The raw east wind that's been hammering us for about a week edged more southerly yesterday, and this morning we woke up to a decent south east gale. I'm not a fan of sea watching here in south easterlies, it's almost always disappointing and every time we are completely trumped by Chesil - embarrassingly and frustratingly so!
I didn't miss much this morning from what Ian Mc and Phil reported, but tonight I was keen to give it a go after work - am dead pleased I did! An hour at the Spot On Kiosk from 18:50 produced (all east);
2 Teal (why weren't these Garganey!!??)
54 Gannet
128 Manx Shearwater (18 the biggest single flock)
1 Arctic Skua (a sleek pale-phased adult at 19:04)
5 Common Gull
12 Sandwich Tern (6, 4 and 2)
1 Arctic Tern (flew in then over the beach, gained height but then flew back out again!)
11 Whimbrel
5 Dunlin
So not too shabby at all by Seaton standards, with the two Arctic's being the highlights. The Tern just kept coming closer and closer, to the point I could even see the bill detail which was nice! And as for the Skua, well this was my first Skua of the year which is always a highlight - but this one looked particularly dinky and streamline and the plumage simply stunning in front of the dull grey sea.
Although I have been at work all day, it's clear there's been a constant arrival of hirundines. Every time I have been outside small groups of Swallows/House Martins have whizzed through quickly north. This evening whilst sea watching I must have seen twenty Swallows arrive in-off too.
No photos from today I'm afraid, but here's a dreadful photo of a female Goosander that did a lap of Bridge Marsh in front of me on Saturday evening, with 60 Sand Martins and ten Swallows also on show...
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| A blur which shares some similarities with a female sawbill! |
More of the same please Spring 2019!
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