Kumlien's Gull - video from the River Mouth

 

 

 

 

 

The Kumlien's Gull present at the mouth of the River at 12:30 at least and showing very well. 1 Tree Sparrow in bushes behind the golf course before flying off east and a Cuckoo flew north over the Marina. Singles of both Peregrine and Sparrowhawk, in the area today, also 2 Buzzard, 4 Grey Partridge, 2 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, c30 Whitethroat, 13 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff present and small numbers of Swallow moving east.

Very quiet offshore with only 3 Med Gull, 5w Whimbrel, 12w Sandwich Tern, and 1 Dunlin.

Disappointing sea watch this morning with just 2e Great Skua, 1e Fulmar, 1w Bar-tailed Godwit, 4e Common Scoter, 5w 2e Gannet, 10e 1w Sandwich Tern,  and 1e 1w Whimbrel.

Afternoon visit to Marsh Farm produced a female Cuckoo, 2 Sand Martin, 30 Swallow, 20 Lapwing, 3 Reed Bunting, 4 Tufted Duck singles of Yellow Wagtail, Shelduck, Gadwall, Great-crested Grebe, and good numbers of Reed & Sedge Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat.

Great-crested Grebe

Glossy Ibis still present at Lidsey.

Glossy Ibis Lidsey

Yesterday 26-04-2014
Artic Skua - 1e 
Great Skua - 2e 1w
Diver spa - 5e
Gannet - 9w 7e
Fulmar - 2e 2w
Commic Tern - 12e
Sandwich Tern - 14e
Common Scoter - 6e
Brent Geese - 43e 1w
Whimbrel - 30e 1w
Bar-tailed Godwit - 4e 1 in field
Med Gull  - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 2
Redstart - 1 Male in paddock
Grey Partridge - 2

Out in the rain on Friday 25/04 produced  a reeling Grasshopper Warbler reeling from scrub at the back of the hotel grounds, what a nice surprise,  also 1 Whimbrel in the horse paddock and seemed to have an injured leg, 3e Sandwich Tern, 3w Swallow and a Great-crested Grebe on the sea.

Whimbrel Horse Paddock

Two visits to the patch today, out in the early morning drizzle, sea watch from 06:35 -
Great Skua - 1e
Sandwich Tern - 24e 11w
Shelduck - 5w
Common Scoter - 55e
Gannet - 55w 5e
Diver spa - 1e
Fulmar - 1e
Brent Geese - 7e
Sanderling - 10e
Med Gull - 2e

From about 09:00 I hit the bushes and was surprised at the number of passerines, with 1 Firecrest, 36 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 6-7 Redstart, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler, 30 Willow Warbler, 50 Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff, 17 Blackcap, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Jay and 17 Swallow.

2 Whinchat at the old Railway Carriage

Attention returned to the sea at 15:00
Great Skua - 2e 6w
Artic Skua - 2e
Great-crested Grebe - 5os
Red-breasted Merganser 1os
Gannet - 11e 5w
Sandwich Tern  - 5e 6w
Fulmar - 1w
Brent Goose - 1w
Diver spa - 2w
Whimbrel - 1w
Black-headed Gull - 75e single flock
3 Common Sandpiper at the Marina.

Good numbers of Common Whitethroat in the patch this morning with at least c60 in the area, also 3-4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warbler, and 6 Sedge Warbler. 1 Peregrine around the gas tower, 1 Sparrowhawk flew east over the horse paddock, 4 Little Egret, 1 Reed Bunting, c50 Swallow, 8 Med Gull, 2e Brent Geese and good numbers of Blackcap and Willow Warbler.

Good numbers of Whitethroat in the area

Yesterday the Kumlien's Gull still present from the River mouth, also 4 Great Skua, 1 Artic Skua, and 1e Black Tern, Firecrest  still present in 1st wood and 7 Whimbrel over the golf course.

