5 Little Auks and 7 Great Northern Divers went north at Whitburn Obs by 11 am this morning, and as i left a full Obs I'm sure more were added. It was the little and large of sea watching with Little Auks and Great Northers and luckily we received treats not tricks. I was joined eventually by Freddie (Milton that is) not seen in the Obs for 20 years or so but not surprising as it is Halloween. Pink Floyd arrived then much later the full crab sandwich brigade. I was struggling early on with no help and healthy numbers of birds passing, and had 4 Little Auks before anyone arrived so it was good news when Pink Floyd called a mid distance bird going north to the now full Obs. Typically it immediately dumped onto the sea leaving the year ticking crab boys in limbo but soon took of again for all to see or string depending on observers eyesight.
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Tuesday 31st October 06.45-11.00 SW1-2 8/8 flat calm sea with moderate swell
Black h Gull 47n 18s
Common Gull 14n 14s
Teal 166n
Common Scoter 280n
Red th Diver 28n 13s
Guillemot 2371n
Razorbill circa 20n
Little Auk 5n
Gannet 153n 5s
Goldeneye 12n 1s
Cormorant 1n 3s
Tufted Duck 8n
Mallard 3n
Eider 8n 5s
Great Northern Diver 7n
Shelduck 6n
Porpoise 5s
Long tailed Duck 1n
Red br Merganser 1n 1s
Velvet Scoter2n
Black th Diver 3n
Wigeon 98n
Shag1n 2s
Grey Heron 1s
Scaup 2s
Whooper Swan 10n
Fieldfare 3 in off
Dunlin 2n
The Bee-eater didn't show today but that's no reason why we can't enjoy a bit more video
Bee-eater was seen from the Obs today an unexpected full Obs tick. Magic Mark joined me for a couple of hours before he had to leave for work and Stevie Makem turned up unexpectedly. I would not say Steve was lucky but he has great timing and something generally happens when he turns up like yesterdays White-billed Diver. Fos was a late entrant and we had a cracking Duck sea watch only spoilet by poor light. I headed back to my car and was talking to the wife but could see Fos was ringing me...Stevie Makem had only gone and found a Bee-eater on the edge of Shearwater. I ran to the Obs mound and prayed, Fos kept me informed 'it's perched' 'it's flying'...at last i saw it added it to my Obs list and headed round for video. Thanks guys
This is what we saw today in order of appearance
Monday 30th October 06.25-09.45 W2 1/8
Common Gull 115n 24s
Black h Gull 138n 63s
Red th Diver 15n 3s
Teal 62n
Manx Shearwater 1n
Mallard 32n 9s
Common Scoter 219n 1s
Cormorant 1n 32s
Long-tailed Duck 2n
Wigeon 50n
Goldeneye 196n 5s
Skylark 1s
Blackbird 1s
Curlew 3n
Eider 3n 2s
Redshank 3n
Great Northern Diver 1n 1s
Gannet 11n 2s
Shag 6n 10s
Velvet Scoter 5n
Dunlin 1n
Goosander 1s
Red br Merganser 2n
Shelduck 3n
Bonxie 1n
Bullfinch 2 west
Porpoise1s
Starling 5 in off
Pink footed Goose 5n
Tufted Duck 2n
Grey Heron 1s
Med Gull 1s 2nd w
Little Gull 1n 1st w
Bee-eater 1 in the nature reserve
White-billed Diver and Leach's Petrel went north at Whitburn Obs today on what felt like the first real winter sea watch of the season. Magic and Saint Mark were both in as well as Stevie Makem and a couple of others hoping for Little Auks, Stoney was in the house. The winter feel got underway with Long-tailed Ducks and Goldeneye passing as well a few larger Divers. I called two Divers coming north and mentioned they both looked Large and it didnt take Magic Mark long to call the White-billed. Ive included some video of the Diver in real time and in slomo. Saint Mark called the Petrel but sadly only two of us got on the bird as it played hard to get. No little Auks today but i for one will be back looking in the morning
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Great Northern Diver and Peregrine were my best birds on this mornings sea watch but that's not the end of today's sightings..Hawfinch are everywhere just now raining from the sky's a national influx, but south of us. Today's watch was hard at times three highlights but not much in between. I've been listening for Hawfinch after Damian Money had so many and posted a link to the flight call so to say i was disappointed when i found my bird was a Reed Bunting is a bit of an understatement. I must confess my phone is on silent apart from calls otherwise my sea watch is constantly interrupted, but as i drove home Magic Mark messaged about the local invasion but i was tired and hungry and went home. I sent a text to Saint Mark, what do you think should i go back..he said wait till tomorrow so i got in the car and headed back to the Obs....
