20th and 21st November


A marvellously calm day on the 20th with a light but cold NE breeze allowing us to get some decent counts in; wildfowl included 482 Wigeon, 21 Gadwall, 137 Teal, 10 Pintail, 80 Mallard, 4 Long-tailed Ducks, a Goldeneye and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers while waders of note comprised 117 Dunlin, 29 Bar-tailed Godwits, 36 Curlew, 66 Redshank and 112 Ringed Plover with 8 Herons.   Offshore were 3 Red-throated Divers, 8 Great-northern Divers and a Sooty Shearwater past the Beacon.

                On the land, birds were pretty much as you were with a ringtail Hen Harrier, a female Peregrine, a Woodcock, 21 Rock Pipits, 35 Redwing, 2 Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch and 70 Snow Buntings.

                Calm still first thing on the 21st allowing us to get out for just a few hours before the wind came back bringing heavy, persistent rain which lasted from mid-morning right through until dark; a two hour seawatch from first light produced good totals of 2,135 Fulmars (including 6 Blue ones) and 1,911 Auk sp. along with 10 Sooty Shearwaters, a Great Skua, 635 Kittiwakes, 2 Little Auks and 5 Great-northern Divers.   Elsewhere, there was little to mention with 14 Pintail on Bewan, the Black Redstart again by Nouster Pier where there was also a Common Redpoll feeding with a flock of 14 Snow Buntings.




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