Friday 6 September 2013

when the north wind doth blow............

Long Tailed Skua, Balearic and 55 Sooty Shearwaters and a Roseate Tern passed Whitburn Obs in 11.25 hours today. It was a great sea watch with a full Obs we didn't get the biggy that was down to Steely on the Farnes again. The cast is too numerous to mention all but it included Magic Mark who called the 2 star birds, Pink Floyd, The Babysiter(Derek Lawrence),The Doctor was in the house, Timmy Mills and Hoggie,Foghorn,etc etc etc
Here is what we saw mainly in order of appearance

Friday 6th September 06.00-18.00 minus 45mins when obs wasn't manned N6 rain all day

Red th Diver 9s
Manx Shearwater 289n
Sooty Shearwater 55n
Balearic Shearwater 1n
Cormorant 18n 18s
Shag 3n 2s
Common Scoter 56n 1s
Eider 5n 6 on sea
Wigeon 285n 58s
Pochard 3n
Teal 227n 166s
Pintail 5n
Gadwall 1n
Mallard 1s
Tufted Duck 1n
Goldeneye 1n
Scaup 1n
Goosander 1n
Black h Gull 9n 26s
Arctic Skua 6n 39s
Bonxie 19n 2s
Long tailed Skua 1n juv
Sandwich Tern 12n 38s
Common Tern 7n 8s
Arctic Tern 1n
Redshank 2n
Golden Plover circa 500n
Purple Sandpiper 1n
Grey Plover 4n
Fulmar 280 by 11.30


Pergrine 2n
Brent Goose 49n
Red necked Grebe 1n
Roseate Tern 1n
Puffin 1n
Porpoise 1