Kestrel

The Kumliens Gull still present this morning, also singles of Firecrest 1st wood, Hobby north over the Marina, Black Redstart, Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, Treecreeper, 6 Whitethroat,  and 2e Whimbrel.

A two hour sea watch from 15:45 produced:

Great Skua - 2 west 17:02 & 17:15

Red-throated Diver - 1e

Little Tern - 1e

Whimbrel - 1e

Kittiwake - 1w

Sandwich Tern - 8e 7w

Gannet - 2e 4w

Great-crested Grebe - 6os

Curlew - 1w

Sanderling - 14w

Turnstone - 80e

House Martin - 2n

Swallow - 6n

 

I would welcome any comments on the pictures below, shot's 1 and 3 were taken from the River Mouth were the Kumlien's Gull has been ever present for a couple of months, yesterday (pic 2) I saw a White Winged Gull amongst mainly Herring Gulls feeding on the Golf Course. With golfers approaching from the east and green and the greenkeepers from the west I took about four shot's before all the gulls took flight.  Not having seen the Kumlien's Gull for a couple of weeks I wrongly assumed it was the Kumlien's. Having studied both sets of shot's and would agree that they are not the best, I feel there are subtle differences mainly the head and primaries in the set of pictures. I thought it best to put out to a wider audience, all comments welcome. 



 



 

Good coverage this morning with the Kumlien's Gull still present from the River mouth, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 7 Whitethroat, 3 Wheatear, 20 Blackcap, 18 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Peregrine , 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 2w Shelduck, 2w Gannet, 2e Med Gull, 1 Little Egret, 1 Swallow, and 2 Sand Martin.



 

Linnet on the Golf Course

 

 

The day didn't pan out as anticipated but a glorious day nevertheless. A white winged gull amongst mainly Herring Gulls feeding on the golf course, turned out to be an Iceland Gull, another white winger in the patch, long may it continue, also a flyover Yellow Wagtail. 1 Redstart in the Horse paddock, 2 Whitethroat in Bread Lane, Peregrine and good numbers of Blackcap and Willow Warbler. Offshore 7e Med Gull, 5e Common Scoter,  6e 1w Gannet, 14e 2w Sandwich Tern, 1w Common Tern, 7os Great-crested Grebe, 2e Diver spa and 1os Eider.

White-winged Gulll on the Golf Course  

Redstart Horse Paddock

A Pied Flycatcher seen briefly at 1st wood this morning also 1 Sedge Warbler in that area. 2 male Redstart, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, and a Wheatear, so far today.

Very quiet offshore at Climping this morning so didn't sit around that long. The Kumlien's Gull still present at the river mouth late morning, 1w 1e Red-throated Diver, 1e Diver spa, 22e 10w Sandwich Tern, 5e Common Scoter, 13w 5e Gannet, 2e Med Gull, 30w Sanderling, 2w Dunlin, 36w Oystercatcher, 10 Swallow and 1w Grey Plover. In and around the fields singles of Yellow Wagtail, which flew east from the car park, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and 8 Wheatear. 2 Peregrine Falcon, 3 Grey Partridge and 2 Buzzard.

A quick visit around the Farm produced a singing Whitethroat and 4-5 Wheatear, being the only difference amongst the regular offing.

Male Wheatear

Peregrine feeding on prey

Buzzard Atherington

Fox around the Farm

Good variety in the patch but still waiting for that extra special morning with a couple of scarce birds thrown in. Totals today 34w 16e Sandwich Tern, 1 Whimbrel, 3w Shelduck, 7e Brent Geese, 10w 4e Gannet, 2e Auk sp, 1e Diver spa, 1w Common Scoter, 1e Red-breasted Merganser, 2os Eider, 6os Great-crested Grebe, 2 Med Gull, 75 Turnstone, 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Wheatear, 13 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Buzzard, with several of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Around the local farm this afternoon with a Little-ringed Plover in a flooded field, the site is on private land so not put out on the local birdlines. Also 1 Cetti's Warbler, 15 Swallow, 1 Sedge Warbler, 8 Lapwing, 3 Buzzard, 1 Shelduck, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Teal, and good numbers of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer.

