Sunday 15 April 2018

Sunday 15th April

A day of heavy rain, sunshine and showers with a constant strong southerly wind. This produced ideal seawatching conditions, especially early morning. The highlight was a site record count of 3579 Manx Shearwater south during the day, most in the evening but with 200+ south in less than 10 minutes as the rain stopped mid morning. This is over twice the previous record from April 2009.

Also passing south an Osprey, a Puffin, 10+ Arctic Tern, two Great and an Arctic Skua, three Great Northern, two Red-throated and 13 Diver sp, 191 Common Scoter, 144 Kittiwake, 92 Gannet, 63 Common Gull, 39 Sandwich Tern, 13 Fulmar and a pair of Gadwall.

Elsewhere a send winter Little Gull was in front of the hide early morning, two Arctic Skua were harassing Kittiwake offshore late evening, migrants were limited to five Willow Warbler and four Blackcap, 23 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the estuary with other counts of 42 Turnstone, 28 Redshank, 20 Grey Plover, 15 Sanderling, 13 Whimbrel, four Dunlin and two Red-breasted Merganser.

Wildlife News: In the few sunny periods the Sand Crocus was attempting to flower and a couple of Peacock were on the wing.

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