Sightings March 2009

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1st A large easterly movement of Brent Geese occurred during the morning involving at least 2360 birds. Good numbers of Common Scoters were also offshore along with 18 Velvet Scoters. The Iceland Gull and two adult Mediterranean Gulls were also feeding offshore.

On the land, two Merlins were seen, two Black Redstarts were feeding along the power station wall and three Siskins flew over.

2nd The Iceland Gull was still feeding at the Patch during the morning. There was a trickle of birds moving overhead including a Grey Heron, 22 Wood Pigeons, three Grey Wagtails, nine Chaffinches and eight Siskins whilst a Woodcock and seven Redwings were found on the ground.
3rd An increasingly wet and windy day with gale force winds by the evening. A few Brent Geese moved east during the morning along with two Sandwich Terns.

The Iceland Gull continues to show well at the fishing boats or the Patch.

Iceland Gull
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4th The Iceland Gull was still present and 647 Brent Geese flew east. Two Firecrests were seen in the trapping area.
5th A very quiet, if pleasant, day. The Iceland Gull was still present and three Sandwich Terns flew east. Two Black Redstarts were seen on the approach to the Observatory and the party of Long-tailed Tits were still at the Long Pits. Three Sparrowhawks flying high over the area may have been migrants.
6th A trickle of finches passed through during the morning including 20 Chaffinches, a Brambling and three Siskins. The Iceland Gull was still present.
7th The Iceland Gull, a Black Redstart and a Siskin were the only birds of note on another very quiet day.
8th The Iceland Gull and a first-winter Little Gull were feeding offshore or at the Patch throughout the day and 360 Brent Geese passed through. It was quiet on the land although three Woodcock in the bushes were of note and a few Redwings were seen.
9th The Iceland Gull and a first-winter Little Gull were feeding at the Patch and were joined by a first-winter Caspian Gull in the afternoon. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew east in the morning.

A Marsh Harrier flew over the area and singles of Woodcock and Siskin were also seen.
10th Still extremely quiet with just the Iceland Gull and Little Gull offshore and 400 Brent Geese passing east offshore.
11th  The highlight of the day was a fine pair of Garganey which spent a couple of hours during the morning on the southern Long Pit with the male frequently uttering its display call (as in the image below). There were a few other grounded migrants including a Woodcock, a Fieldfare,130 Redwings and a Firecrest whilst birds passing overhead included two Grey Wagtails, 22 Siskins and the first migrating Linnets of the spring. 

Grarganey
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There was little to be seen offshore other than an adult Mediterranean Gull and eight Sandwich Terns.
12th The first Wheatear of the spring arrived this morning along with a handful of other grounded migrants including seven Stonechats, 12 Redwings, three Chiffchaffs and four Firecrests.

The Iceland Gull was back at the fishing boats along with a first-winter Little Gull and there was an adult Mediterranean Gull at the Patch in the morning. Two Sandwich Terns also flew east.
13th Thick fog for most of the morning made observations but there was clearly little in the way of new migrants in the area. Two Chiffchaffs and two Firecrests were seen in the bushes and five Siskins flew over.

The Iceland Gull was at the fishing boats again.
14th Another very murky morning grounded a handful of migrants with six Wheatears,  two Chiffchaffs and four Firecrests. Several new Stonechats arrived with at least one male appearing to be of the subspecies rubicola. Two Black Redstarts were also seen near the old lighthouse.

The Iceland Gull was at the fishing boats in the afternoon. 

15th A bright, sunny day produced a good variety of migrants although overall numbers were low. 

Of note on the land were a Long-eared Owl and a Bullfinch in the trapping area, two Ravens loitering around the power stations for a time during the morning and a Woodcock was flushed from the moat. Five Wheatears and a Firecrest were also present whilst birds passing overhead included 120 Wood Pigeons, six Collared Doves, 12 Chaffinches and two Siskins.

It was quiet offshore although the Iceland Gull was still present and 12 Sandwich Terns were seen. 
16th Another day with a trickle of migrants including ten Wheatears, eight Chiffchaffs and four Firecrests. There were two adult Mediterranean Gulls at the Patch and the Iceland Gull was at the fishing boats again.
17th Small numbers of migrants again with four Wheatears, 13 Chiffchaffs and three Firecrests in the bushes and 12 Siskins flying over. It was very quiet offshore although a party of five Avocets flew east. The Iceland Gull and two Yellow-legged Gulls were at the Patch in the morning.
18th A light south-easterly breeze for the first few hours of the day produced a small easterly movement of birds offshore with the highlights being a Great Northern Diver and 15 Garganey. Also of interest were 41 Teal, 11 Shoveler, 20 Pintail and 47 Sandwich Terns. The Iceland Gull was still present and a Merlin also arrived.

It was fairly quiet on the land with just five Black Redstarts, eight Wheatears and four Chiffchaffs of interest.

19th A small movement of birds offshore included two Garganeys and the Iceland Gull was still present.

Very quiet on the land with just one Black Redstart, one Wheatear, five Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest of note.
20th A few duck flew east including two Gadwall, 20 Teal and 14 Shoveler along with 265 Gannets and 33 Sandwich Terns. The Iceland Gull was still on the beach.

Very quiet on the land again with just two each of Black Redstart, Wheatear and Firecrest and six Siskins of interest.
21st Another small easterly movement of birds offshore with 290 Brent Geese, seven Shovelers and 65 Sandwich Terns of note. The Iceland Gull was still present.

Very few birds on the land yet again but they did include two Black Redstarts, five Wheatears, six Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests, six Siskins and a Bullfinch.
22nd A trickle of interesting birds overhead included two Buzzards, three Marsh Harriers, our first Swallow of the spring and two Ravens but it was quiet on the ground with just four Woodcocks, two Black Redstarts, two Wheatears, two Fieldfares, 31 Redwings and seven Chiffchaffs of note.

Raven
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The Iceland Gull was seen again.
23rd A reasonable easterly movement of Brent Geese occurred during the morning with 745 birds seen but very little else was moving except for 88 Sandwich Terns which flew west. The first-winter Iceland Gull and a third-summer Yellow-legged Gull gave good views at the fishing boats.

Still very little to be found on the land with just three Black Redstarts, four Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest being the best of it.
24th With a fresh and very cold north-westerly wind blowing it was very quiet with just two Mediterranean Gulls offshore, a couple of Merlins hunting around the beach and two Wheatears in the moat of note.
25th A Great Skua flew east and the Iceland Gull was still present. Single Swallow and Firecrest were also seen.   
26th A total of 395 Brent Geese flew east and the Iceland Gull continues to show.
27th One Black-throated Diver flying east and the regular Iceland Gull were the only notable birds.
28th A Black-necked Grebe was seen offshore, the Iceland Gull was seen again and a Swallow flew through.
29th A Great Northern Diver and 267 Sandwich Terns flew east and the Iceland Gull was still present. On the land, five Black Redstarts, seven Wheatears and a Raven were of note.
30th A slight increase in the numbers of migrants around although numbers still remain low. Two Sand Martins and a Blackcap were new for the year whilst other migrants included 150 Wood Pigeons, six Swallows, four Black Redstarts, 12 Wheatears and 12 Chiffchaffs.

The Iceland Gull was still present and 180 Sandwich Terns were seen offshore. A Velvet Scoter also flew west.
31st The trickle of migrants continues with five Sand Martins,15 Chiffchaffs and the first two Willow Warblers of the year seen along with four Black Redstarts and ten Wheatear. The two Ravens made another appearance within the Observatory recording area.

The Iceland Gull was feeding off the fishing boats in the afternoon.