Hoodie

After a week of breeding waders, Great Crested Newts, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Primroses and Fritillaries it was great to get out for a relaxing morning's birding this morning. A sea watch was the order of the day with a 15 - 20 mph southwesterly wind blowing and a mid-morning tide. I tried to sea watch at my new spot on the coast but it was too exposed so had to go back to the old and trusted sheltered spot.

The 'vis' was all over the place this morning with some birds managing to head north and east early on, but as the wind increased they were heading west along the peninsula into wind. My meagre vis totals included a single Alba Wag, 14 Meadow Pipits, six Linnets, 28 Goldfinches and a Swallow. The best or most interesting bird I had on vis was a Hooded Crow that flew directly over my head being mobbed by Gulls. It headed northeast across the bay and dropped onto a sand bar. It was then mobbed by Gulls again and I lost it as it headed east.

The sea was quiet, with the main feature being a small movement of Gannets totalling 31 birds. The supporting cast included 69 Common Scoters, seven Red-throated Divers, five Red-breasted Mergansers, 115 Knots, nine Eiders, 13 Cormorants, 60 Dunlins, two Sandwich Terns, a Whimbrel, two Shelducks and 22 Ringed Plovers.

The forecast for tomorrow is for quite a stiff westerly wind so some more sea watching might be on the cards.