Yet another month has flown by!   Today's seawatch lasted for an hour and a quarter and produced 10 Gannets, 23 Sandwich Terns, 9 Shelducks, 145 Common Scoters, one Tufted Duck and 4 Cormorants.   Coming in from the sea and turning mostly NW were 92 Common Swifts, 30 Swallows, House Martin and 4 Sand Martins.   Birds onshore included 52 Curlews, one Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Oystercatchers, 7 Sanderlings and a Yellow-legged Gull.    The best birds on the dunes were 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tree Sparrows, 6 Cuckoos, 6 Little Egrets, 4 Kestrels and a Grey Partridge.

A one and a half hour seawatch up to high tide produced northerly passage of 12 Gannets, 15 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Terns, 2 Cormorants, Guillemot, 100 Common Scoters and a Red-throated Diver in full summer plumage.   Presumably the same diver flew south about ten minutes later along with 3 Gannets, another Guillemot and a Kittiwake.   The only waders seen were 2 Oystercatchers, 6 Curlews and 2 Dunlin.   Over the land were 3 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 2 Cuckoos, 3 Yellow Wagtails and a Corn Bunting

Mostly the expected summer species at Quad 3, but some early forerunners of autumn seen.   Six parties totalling 64 Curlews passed high to the NW, plus 8 more birds on the shore.   Also 22 Black-headed Gulls NW , while 56 Common Swifts in from the sea continued NW or SW and 3 House Martins and 9 Swallows SW.   Other birds of note included 2nd cy male Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 4 Cuckoos, 4 Collared Doves, 8 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron.

 

 

 Not much today in the cold wind and squally showers between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall, hence just 3 Cuckoos, 4 Reed Warblers, 7 Common Swifts, 2 Little Egrets, one Grey Heron, 8 Oystercatchers, 9 Redshanks, one Tufted Duck and 16 Shelducks plus 8 young.

    The wind was too strong for much on the landward side where the best were 24 Common Swifts SW, 2 Cuckoos, Kestrel and 4 Yellow Wagtails.   Out on the shore and at sea were 66 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Terns, 8 Gannets, 5 Fulmars, 4 Cormorants and a Brent Goose.

  It was very quiet at Quad 3 today, hence 4 Kestrels, Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Cuckoos, 4 Little Egrets and 7 Common Swifts.

Gull-billed Tern at Kirkby

17th Late news

At Quad 3 there were 5 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, at least 5 Cuckoos, the first-ever June record of a Jay, 15 House Martins, 5 Swifts, 2 Grey Partridges and 21 Cormorants.

 

16th
At Quad 3 this morning 120 Common Swifts flew SW.   Also 40 House Martins, Hobby, 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Turtle Doves, 6 Cuckoos, 7 Curlews, one Gannet and 23 Sandwich Terns.

Stonebridge to Pye's Hall in the squally showers of this morning.   Most noteworthy were 52 Oystercatchers, 5 Redshanks, 15 Sanderlings, 2 Curlews, 2 Kestrels, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, 9 Cormorants, 3 Little Egrets, 20 Shelducks plus 6 young, 2 Tufted Ducks, Mediterranean Gull, 4  Reed Warblers, 4 Cuckoos and 21 Common Swifts.

There was also a rufous-phased Cuckoo in North Somercotes this afternoon

The main birds in the Pye's area were just 22 Common Swifts as opposed to ca.400 yesterday, 3 Cuckoos, 2 Reed Warblers, 30 Oystercatchers, 7 Curlews, 3 Tufted Ducks, 22 Shelducks plus 8 young, 2 Cormorants, 15 Little Egrets, Kestrel and Common Buzzard.

Quiet again at Quad 3 and little change from yesterday.   2 Grasshopper Warblers were the first for over a week, also 6 Common Swifts, Mistle Thrush, Cuckoo, 2 Turtle Doves, Corn Bunting, Common Buzzard, 60 Common Scoters and 76 Sanderlings.

It was certainly cold on the tide-line this morning. Between 1000 and 1100, there were just 7 Cormorants, 6 Sandwich Terns, 2 Shovelers, 7 Common Scoters and 54 Sanderlings.   On the landward side were 12 Common Swifts, 4 Mistle Thrushes, Corn Bunting, Willow Warbler, 2 Cuckoos and a Turtle Dove.

Not a great deal at Quad 3 this morning, hence a Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Cuckoos, 6 Common Swifts and 2 Little Egrets

 It was nice to see a few waders in breeding plumage.   Best were 18 Oystercatchers, 13 Curlews, one Whimbrel, 9 Sanderlings, 9 Dunlin, one Turnstone, 2 Redshanks, 42 Ringed Plovers, 6 Little Egrets, 6 Shelducks, 4 Cormorants, 32 Canada Geese, one Greylag Goose, 7 Common Swifts and a Hobby.

 The fret and drizzle combined with low temperatures didn't help at Quad 3 this morning.   Best were 4 Mistle Thrushes, 25 Common Swifts, 10 House Martins, Corn Bunting, Turtle Dove, 2 Sparrowhawks and ca.30 Common Scoters.

Fairly quiet at Quad 3 this morning, hence 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, Pied Wagtail, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Swift, 2 House Martins, Corn Bunting, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, 3 Collared Doves and a Song Thrush

  Nothing special seen between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall this morning:- Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, 2 Cuckoos, 5 Little Egrets, Kestrel, Peregrine and 3 Common Buzzards.   Two of the buzzards were over the south end.   Heading north over the dunes were 22 Swallows, 3 House Martins, Common Swift and 12 Lesser Black-backs.

Best birds at Quad 3 this morning were 60 Common Swifts, 60 Swallows, 12 House Martins, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Cuckoos, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Crossbills, Mistle Thrush, Corn Bunting and 2 Sandwich Terns.