Vindaloo or Phal......

 Red-necked Phalarope and Pom Skua were the pick of the pops off Whitburn Obs today. Magic Mark was at his best making the impossible possible yet again, what a call for the Phalarope. It prompted the discussion which was the hottest a Vindaloo or a Phal, we all agreed the Phal..... It was staying close to some Kittiwakes and if they flew it did, if they landed it landed. The bird was about till 07.40 tho it went missing a couple of times, it was my 4th or 5th for the County but first from the Obs. Amazingly nobody turned up to see it despite the news updates except Stevie Thunder who was on his way anyway.
Pink Floyd was on top form calling ducks from every which way and Saint Mark a steadying influence in a mad house. For one lucky birder to be known as JB (Jammy being the first word) it was his first visit to the Obs and we got him onto the Phalarope without much trouble.
This is what we saw today in order of appearance

Saturday 9th September 06.00-10.00 W2 6/8

Black h Gull 592n 134s (and no Med's picked out)
Gannet 506n 99s
Redshank 5n 13s
Shag 2n 2s
Golden Plover 1n
Sandwich Tern 12n 52s
Common Gull 5s
Dunlin 4n 10s
Porpoise at least 6 seen
Common Tern 138n 27s
Common Scoter 7n 4s
Arctic Tern 4n 1s
Curlew 5n
Red th Diver 2n 13s
Ringed Plover 15n
Manx Shearwater 12n
Red-necked Phalarope 1 06.45-07.40 (my video but not today's bird tho i did try)

Arctic Skua 5n 5s
Pom Skua 1n
Teal 14n 3s
Whimbrel 12s
Eider 1s
Meadow Pipit 2n 12s
Turnstone 1s
Knot 1n 2s
Pintail 12n
Wigeon 5n
Grey Heron 1s
Sanderling 1n
Pied Wagtail 4n 1s
Goosander 1n
Swallow 14n
Bonxie 1n
Kestrel 2s
Ruff 1n
Red br Merganser 3s