Horrible pic of some of the Scotney Whitefronts

A lovely windless, crisp, bright morning is a rare event here. I parked at the entrance to Scotney Farm and headed towards  the wind turbines. A Marsh Harrier was hunting the banks at the back of the main pit flushing a couple of Snipe and a Redshank. At the farm a couple of Corn Buntings were feeding with the Chaffinch flock. On the eastern back lake a Black-necked Grebe among many Pochard and Tufted Duck. In the fields behind I found at least 18 Greater White-fronted Geese among c500 Greylags. Further on 3 dark bellied Brent Geese were with the feral Barnacle Goose flock, also 8 Egyptian Geese. Near the turbines a mixed flock of c60 Corn Buntings and 20 Reed Buntings were scattered by a ring tail Hen Harrier, a few Skylarks were seen on the walk along with a single Common Buzzard. On the western back lake 2 Great White Egrets, 48 Shelduck, c200 Wigeon, and 100+ Shoveler. 

 Sanderling sparkling in the morning sunshine

 A walk along the beach this morning found a roosting flock of c60 Sanderling, c20 Dunlin and 6 Turnstone, the calm sea was once again littered with Guillemots, Cormorants, Great-crested Grebes and a few Red-throated Divers. In the large roost I was unable to pick out anything unusual.

 Sanderling & Dunlin

 Turnstone

 1w Caspian Gull at the puddles

A short visit to Cooks Pool found the Ring-necked Duck still insitu, also a Great White Egret there.

Marsh Harrier heading for France this afternoon

14.00-15.00 from the turning circle:

Red-throated Diver:  8 up
Great-crested Grebe: 53 around
Gannet: 42 down     8 up
Cormorants: many present n/c
Marsh Harrier: 1 out
Oystercatcher: 8 down
Great Skua: 1 around beating up Great Black-backed Gulls
Black-headed Gull: many around n/c
Common Gull: a few around n/c
Herring Gull: many around n/c
Caspian Gull: regular 1w at the puddles
Great Black-backed Gulls: many present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: some present n/c
Kittiwake: 16 down
Guillemot: c50 around
Razorbill: 4+ around
Pied Wagtail: 2 on beach
Grey Seal: 1

Just a couple of hours sea watching today. 08.00-10.00 from the fishing boats with MH & CP.

Great Skua from the fishingboats

Common Scoter: 2 down
Velvet Scoter: 1 down
Red-throated Diver:   15 down        9 up
Great-crested Grebe:  100s could be seen distantly in Lade Bay.
Cormorant: 141 in one sweep per MH though several 110s more over the 2 hours.
Turnstone: flock of 19 on beach
Great Skua: 1 down    +  1 around
Black-headed Gull: many present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 1 up
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: many present n/c
Lesser Black Backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black Backed Gull: many present n/c
Kittiwake:  47 down
Guillemot: 300+ around
Razorbill: 3 around

1w Caspian Gull at the Fish Hut

08.15-10.00 from the turning circle with DW

Brent Goose:  1 up
Common Scoter: 9 down
Velvet Scoter:  1 down
Red-throated Diver: 201 down
Gannet:  221 down
Cormorant: many present n/c
Black-headed Gull: many present n/c
Common Gull: many present n/c
Herring Gull: many present n/c
Great Black Backed Gull: many present n/c
Kittiwake: 17 down
Guillemot/Razorbill: 200+ around

On the reserve The Ring-necked Duck and Long-eared Owl were still present, as was 2 red head Smew, 5 Goldeneye, Water Rail, Great White Egret and Bittern of note.

This afternoon back on the beach much the same as this morning except for the appearance of a 1w Caspian Gull and 114+ Great Crested Grebes.

Auks!

Gannet starting it's dive

07.45-09.45 with MH & DW from the fishing boats. Once again this morning the sea was littered with Auks.

Brent Goose:   15 up
Common Scoter:  10 up   1 down
Red-throated Diver: 97 up       10 down         2 on
Gannet:   371  down        c40 off shore
Oystercatcher:  4 up    1 down
Turnstone:  3 around
Great Skua:  1 up
Mediterranean Gull:  1 up
Kittiwake:  67 up     2 down
Guillemot:  300+ around
Razorbill: 20+ around
Grey Seal: 1

 Ring-necked Duck and friends this morning

On the reserve the Ring-necked Duck still showing well, unlike the Long-eared Owl that was missing from the Dipping Pool again today but there yesterday.

On Burrowes 2 red head  Smew, 6 Goldeneye, 4+ Caspian Gulls (ad + nr ad + 2 x 1w), ad Yellow-legged Gull, couldn't find the leucistic Lapwing today, it was present yesterday.

A brief foray out onto Walland  saw the 18 Bewick Swans and 100s of winter thrushes still.

Water Rail refusing to some out into the open at Scott hide today.

This afternoon at the fishing boats:

14.00- 15.15 with MH joined by PT
Red-throated Diver:    8 down
Great-crested Grebe:  12 around
Gannet: 236 down
Kittiwake: 117 down
Auks: as this morning

2 1w Caspian Gulls were by the Fish Hut this afternoon.

Stejneger's Stonechat!!!

