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

Saturday, 6th May 2017

Offshore:

55 Common Scoters east & 27 west, 1 male Velvet Scoter west, 17 Red-throated Divers east, 8 Gannets east, 2 Razorbills east, 1 Guillemot, 11 Auk sp. east, 6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern east and 250 Arctic Terns - these spent much of the morning feeding in the mouth of the bay.

Visible Migration:

17 Whimbrels east, 44 Swifts north-east, 1 Rook east, 3 Sand Martins north-east, 122 Swallows north-east, 3 House Martins north-east, 5 Tree Pipits north-east, 1 Meadow Pipit north-east, 25 Redpolls east and 14 Goldfinch east.

 

 Swift

 

 Whimbrel

Grounded Migrants 

2 Wheatears.

Others 

150 Ringed Plovers, 17 Whimbrels, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Sanderlings, 700 Dunlins and 2 Common Sandpipers.

 

Atlantic Grey Seal

Friday, 5th May 2017

A Puffin flew east close inshore this morning giving superb views, the closest IG has ever seen off here. It sounds like Pete at Heysham saw the same bird later on, again giving excellent views.

Offshore:

47 Common Scoters east, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Red-throated Divers east, 4 Gannets east, 1 Puffin east, 1 Razorbill east, 6 Guillemots east, 18 Auk sp. east, 7 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and 21 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration

4 Whimbrels east, 22 Swifts north-east, 3 Sand Martins north-east, 95 Swallows north-east, 4 House Martins north-east, 1 Alba Wagtail north-east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east, 2 Meadow Pipits north-east, 3 Linnets east, 58 Redpolls east and 23 Goldfinch east.

 Swift

Grounded Migrants 

1 Whinchat and 2 Wheatears.

 Whinchat

Others

6 Grey Plovers, 110 Ringed Plovers, 14 Whimbrels, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 33 Turnstones, 60 Sanderlings and 750 Dunlins.

 Mistle Thrush

Thursday, 4th May 2017

Offshore 

5 Shelducks east, 27 Common Scoters east, 7 Red-throated Divers east, 17 Gannets east, 2 Great Crested Grebes east, 8 Guillemots east, 4 Razorbills east, 27 Auk sp. east, 11 Sandwich Terns, 25 Arctic Terns east and 3 Kittiwakes east.

Visible Migration:

2 Whimbrels east, 2 Sand Martins north-east, 71 Swallows north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 5 Alba Wagtails north-east, 1 Tree Pipit north-east, 8 Linnets east, 22 Redpolls east and 32 Goldfinch east.

 

 Whimbrel

Grounded Migrants

4 Wheatears and 1 White Wagtail.

Others

1 Little Egret, 88 Ringed Plovers, 16 Whimbrels, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 31 Turnstones, 55 Sanderlings, 800 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.

 

 Chiffchaff

Wednesday, 3rd May 2017

The highlight of the day was an Avocet that flew east in to the bay and five Goosanders that are just about annual here.

 

Offshore:

2 Shelducks east, 36 Common Scoters east, 5 Goosanders east, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 4 Red-throated Divers east, 2 Manx Shearwaters east, 3 Gannets east, 1 Great Crested Grebe east, 1 Arctic Skua east, 6 Guillemots east, 3 Razorbills east, 16 Auk sp. east, 9 Sandwich Terns, 27 Arctic Terns east, 3 Kittiwakes east and 1 2CY Med. Gull east.

 

 Gannets

Visible Migration

1 Avocet east, 2 Whimbrels east, 1 Sand Martin north-east, 47 Swallows north-east, 2 House Martins north-east, 1 Grey Wagtail east, 1 Alba Wagtail north-east, 3 Tree Pipits north-east, 10 Meadow Pipits north-east, 7 Linnets east, 9 Redpolls east and 25 Goldfinch east.

Grounded Migrants 

7 Wheatears and 2 White Wagtails.

 

 White Wagtail

Others 

78 Ringed Plovers, 19 Whimbrels, 26 Turnstones, 65 Sanderlings, 500 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Tuesday, 2nd May 2017

There was another arrival of migrants today with Willow Warblers being the most numerous. Two singing male Wood Warblers were located in the early afternoon, and whilst watching these a singing male Pied Flycatcher was found. Other highlights today were four late Whooper Swans, ten Black Terns feeding offshore in amongst seventy Arctic Terns and a good count of 93 Whimbrels.

Wood Warbler

Offshore 

4 Shelducks east, 189 Common Scoters east, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 5 Red-throated Divers east, 1 Manx Shearwater east, 3 Gannets east, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Arctic Skuas east, 2 Guillemots east, 5 Auk sp. east, 8 Black Terns, 25 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and 155 Arctic Terns east plus 70 feeding offshore mid morning.

Visible Migration 

4 Whooper Swans north, 2 Whimbrels east, 7 Sand Martins north-east, 68 Swallows north-east, 3 House Martins north-east, 1 Yellow Wagtail east, 3 Alba Wagtails north-east, 6 Tree Pipits north-east, 14 Meadow Pipits north-east, 4 Linnets east, 13 Redpolls east, 23 Goldfinch east and 1 Siskin east.

 

 Whooper Swans

Grounded Migrants 

2 Wood Warblers, 35 Willow Warblers, 1 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 9 Wheatears and 1 White Wagtail.

 

 Pied Flycatcher

Others

105 Ringed Plovers, 93 Whimbrels, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 42 Turnstones, 55 Sanderlings, 500 Dunlins and 2 Common Sandpipers.

 

 Whimbrels

Monday, 1st May 2017

There was an arrival of Whitethroats, Sedge & Reed Warblers today, and it actually sounded like spring! There was a decent Hirundine movement early on and the first Cuckoo of the year was recorded. Also of note was a late Golden Plover.

Offshore

3 Shelducks east, 101 Common Scoters east, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver east & 1 on the sea, 3 Gannets east, 2 Great Crested Grebes east, 2 Arctic Skuas east, 1 Razorbill east, 12 Sandwich Terns and 60 Arctic Terns east.

Visible Migration:

70 Pink-footed Geese north, 6 Whimbrels east, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker north, 8 Carrion Crows north-east, 51 Sand Martins north-east, 608 Swallows north-east, 11 House Martins north-east, 2 Yellow Wagtails east, 3 Alba Wagtails north-east, 4 Tree Pipits north-east, 47 Meadow Pipits north-east, 8 Linnets east, 20 Redpolls east, 43 Goldfinch east and 2 Siskins east.

Grounded Migrants 

1 Cuckoo, 2 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 20 Whitethroats, 4 Grasshopper Warblers, 15 Sedge Warblers, 10 Reed Warblers, 2 Whinchats and 15 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

 

 Grasshopper Warbler

Whitethroat

Reed Warbler

Others

2 Gadwalls, 1 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 1 Golden Plover, 9 Grey Plovers, 125 Ringed Plovers, 7 Whimbrels, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 68 Turnstones, 40 Sanderlings, 600 Dunlins and 1 Common Sandpiper.