11/12/2023

An uninspiring sea watch this morning staring into the low sun.

 Wind W 4, Temp  10° Clear & Sunny

08.00-09.15  with RW

Common Scoter:7W

Great-crested Grebe: 2W     1E

Kittiwake: 13W

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Lesser Black-backed Gull:  present

Guillemot: 2W   

Razorbill: 3W 

Auk sp: 34W         20E

Red-throated Diver: 57W    2E

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 88W      7E

Cormorant: 462 into Rye Bay

Some of the wild Swans were a little closer to the road than they have been lately, there were 4 Whooper Swans and 22 Bewick Swans in this group. 100s of Fieldfares were in the Hawthorns but few Redwing, nice to see 2 Mistle Thrushes there.

At Scotney the Black-necked Grebe was still present but I was unable to locate any White-fronted Geese, the main spectacle was c2,000 Golden Plover on the sward, alas I could find nothing unusual among them.

On the reserve the main intent is the 2 Great Northern Divers and the Black-throated Diver (a Red-throated Diver was also reported today). The 3 Glossy Ibis have returned to the Horse Paddocks after disappearing for a while during the cold spell. There were plenty of feral Geese on the Boulderwall Fields but no wild geese were found.

2 Great Northern Divers and a Black-throated Diver

Great Northern Diver and a Black-throated Diver

                                                                Black-throated Diver

 

Great Northern Diver