I was sitting on the Obs mound Pink Floyd and Michael arrived and we all had a good moan about the lack of Hawfinch, the guys headed off and i scanned. I picked up my Hawfinch flying in from the north it landed in a tree top. I rang the guys and as we spoke the Hawfinch flew and landed in a small tree by the viewing screen and luckily right next to them. When soon after a Great Spotted Woodpecker landed in front of me i was in heaven, at that time Hawfinch, Great Spot, Mistle Thrush and Long tailed Tit were all about and all Obs Mega's.
Thursday 26th October 07.30-10.30 W2 6/8
Common Gull 3n 33s
Black h Gull 29n 72s
Meadow Pipit 10s
Red th Diver 6n 7s
Redpoll 5s
Cormorant 11s
Eider 1n 4s
Common Scoter 18n 6s
Goosander 1s
Turnstone 16s
Lapwing 38s
Great Northern Diver 1s
Gannet 50n 2s
Red br Merganser 2n
Pink-footed Goose 90n
Golden Plover 120n
Peregrine Falcon 1n ad
Later
Hawfinch 1s
Great spotted Woodpecker 1n
Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Duck 7 Little Gulls were some of the highlights on today's busy sea watch. Stoney was in the house and i needed the extra eyes as Ducks were moving and coming from all heights and directions. In addition migration was in full swing with the conditions dropping in Thrushes and Finches all the time. 'Leaves are falling all around it's time i was on my way' Bramble on... Two Brambling landed near the Obs and hung around a while giving good views from the Obs wall.
Sadly i could not wait for the Spoonbill heading north from Blackhall Rocks but it was seen by some from the ringing hut well after i had departed.
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Saturday 20th October 07.10-11.10 W1-2 4/8 mist at times
Wigeon 749n 10s
Teal 274n 4s
Common Gull 73n 8s
Black h Gull 136n 35s
Cormorant 1n 10s
Brambling 2 in off
Red th Diver 5n 3s
Curlew 8n
Ruff 1n
Pintail 5n
Common Scoter 230n 138s
Gannet 148n 30s
Long tailed Duck 1n
Fulmar 1n 1s
Velvet Scoter 1n
Eider 16n 1s
Red br Merganser 1n
Snipe 3n
Arctic Skua 12n
Little Gull 2n 5s
Siskin 9 in off
Bonxie 4n
Redwing 3 in off
Shoveler 1s
Sandwich Tern 8s
Starling 2 in off
Goldeneye 2n
Shelduck 1n 2s
Dunlin 5n
Brent Goose db 6n 6s
Mallard 1n
Black th Diver 1n
Manx Shearwater 1n
Shag 1n
Common Tern 1s
Only three Divers passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings watch, the good news is they were of three different species. Yet another blasting westerly didn't give me much hope for today's watch, but yet again a westerly wind came up trumps. Not with the number of birds but the variety of species, Pink Floyd joined me but left his sharpness in bed. The crab sandwich boys arrived and we were treated to the sight of a cracking lobster fresh out of the pot and still nipping but i suspect not for long. My first south at the Obs......
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Tuesday 17th October 07.05-10.30 WSW4-5 decreasing 6/8
Black h Gull 10n 107s
Common Gull 154s
Ringed Plover 1s
Eider 7n 3s
Cormorant 2n 6s
Meadow Pipit 9s
Common Scoter 52n 13s
Kestrel 1s
Sand Martin 1s
Redshank 1s
Golden Plover 1s
Scan Herring Gull 2s
Gannet 20n 37s
Arctic Tern 1s
Med Gull 1s ad
Barnacle Goose 1s
Curlew 2n 1s
Shelduck 4n
Scaup 2s pr
Tufted Duck 1s
GBBGull a single flock of circa 100 went south together
Red th Diver 1s
Redpoll 1s
Gadwall 2s
Jack Snipe 1s
Turnstone 1n
Wigeon 3n
Black th Diver 1n
Peregrine 1n juv
Balearic Shearwater and 36 Little Gulls passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings watch and we saw our latest ever Minke Whale. On a dead still sea with full cloud cover and a westerly wind you would not expect a lot....We did ok. Saint Mark called the Minke and it hung around for 25 minutes distant but viewable with a scope on the flat sea. In the past we have been accused of being protective of what we see at the Obs but this is not true, we always put the news out when we can and any locals had time to come and look. The video is from a previous Whitburn not enough light today.
Many smaller Gulls were moving and it wasn't a shock when Magic Mark started picking them up. At some time during the watch Moth Man arrived and soon started his well known singing??? and humming, all it needed was for Pink Floyd to start singing comfortably numb.....
