Saturday, 27th May 2017

A very late Brambling flew east calling this morning, its the latest ever spring record for the Obs.

Offshore 
14 Common Scoters east, 1 Fulmar east, 11 Manx Shearwaters west, 9 Gannets, 4 Guillemots west and 7 Sandwich Terns.

Visible Migration
11 Swallows north-east, 1 Brambling east and 1 Siskin east.

Others
68 Ringed Plovers, 7 Turnstones, 180 Sanderlings, 90 Dunlins and 25 Swifts.
 
 Meadow Pipit

House Martin

Friday, 26th May 2017

Offshore 
7 Common Scoters east, 18 Manx Shearwaters west, 8 Gannets, 2 Guillemots west, 35 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns and 5 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration:
1 Little Egret in off and 4 Swallows north-east.

Others 
80 Ringed Plovers, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Turnstones, 300 Sanderlings and 100 Dunlins.
 
 Eiders

Thursday, 25th May 2017

Offshore:
8 Common Scoters east, 6 Gannets, 12 Sandwich Terns and 1 Common Tern.
 
 Gannet

Visible Migration 
7 Swallows north-east.

Others
96 Ringed Plovers, 17 Turnstones, 350 Sanderlings and 200 Dunlins.

Wednesday, 24th May 2017

Offshore:
18 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 5 Manx Shearwaters west, 28 Gannets east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 16 Guillemots west, 13 Auk sp. west, 11 Sandwich Terns west, 2 Common Terns west and 9 Kittiwakes west.
 
 Arctic Skua

Visible Migration:
2 Swallows north-east.

Others 
2 Grey Plovers, 115 Ringed Plovers, 12 Turnstones, 300 Sanderlings and 280 Dunlins.

Tuesday, 23rd May 2017

Offshore:
44 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 9 Manx Shearwaters west, 35 Gannets east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 3 Guillemots east, 6 Auk sp. east, 19 Sandwich Terns west and 12 Kittiwakes west.

Visible Migration 
6 Swallows north-east.

Grounded Migrants
1 Wheatear.

Others
1 Little Egret, 160 Ringed Plovers, 12 Turnstones, 400 Sanderlings and 350 Dunlins.
 
 Sedge Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

Monday, 22nd May 2017

Offshore 
500 Common Scoters - large raft on the sea in the mouth of the bay, 8 Manx Shearwaters west, 23 Gannets west, 12 Guillemots east, 5 Razorbills east, 6 Auk sp. east, 40 Sandwich Terns and 17 Common Terns.

Visible Migration:
1 Hooded Crow - picked up high coming in out of the mouth of the bay & made landfall at Larkholme, 10 Swallows north and 1 Tree Pipit north-east.

Grounded Migrants
1 Whinchat and 2 Wheatears.

Others 
1 Little Egret, 120 Ringed Plovers, 11 Turnstones, 300 Sanderlings and 400 Dunlins.
 
 Pied Wagtail

Sunday, 21st May 2017

Offshore 
2 Shelducks east, 5 Tutfed Ducks west, 31 Common Scoters east, 58 Manx Shearwaters west, 123 Gannets west, 2 Arctic Skuas east, 4 Guillemots west, 20 Auk sp. west, 29 Sandwich Terns west, 1 Common Tern east, 8 Arctic Terns east and 5 Kittiwakes west.
 
 Gannet
 
 Arctic Skua

Visible Migration 
1 Pink-footed Goose - high north across the bay, 12 Swallows north-east and 1 Tree Pipit north-east.

Grounded Migrants
2 Wheatears.

Others 
1 Shoveler, 3 Grey Plovers, 280 Ringed Plovers, 14 Turnstones, 400 Sanderlings, 500 Dunlins, 50 Swifts and 80 House Martins.
 
 Shoveler

Saturday, 20th May 2017

Offshore 
64 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 119 Manx Shearwaters west, 47 Gannets west, 1 Arctic Skua east, 2 Razorbills east, 31 Guillemots west, 13 Auk sp. west, 34 Sandwich Terns west, 1 Common Tern west and 3 Kittiwakes east.

