At last...

a seawatch.

This morning started cold and frosty with a light N3, sunny. Later the wind increased to N5 with some stinging squalls.

Before work this morning, as I fed the garden birds, I clearly heard the trill of a Waxwing. Stopping to look around, I heard it call a second time, but despite looking for the next ten minutes, no further sound nor sight was had. Pity that.

I decided to start work late this morning and fit in an hours seawatch from 0850 at Newbiggin. Had the tide been in I might have stayed at Boulmer but at low tide Newbiggin was the only choice ( especially as I work nearby).

It was quite good -

First bird seen very distantly and high up out to see was an asio owl gliding and flapping alternately having to avoid the attentions of Great black backed Gulls. It was too far out to see if it was Long or Short eared Owl, but I watched it for maybe ten minutes hoping it would come ashore. It didn't, instead choosingto carry on its flight south out to sea. Why do they do that when land is clearly in sight?

Goldeneye 2
Red breasted Merganser 2 females
Red throated Diver 3
Common Scoter 7
Mediterranean Gull 1fw
Pale bellied Brent Geese 2
Wigeon 5
Great Northern Diver 1 still in summer plumage.
Bonxie 1
Manx Shearwater 2
Arctic Skua 2
Little Auk 1 only feet from the rock edge flew out of the bay and landed right in front of me, before vanishing in the waves.

All birds moving north.

Now that I'd had a taste of a good day, I went to work and did my appointments before finishing early so I could get back to the sea. While I was away, Andy Mc had a Grey Phalarope go north. I got back to the point at 2.45pm and stayed until 4.30pm.

This time sharing the watch were Andy, Jimmy Steele and Graeme Bowman. We had -

Bonxie 2
Dark bellied Brent Geese 3
Gadwall 2 males, unusual here on a seawatch.
Manx Shearwater 6
Wigeon 14
Mediterranean Gull 1ad
Velvet Scoter 3
Arctic Skua 5
Pomarine Skua 2
Long tailed Duck 5m 1f
Eider 100
Guillemot 6+
Razorbill 1
Red throated Diver 3
Shelduck 1
Common Scoter 9
Mallard 1.

All good stuff made better now that I'm off for the weekend. Lets hope there are some birds to see....