22 Little Auks, 2 Great northern Divers and a White fronted Goose were seen from Whitburn Obs this morning, a canny start to the birding year. Magic and Saint Mark joined me and Stoney was in the house. We have had a great run in to the new year so were not expecting much as birds so often don't behave as you want them to. So it was a much appreciated surprise when most of the recent species seen were still about and we had such a bird filled first sea watch.
I had only once before seen Whitefront from the obs, that's how rare it is, so to find one on the adjacent firing range was a blinkin miracle, and my Goosey has to go down as bird of the watch. Nice to start with a mega...
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Friday 1st January 07.15-11.15 SW1-2
Black h Gull 4n 225s
Common Gull 113s
Curlew 65s
Redshank 3s
Red th Diver 18n 19s
Turnstone 32s
Shag 1n 53s
Med Gull 2s adults
Scan Herring Gull 4s
Wigeon 3n
Common Scoter 4n 1s
Cormorant 4n 18s
Fulmar 10n 5s
Eider 5n 3s
Great northern Diver 2s
Little Gull 6n 5s
Kittiwake 2n 5s
Little Auk 2n 22s
Gannet 3s
Golden Plover 25s
White fronted (Goose Greenland race) 1 on firing range
Bonxie 1n
Dunlin 1s
Porpoise 1n 1s
Goosander 2s
