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