 Stejneger's Stonechat  5th December 2016 (it's last day)

Well done Owen Leyshon on your excellent find, also many thanks to Martin Collinson for his expertise with analysing the DNA. 

Stejneger's Stonechat 8th November 2016 (it's first day)

A miserable looking Caspian Gull at the Fish Hut this morning

08.00-10.00 from the turning circle in SW 3-4 with drizzle.
All down channel unless stated otherwise:

Teal:         6
Common Scoter:  6
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Red-throated Diver: 16
Fulmar:          5
Gannet:      984
Cormorant: many present n/c
Great Skua:   2
Black-headed Gull:  many present n/c
Common Gull:  many present n/c
Herring Gull:   many present n/c
Great Black Backed Gull:  many present n/c
Kittiwake:   18
Auk:        1664 vast majority were Guillemots

The Bewick Swans from Hanson

The 1w Caspian Gull was by the Fish Hut when I arrived this morning and still present when I left.
A short visit to the ARC from Hanson found 18 Bewick Swans (17 ads 1 juv) asleep on 1 of the remaining shallow areas, also Great White Egret there and 2 Goldeneye of note. As I left the hide the rain set in which I did not mind as I had to spend the rest of the day Christmas shopping.

Gannet at the fishing boats this morning

 08.10-10.10 from the fishing boats:

Shelduck: 1 down
Common Scoter: 1 up
Red-throated Diver: 103 up
Great-crested Grebe: 4 on sea
Gannet: 133 up
Cormorant: many present
Oystercatcher: 9 up
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Great Skua: 1 down
Black-headed Gull: many present
Mediterranean Gull: 2 up
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: many present
1w Caspian Gull: the regular bird at the puddles
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: many present
Kittiwake: 7 up     5 around
Guillemot: 621 up     200+ on sea
Razorbill:   16 up       3 on sea
Auk sp:  541 up

 1w Caspian Gull at the puddles

 If you want to get close views bring bread

At Cooks Pool, Boulderwall the Ring-necked Duck was showing well late morning. In 2 visits to Burrowes late morning and mid afternoon, 3 Caspian Gulls an adult and 2 x 1w, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls 2 x  adults and 3rd year bird, 3 red head Smew and 3 Godeneye. again no sign of the Long-eared Owl today.
At Scotney all the usual feral geese and wildfowl but nothing notable.
Late afternoon 12 Great White Egrets and 16 Little Egrets came into the ARC roost this evening, also a drake Goosander flew towards Burrowes.

This mornings sea watch from the turning circle from the relative comfort of the car. The fog horn was blasting out through the mist and steady drizzle over a flat calm sea:
08.00-09.15
Brent Goose: 4 up
Teal: 3 up
Long-tailed Duck: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 5 on sea
Red-throated Diver: 17 down   2 up     2 on sea
Gannet: 40+ feeding
Merlin: 1 hunting at sea
Oystercatcher: 1 up
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Great Skua: 1 down
Kittiwake:  3 down    4 around
Guillemot: 200+ down    20+ up         30+ on sea
Razorbill:  14 down       2 up          2 on sea
Grey Seal:  1

Out of interest is it still necessary to have fog horns, surely these days ships have radar, sonar and GPS. If someone knows the reason please enlighten me.  

The Ring-necked Duck was back on Cooks Pool today but no sign of the Long-eared Owl. From the comfort of the VC  an adult Caspian Gull, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Goldeneye of note.

Early afternoon back at the beach the regular 1w Caspian Gull came to some bread, while offshore, a Fulmar flew up channel as did 2 Common Scoter and 5 Brent Geese, also 3 Brent Geese flew down channel. The weather closed in again so home for a cup of tea. 

Galloways Again!

A gloomy wind less early morning at the fishing boats, on flat calm sea a feeding frenzy of c50 Gannets plunging in among c200 Cormorants, c20 Guillemots and a few Great-crested Grebes. In half an hour 44 Red-throated Divers flew down channel and 5 up, apart from these little else seemed to be moving.

 Bewick Swans leaving the ARC this morning

18 Bewick Swans left the ARC to go to Walland to feed. The Long-eared Owl was back at the Dipping Pool this morning and 1w Kittiwake was on Burrowes. The Ring-necked Duck moved to the ARC today and 2 Goosander also there per RO.

Red-throated Divers past Galloways

As there has been no firing on the ranges for the last few days, I decided to walk along the beach from Galloways towards The Midrips, someone has to make the sacrifice. Off shore Red-throated Divers were much in evidence tooing and froing which was just as well as in 2.5 hrs on the beach and salt marsh apart from the Gulls I saw the grand total of 2 Meadow Pipits, a single Redshank and a Kestrel.

Late afternoon from the viewing ramp on the reserve 5 Marsh Harriers flew through, as did 2 Common Buzzards and a Raven. A Bittern gave a brief flyby, Bearded Tits, a Kingfisher and Cetti's Warblers were present. A wren entertained with peculiar behaviour on the Bearded Tits grit tray by rolling in and covering its self in the grit. A brief adrenalin rush occurred when I was scanning through a flock of c500 Lapwing I picked out a pale buffy coloured individual. I quickly changed the 30x for a 60x zoom through which I could see the bird was just a leucistic Lapwing.