An unexpected highlight was a Long-tailed Skua, at least a third calendar year, watched hawking low over The Bight and Golf Course for a few minutes, before flying over the dune ridge and lost to view heading SW down the beach just before 8.30am. Only the fourth July record and the first Warren record since a similar aged bird offshore on 4 July 2020.
The same bird was again in the estuary early evening off Cockwood before relocating to Cockle Sands off Exmouth on the rising tide. Also in the estuary, two adult Little Ringed Plover on the morning tide, at least 57 Sandwich (15 juvs) and eight Common Tern, 33 Mediterranean Gull, including the first juvenile, and a Kittiwake.
Counts included 193 Curlew, 58 Redshank, 29 Turnstone, 25 Dunlin, a sudden arrival of 24 Shelduck including 14 juveniles, 16 Whimbrel, the six Eider, six Greenshank, three Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sanderling.
Elsewhere a raft of four immature Pomarine Skua offshore had presumably roosted before they headed slowly SW early morning, and four Sand Martin joined 12 Swallow feeding low over The Bight in the mizzle.
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| Swallow - Dave Jewell |
Year list addition:
157. Long-tailed Skua
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