20th and 21st November
A marvellously calm day on the 20th with a
light but cold NE breeze allowing us to get some decent counts in; wildfowl
included 482 Wigeon, 21 Gadwall, 137 Teal, 10 Pintail, 80 Mallard, 4
Long-tailed Ducks, a Goldeneye and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers while waders of
note comprised 117 Dunlin, 29 Bar-tailed Godwits, 36 Curlew, 66 Redshank and
112 Ringed Plover with 8 Herons.
Offshore were 3 Red-throated Divers, 8 Great-northern Divers and a Sooty
Shearwater past the Beacon.
On
the land, birds were pretty much as you were with a ringtail Hen Harrier, a
female Peregrine, a Woodcock, 21 Rock Pipits, 35 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, a
Chaffinch and 70 Snow Buntings.
Calm
still first thing on the 21st allowing us to get out for just a few
hours before the wind came back bringing heavy, persistent rain which lasted
from mid-morning right through until dark; a two hour seawatch from first light
produced good totals of 2,135 Fulmars (including 6 Blue ones) and 1,911 Auk sp.
along with 10 Sooty Shearwaters, a Great Skua, 635
Kittiwakes, 2 Little Auks and 5 Great-northern Divers. Elsewhere, there was little to mention with
14 Pintail on Bewan, the Black Redstart again by Nouster Pier where there was
also a Common Redpoll feeding with a flock of 14 Snow Buntings.
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