Wednesday 18/12/2019

Great Skua in front the sea watch hide this morning

08:10-10:10 from the sea watch hide with RW, SO, LH, PH &BB.

Brent Goose: 547E     2W (It seems seems to be a regular event Brent moving East in December)
Wigeon: 2W
Common Scoter: 25W    17E
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E   1W
Red-throated Diver: 69W    17E
Great-crested Grebe: 5E        3 o/s
Fulmar: 3E  1W
Gannet: 38W     29E
Cormorant: c1,500 o/s
Oystercatcher: 5E
Great Skua: 1E   ( settled on sea close inshore drifting East)
Kittiwake: 12E    21W
Mediterranean Gull: 6E       3W       1 o/s
Guillemot: 24W     7E    26 o/s
Razorbill: 1W
Auk sp: 52W        13E
Common Seal: 1

 I think the Skua had a problem as it was regularly inundated

Some of the Brent Geese passing the hide

At The Patch 100s of Gulls but I could only find a Mediterranean Gull there of note

 Late morning at Scotney, I was unable to find the Long-tailed Duck or yesterdays Goosander, but still 1,000s of Golden Plover and Lapwing present, also 2 Curlew, 2 Ruff, 2+ Marsh Harriers, 188 Barnacle Geese and the 4 hybrids along with 100s of Greylags and Canada Geese.

 Lapwings and Golden Plover

Yesterdays Goosander

The reserve was very quiet this afternoon, the highlight being the 13 Black-tailed Godwits from Firth, no sign of any Chiffchaffs and very Gulls. The islands are rapidly disappearing, what remains is smothered in 1,000s of Cormorants that seem to be getting smellier by the day. By 15.15 the light was rapidly going so myself and RW called it a day.