February 2005

Sunday 20th

Another three hours today gave us 16 Guillemots, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 46 Red-throated Divers, 5 Gannets, and single Black-throated and Great Northern Divers close inshore - all birds moving up channel. A Harbour Porpoise put in a brief appearance.

Saturday 19th

A four-hour seawatch produced the following movement - all up channel: 10 Gannets, 2 Brent Geese, 28 Guillemots, 25 Red-throated Divers, 10 Oystercatchers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Cormorants, 2 Curlew, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers with 2 Carrion Crow in off.

We were kept entertained however by some superb views of 2 Harbour Porpoises just offshore for well over 2 hours. A Common Seal also popped it's head up a couple of times.

Wednesday 16th

A freezing, two-hour seawatch this morning produced the following birds: 268 Guillemots, 241 Red-throated Divers, 4 Shelduck, 28 Kittiwakes and a single Brent Goose, all moving up channel, with 20 Common Scoter heading down channel. A Harbour Porpoise put in a brief appearance.

Saturday 12th

Highlight was a Red-necked Grebe on the sea, with 27 Red-throated Divers moving up channel together with 50 auk sp. A Red Admiral also flew in off - the first butterfly of the year.

Wednesday 9th

A quick look in Oldstairs Bay found 193 Common Gulls roosting on the sea and beach with 600 Black-headed Gulls and 10 Oystercatchers.