins heading north, three became ten as they slowly revealed themselves. No breaching just a slow steady movement keeping fairly low. Stoney was in the house by now and soon showed off his media skills taking video through his scope with a mobile without an adapter, someone should give him a roll in media...Anyone over 60 should not attempt this skill. Later more pods headed north and we were happy to see an old friend Floppy was with them, this Dolphin is easily recognised as it has a bent over dorsal fin that's a bit well floppy. I have attached some video of the event but its my first of the year so.....
The watch was fun packed with the local Fox showing well and a pair of Gadwall continued our run of good quality Ducks
This is what we saw in order of appearance

Wednesday 4th March 06.15-09.15 SW2 8/8 rain/mist

Black h Gull 8n
Common Gull 136n 6s
Fulmar 70n
Teal 2s
Razorbill 42n
Guillemot 61n
Cormorant 11n 5s
Eider 9n
Alba Wagtail 1n 3s
Common Scoter 17n 1s
Turnstone 1n
Porpoise 4s
Blue Fulmar 1n DD a really dark one
Shag 1s
Sandwich Tern 3n
Rock Pipit 1n
Gadwall 2n
Red th Diver 4n
Goosander 3n
Gannet 3n
Fox1 in nature reserve
Chiffchaff 1 singing
Bottlenose Dolphins
10n 06.20-06.40
5n 07.25-07.359n 07.40-07.45