Visible Migration 
3 Swallows north-east.

Grounded Migrants 
1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Wheatear.

Others 
1 Shoveler, 230 Ringed Plovers, 4 Whimbrels, 21 Curlews, 13 Turnstones, 400 Sanderlings, 500 Dunlins, 50 Swifts and 60 House Martins.
 
 Sparrowhawk
 
 Grasshopper Warbler

Friday, 19th May 2017

Offshore 
5 Shelducks east, 92 Common Scoters east, 103 Manx Shearwaters west, 23 Gannets west, 1 Great Crested Grebe west, 2 Arctic Skuas east, 2 Auk sp. west, 6 Sandwich Terns west and 3 Common Terns 
 west.
 
 Sandwich Terns

Visible Migration 
34 Swallows north and 2 House Martins north.

Grounded Migrants 
1 Wheatear.

Others
1 Little Egret, 255 Ringed Plovers, 6 Whimbrels, 21 Turnstones, 600 Sanderlings and 500 Dunlins.

Thursday, 18th May 2017

Offshore
4 Shelducks east, 43 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Manx Shearwaters west, 20 Gannets west, 1 Arctic Skua east, 11 Guillemots east, 9 Auk sp. east, 3 Sandwich Terns and 17 Kittiwakes east.

Visible Migration 
13 Swallows north.

Grounded Migrants
1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Whinchat and 3 Wheatears.
 
 Wheatear

Others 
220 Ringed Plovers, 11 Whimbrels, 18 Turnstones, 600 Sanderlings and 500 Dunlins.
 
 Sanderling

Wednesday, 17th May 2017

A decent seawatch this morning with two more Puffins recorded and a decent movement of Common Scoters.

Offshore
1115 Common Scoters east, 5 Red-throated Divers east, 5 Manx Shearwaters west, 34 Gannets west, 1 Arctic Skua east, 2 Puffins east, 6 Guillemots east, 19 Auk sp. east, 7 Sandwich Terns and 14 Kittiwakes west & 8 east.

Visible Migration
22 Swallows north and 1 Tree Pipit north-east.

Grounded Migrants
1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Siskin.
 
 Spotted Flycatcher

Others
225 Ringed Plovers, 5 Whimbrels, 22 Turnstones, 600 Sanderlings and 500 Dunlins.
 
 Dunlins

Tuesday, 16th May 2017

Offshore
33 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 2 Manx Shearwaters west, 8 Gannets west and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Visible Migration 
21 Swallows north and 3 House Martins north.

Grounded Migrants
1 Wheatear.

Others 
280 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whimbrels, 29 Turnstones, 500 Sanderlings and 750 Dunlins.
 
 Dunlin

Monday, 15th May 2017

Offshore:
11 Common Scoters east, 9 Gannets west, 3 Sandwich Terns and 1 Common Tern.

Others 
375 Ringed Plovers, 1 Whimbrel, 22 Turnstones, 650 Sanderlings, 900 Dunlins, 2 Sand Martins and 35 House Martins.
 
 Sanderling
 
 Ringed Plovers

Sunday, 14th May 2017

Offshore
143 Common Scoters east, 1 Fulmar west, 18 Manx Shearwaters west, 103 Gannets west, 2 Great Crested Grebes east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 9 Guillemots west, 7 Auk sp. west, 10 Sandwich Terns west, 1 Common Tern west, 9 Arctic Terns east and 5 Kittiwakes west.

Visible Migration 
9 Swallows north-east and 2 House Martins north-east.

Grounded Migrants 
1 Whinchat, 3 Wheatears, 1 White Wagtail and 1 Tree Pipit.

Others
1 Shoveler, 415 Ringed Plovers, 3 Whimbrels, 36 Turnstones, 700 Sanderlings, 1000 Dunlins and 1 Grey Wagtail.
 