This is what we saw in order of appearance
3 Little Stints and 2 Whooper Swans passed Whitburn Obs by 10.45 today. It was a slow start with little wind but good light, nothing much was happening. Then i heard that familiar sound Red-throated Divers calling, and looked up and sure enough a 'flock' of 5 were flying high south. It happened another couple of times when i heard them before looking and finding them and on one occasion they were miles out, that call must travel a long way. The watch got better as the morning went on with the local Peregrine chasing Golden Plovers and amazingly 3 Little Stints flying with Dunlin for comparison. A wader was flying with the feeding Black headed Gulls but landed on the sea before i could sort it out and never showed again. Pink Floyd arrived with the pie and pea boys and continued his recent good form calling the Whooper Swans and the Merlin
This is what was seen in order of appearance
Thursday 12th October 07.00-10.30 SW1-2 8/8
Black h Gull 181n 309s
Common Gull 22n 52s
Eider 4n 1s
Red-throated Diver 10n 35s
Meadow Pipit 32s
Curlew 18n
Redpoll 2 in off
Cormorant 18s
Dunlin 5n 8s
Little Stint 3n
Guillemot 453n
Redshank 2s
Grey Heron 1s
Common Scoter 5n 9s
Gannet 20n 4s
Goosander 4s
Red br Merganser 1s
Wigeon 9s
Peregrine 1s juv
Common Tern 1n
Turnstone 2s
Arctic Tern 1n 1s
Manx Shearwater 1s
Ringed Plover 1s
Whooper Swan 2s
Merlin 1s (looked like a male)
2168 Barnacle Geese and one probable Richardson's Cackling Goose passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings watch. The shutters were open but the lights were out, it was still dark when we saw our first skein of Barnacle Geese fly north. And for the rest of the watch they continued to move with yet again a very good supporting cast. Stevie Thunder called a small Canada Goose flying with a large skein of Barnacles, the last bird...I managed some video which is being looked at but it is probably the Richardson's Cackling Goose that arrived at Budle Bay with Barnacles as found by our very own Boy Wonder who was AWOL
Ross was not the only local sea watcher missing from the Obs but five of us saw the bird
It was another manic watch and i am close to resigning as note taker for the Obs, i need a blinkin rest phew. Woodcock in off was year tick and early on Redwing were on the move.
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Sunday 8th October 06.50-11.35 WNW2 7/8
Black h Gull 98n 78s
Common Gull 54n 13s
Barnacle Goose 1574n 594s
Eider 6n 10s
Teal 251n
Woodcock 1 in off
Red th Diver 51n 34s
Velvet Scoter 9n
Wigeon 360n 11s
Meadow Pipit 12 in off
Redwing 2 in off
Gannet 419n 32s
Common Scoter 106n 50s
Goldeneye 4n 3s
Manx Shearwater 6n
Bonxie 2n 1s
Dunlin 10s
Mallard 8n
Turnstone 3n
Ringed Plover 1s
Curlew 3n
Tufted Duck 4n
Porpoise 2
Grey Plover 2s
Knot 2s
Scaup 1n
Red br Merganser 5n 9s
Pink footed Goose 20n 35s
Arctic Skua 3n
Puffin 6n
LBBGull 1s
Golden Plover 4n
Shag 5n
Pom Skua 1s
Redpoll 2 in off
Pintail 1n
Great Northern Diver 1n
White-billed, Great Northern and Black-throated Diver were on the breakfast menu today tho not many were enjoying the meal. Saint and Magic Mark joined me this morning with Pink Floyd not far behind and what a feast of birds we had. A few expected enthusiasts were missing and those few who had made the effort had little expectation on a westerly wind.
It was one of those days when the light was good and the birds just kept coming. The White-billed Diver was the icing on the cake my first since 2011 and new for my Obs list which only started five years ago. It was a good team effort of finding and identifying this special sea watching mega.
On top of all this Pink Floyd called the expected first Whoopers of the year, he's having a good week. As you will see from the video the last in line of the Swans has a badly kinked neck, very unusual and looks painful. Oh and did i mention the 15 species of wildfowl......
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Saturday 7th October 06.45-11.45 W3 7/8
Black h Gull 182n 46s
Common Gull 37n 9s
Gannet 479n 277s
Guillemot 120n 290s
Eider 11n 6s
Common Scoter 99n 18s
Great Northern Diver 1n
Red th Diver 31n 53s
Wigeon 430n
Tufted Duck 2n
Teal 43n 9s
Curlew 4n
Manxie 3n
Red br Merganser 1n
White-billed Diver 1n 07.50-08.00
Pink footed Goose 2n 216s
Scaup 6n
Meadow Pipit 12s
Shag 10n 15s
Redshank 5n
Wheatear 1 on obs wall
Goldeneye 3n
Whooper Swan 4s
circa 2000 Pink-footed Geese passed Whitburn Obs on this mornings sea watch. Not long ago i titled my blog 'Winter is Coming'... well its arrived, the Terns have gone and Geese have arrived. From first light they started moving in both directions and it was a fantastic spectacle, nothings quite like the sound of Pinks passing overhead.
Pink Floyd called the Harrier and it was difficult to nail the id in the strong sun but eventually we could see it was Marsh, a good bird on a sea watch
This is what we saw in order of appearance
Tuesday 3rd October 06.40-10.40 W4-5 0/8
Black h Gull 65n 338s
Common Gull 1n 74s
Pink-footed Goose 708n 1304s
