Woodcock Surprise!

 B4 Great Black Backed Gull (probably Dutch ringed)

 Pink billed Herring Gull

Most of my day was spent on the beach looking at Gulls and sea watching. I  don't really know why I enjoy sea watching so much especially on drizzly miserable afternoon like today. 4 hrs on my own staring out to sea counting mainly Kittiwakes, then I spot a dark dot miles out and start to follow it with the scope, it appears to be coming towards the shore but I have no idea what it is, a couple of minutes later it's still coming in but still I have no idea what it is, all I know it's dark and fast, very fast and agile as it easily evades the attentions of Great Black Backed Gull, is it a Merlin? no to big, wrong shape and flight, then it rises briefly above the horizon showing a long bill, the penny drops Woodcock! I grab the camera and fire off some shots, it is approaching the shore quickly, I press the shutter again and hope for the best as it comes ashore, up and over the beach in land towards The Desert. Those few minutes watching it come in trying to identify it, managing a poor record shot made my 4hr vigil worthwhile. Thats why I love sea watching you just never know what will happen.   

                                  07.40-09.00                                       12.10-16.20
Brent Goose:                                                                          17W
Teal:                                                                                         4W
Common Scoter:          2E
Red-Throated Diver:                                                               1W
Great-crested Grebe:   3W                                                      7 on sea
Gannet:                    181W                                                    47W         4E
Curlew:                        3W
Turnstone:          1 on beach                                                    4 on beach
Woodcock:                                                                              1 in
Mediterranean Gull:   1W                                                       7W
Kittiwake:                36W                                                    323W
Sandwich Tern:                                                                       7W
Guillemot:                                                                             38W    2 on sea
Razorbill:                                                                                6W    1 on sea
Auk sp:                   12W                                                       54W
Swallow:                4 out
Pied Wagtail:         3 on beach
Goldfinch:          176 over
Siskin:                4 over
Linnet:              35 over
Harbour Porpoise:                                                                   2
Grey Seal:                                                                               1

Sandwich Tern 1 of 7 this afternoon

This Woodcock was a real surprise coming in off the sea.

A mid morning look at Burrowes found a different 1w Caspian Gull from Makepiece, also of note the 2 red head Smew, Goosander, 3+ Great White Egrets plus the usual Wildfowl.

Scotney held 300+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, c400 Wigeon and the usual feral Geese, also a couple of Marsh Harriers hunting the north bank but again no sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard which has presumably moved on.

Brent Geese (no juveniles) past the fishing boats