 Sanderling
 
 Sedge Warbler

Whitethroat

Saturday, 13th May 2017

Offshore 
38 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser east, 4 Red-throated Divers east, 9 Manx Shearwaters west, 18 Gannets west, 1 Arctic Skua east, 4 Guillemots east and 3 Sandwich Terns.

Visible Migration
1 Whimbrel east, 36 Swallows north-east and 2 House Martins north-east.

Grounded Migrants 
60 Swifts, 4 Sand Martins, 35 Swallows and 60 House Martins - over the pools during the morning rain showers, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whinchats and 6 Wheatears.
 
 Whinchat

Others
475 Ringed Plovers, 3 Whimbrels, 43 Turnstones, 750 Sanderlings, 1200 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.
Dunlins
 
 Ringed Plovers

Friday, 12th May 2017



Another arrival of migrants today with Spotted Flycatcher being the main species involved, there were at least twenty recorded around the Obs plus a single Wood Warbler.

 Spotted Flycatcher

Offshore 
12 Common Scoters east, 2 Red-throated Divers east, 5 Manx Shearwaters east, 4 Gannets east, 1 Guillemot east, 2 Black Terns east, 2 Sandwich Terns and 3 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration
1 Whimbrel east, 9 Swifts east, 3 Sand Martins north-east, 86 Swallows north-east, 5 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 2 Tree Pipits north-east and 2 Redpolls east.

Grounded Migrants
1 Wood Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Whitethroats, 3 Sedge Warblers, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 20 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Whinchats and  7 Wheatears.

 Whitethroat

 Grasshopper Warbler

Others
220 Ringed Plovers, 5 Whimbrels, 25 Turnstones, 500 Sanderlings, 850 Dunlins, 1 Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Thursday, 11th May 2017



A Marsh Harrier and an Osprey flying through were todays highlights.

Offshore
8 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-throated Diver east, 4 Manx Shearwaters west, 10 Gannets east, 1 Guillemot east, 4 Auk sp. east, 1 Little Tern east, 5 Sandwich Terns and 7 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration 
1 Marsh Harrier east, 1 Osprey - very high north late morning - nearly slipped through if it wasn't for alarm calling Gulls, 7 Whimbrels east, 14 Swifts north-east, 2 Sand Martins north-east, 123 Swallows north-east, 5 Tree Pipits north-east, 4 Redpolls east  and 5 Goldfinch east.

 Marsh Harrier

Grounded Migrants 
1 Garden Warbler, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 2 White Wagtails.

 Whinchat

 Spotted Flycatcher

Yellow Wagtail

Others 
155 Ringed Plovers, 6 Whimbrels, 11 Turnstones, 300 Sanderlings, 1000 Dunlins and 2 Common Sandpipers.

Wednesday, 10th May 2017

A Richard's Pipit found on the golf course this afternoon was an unexpected find. IG had returned to Rossall Point to check through the waders on the receding tide and heard the bird call from the golf course. It was sat on the fairway by the walkover style before being flushed by golfers and it landed briefly in some
'rough' before flying off SE. There was also another arrival of common migrants with good numbers of Whitethroats, Sedge & Reed Warblers and a Hobby was over the water meadows in the evening.

Richard's Pipit

Offshore
31 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Manx Shearwaters west, 7 Gannets east, 5 Auk sp. east, 6 Sandwich Terns and 4 Common Terns.

Visible Migration:
6 Whimbrels north, 17 Swifts north-east, 6 Sand Martins north-east, 255 Swallows north-east, 18 House Martins north-east, 4 Yellow Wagtails east, 12 Tree Pipits north-east and 4 Redpolls east.

Grounded Migrants
3 Willow Warblers, 3 Garden Warblers, 15 Whitethroats, 10 new Reed Warblers, 15 Sedge Warblers, 3 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Richard's Pipit.
 
 Richard's Pipit (right)

Whinchat

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Others
170 Ringed Plovers, 11 Whimbrels, 22 Turnstones, 350 Sanderlings, 1200 Dunlins, 30 Swifts, 1 Hobby and 4 Sand Martins.