 

Little-ringed Plover

Goods number of migrants in the patch today although nothing that was not expected, with 34 Willow Warbler, 26 Blackcap, 18 Chiffchaff, 5 Wheatear, 12 Swallow, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Grey Partridge and 2 Sparrowhawk.

Records for yesterday the 9th include 2 Wheatears, 2 Swallows, c.10 Blackcap, several Chiffs, 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Grey Partridge (2 prs) and a pale looking Buzzard.

Good variety in the patch today with a Hobby that flew in off the sea at 08:48 heading north, 1 Great Skua offshore lingering from the car park,and  a male Redstart at Atherington. Also 3 White Wagtail, 2 Swallow, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Wheatear, 9 Blackcap, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Peregrine, 2 Buzzard and good numbers of Chiffchaff. Offshore fairly quiet with only 3os Great-crested Grebe, 6os Common Scoter, 2w Fulmar, 1w Brent Goose, 7w 2e Gannet, 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, and 19 Sanderling.

 

Redstart Atherington

 

Blackcap Campsite

Kumlien's Gull present from the River mouth this morning, also 2e Great Skua, 2e Diver spa, 26e 14w Sandwich Tern, 4e  Common Tern, 36w 32e Gannet, 50e Common Scoter,  3w Shovler, and  1w Fulmar.  Hard going in the rain today and totals present that with just 2 Little Egret, 1-2 Bullfinch, 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Buzzard, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, and 4 Blackcap.

The Kumlien's Gull present from the River by the Look See Centre this morning  also 8e 3w Sandwich Tern, 6e 3w Gannet, 12e Common Scoter 26e 1w 8os, 1w Fulmar, 1 Eider, with a couple of both Great-crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser.

In and around the fields, 1 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Redwing, 5 Wheatear, 20 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap, and a Sedge Warbler.

Reed Bunting

Hedge Sparrow

Yesterday a quick look around the farm in the afternoon produced 1 Swallow, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Yellowhammer, 3 Reed Bunting, 6 Tufted Duck, 6 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 2 Greylag Geese, 1 Shelduck, 8 Lapwing, and 1 Little Egret, ,

White Wagtail Marsh Farm

Wren

Gadwall

An old breeding bird seen in the patch this morning in the form of a Tree Sparrow in trees at the bottom of Longwood, also 1-2 Stonechat, 1 Yellowhammer, 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Wheatear, 5 Blackcap, 4 Grey Partridge,  offshore 4w Shoveler, 1w Diver spa, 3w Curlew, 17e Sandwich Tern, c40 Common Scoter, 15e Brent Geese, 18 Red-breasted Grebe, 3os Great-crested Grebe, 14w Oystercatcher, 30w Turnstone, and 5w Med Gull.

No sign of the Hoopoe today late afternoon at least.  Offshore, 5e Little Gull, 17e Sandwich Tern, c30e Common Scoter, 1w 2e Brent Geese, 3e Gannet, 3e Med Gull, 2w 1e Fulmar, 2e Shelduck, 4os Red-breasted Merganser, 60e Sanderling, 4 Grey Plover, and 5 Ringed Plover. In and around the fields, a Willow Warbler, at the old camp site, 2 Buzzard, 2 Grey Partridge, and several of both Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing.

Totals today from various sources as many birders in the area looking for the Hoopoe, which was still present from the horse paddock, along with 2 Grey Partridge. As many as 6-7 Wheatear,  today 10 Chiffchaff a Firecrest at Atherington, 3-4 Blackcap, and a report of a heard Whitethroat.
Offshore  on a flat calm sea, c20 Common Scoter, 8 Great-crested Grebe , 15 Red-breasted Merganser, a couple of Med Gull, and a House Martin in off the sea.