Tuesday, 9th May 2017

A single Hooded Crow that flew north across the bay was the most notable bird today.

Hooded Crow

Offshore 
378 Common Scoters east, 7 Red-throated Divers east, 11 Manx Shearwaters east, 6 Gannets east, 2 Guillemots east, 4 Auk sp. east, 4 Sandwich Terns, 42 Arctic Terns east and 7 Kittiwakes east.

Visible Migration:
1 Whimbrel east, 1 Hooded Crow north, 8 Sand Martins north-east, 127 Swallows North-east, 2 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east and 4 Redpolls
east.

Grounded Migration
3 Willow Warblers, 1 Whitethroat and 4 Wheatears.
 
 Wheatear

Others 
160 Ringed Plovers, 6 Whimbrels, 16 Turnstones, 125 Sanderlings, 750 Dunlins and 2 Sand Martins.

Monday, 8th May 2017

An unprecedented count of 5 Puffins were seen this morning. The first two birds flew east shortly followed by two more accompanying four Razorbills, and a little later a single bird flew in. This species is just about annual here, but there seems to have been an influx with several sightings off the Lancashire coast during the month. There was also another good movement of Hirundines and the first Hobby of the year was recorded.

Offshore
46 Common Scoters east, 14 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Manx Shearwaters east, 17 Gannets east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 5 Puffins east - 2 in at 0625, 2 in at 0650 and a single in at 0705, 4 Razorbills east, 7 Guillemots east, 22 Auk sp. east, 2 Little Terns east, 7 Sandwich Terns and 11 Arctic Terns east.
 
 Gannets
 
 Arctic Skua

Visible Migration 
31 Pink-footed Geese north, 12 Whimbrels east, 1 Wood Pigeon east, 5 Swifts north-east, 1 Hobby north, 17 Sand Martins north-east, 656 Swallows north-east, 96 House Martins north-east, 1 Willow Warbler in-off and landed on the embankment before departing inland, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 1 Alba Wagtail north-east, 4 Tree Pipits north-east, 1 Meadow Pipit north-east, 2 Linnets east, 11 Redpolls east, 10 Goldfinch east and 1 Siskin east.

Grounded Migrants 
2 Willow Warblers, 3 Whinchats and 5 Wheatears.

Others 
170 Ringed Plovers, 8 Whimbrels, 17 Turnstones, 130 Sanderlings, 700 Dunlins and 3 Common Sandpipers.
 
 Whimbrels
 
 Whitethroat

Sunday, 7th May 2017

Another excellent migration day, the highlight`s being four Pomarine Skuas offshore, 2 showy singing male Wood Warblers and the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year.

Wood Warbler

Offshore:
4 Shelducks east, 778 Common Scoters east, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 18 Red-throated Divers east, 26 Gannets east, 4 light morph Pomarine Skuas (2 singles NE early morning & 2 came in late morning and landed on the sea opposite the tower. These two birds drifted back out on the receding tide), 4 Arctic Skuas east/north-east, 9 Guillemots east, 10 Auk sp. east, 1 Little Tern east, 11 Sandwich Terns, 334 Arctic Terns east and 39 Kittiwakes east.
 
 Pomarine Skua

Visible Migration:
15 Whimbrels east, 11 Swifts north-east, 5 Sand Martins north-east, 270 Swallows north-east, 13 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 4 Tree Pipits north-east, 3 Meadow Pipits north-east, 6 Linnets east, 13 Redpolls east and 14 Goldfinch east.

Grounded Migrants 
1 Cuckoo, 2 Wood Warblers, 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Whitethroats, 5 Sedge Warblers, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Lesser Redpolls.
 
 Whinchat (above & below)


Wood Warbler

Others 
165 Ringed Plovers, 7 Whimbrels, 17 Turnstones, 130 Sanderlings, 800 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Ringing
2 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Blackcap, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Robin and 1 Greenfinch.
 
 Sedge Warbler