Saturday 15th December 2012

Adult Little Gull loitered offshore for c.20 mins this morning. 27 Kitts went south although very little else on the move compared with yesterday. A selection of records included 54 Teal, 5 Pintail, 5 Wigeon, 4 Dunlin, 4 Grey Plover, 2 Shelduck, 2 Great-crests south plus 6 Red-throats, 5 Brent & a Common Scoter north. A single Mipit went south & the pair of Peregrines were on the old dock crane.

Friday 14th December 2012

South-easterly gale which proved to be quite entertaining. A Leach's Petrel went south at c.0830hrs with another north at c.1000hrs. Also on the move going south 788 Wigeon, 464 Teal, 31 Dunlin, 17 Shoveler, 14 Pochard,  11 Avocet, 9 Shelduck, 6 Pintail, 5 Mallard, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Kitts, 2 Tufteds, 2 Goldeneye & a Common Scoter plus 5 Common Scoter, 2 Kitts & 2 Red-throated Divers north. Presumably the cold high pressure that we have had this week has drifted across to the low countries enforcing some cold weather movements. 5 Redwing on site were also new in. At 1115hrs torrential driving rain has stopped any more observations (although passage was easing up as the morning progressed).

DECEMBER LITTER PICK

Litter pick this Saturday 15th December 2012 0930hrs start. Further info on the events page of www.lbo.org.uk

Thursday 13th December 2012

Ground still frozen. A few bits moving south offshore including 24 Common Scoter, 4 Kitts, 3 Gadwal, 2 Velvet Scoter, 2 Mergs, 2 Great-crested Grebes & a drake Goldeneye. A couple of red-throats went back & forth offshore & 2 Brents went north. Hardly rivetting but the scoters were just off the beach which was good to see. 3 Sanderling on the beach, 2 Little Owls sunning themselves & Peregrine on the old dock crane. A Mistle Thrush put in an appearance mid-morning & a new Chaffy was caught in the helli.

Wednesday 12th December 2012

Flat calm, sunny, hoar frost - very picturesque. Sanderling on the beach, 5 Shelduck, 2 Brent, Mallard & Skylark went south.

Tuesday 11th December 2012

A Hooded Crow came in off the sea & headed in off over the town at 0845hrs during half hour sea watching which revealed the princely total of 1 Common Scoter & a dose of Cormorants. Glorious sunny, but frosty, morning with the only other records of note so far being 3 Siskins north & a Redpoll heard, but not seen. The 2 Little Owls are out sunning themselves & half a dozen Med Gulls are feeding off the point on the turn of the tide.

Monday 10th December 2012

14 Waxwing south & a Lapwing on the reserve. Only offshore movements were the usual Red-throats & Cormorants plus 2 Brent south. Although it feels cold it obviously ain't cold enough to get things moving.

Sunday 9th December 2012

A new British race Songie & a Chaff ringed once again indicating that autumn migration still isn't over for some species. Sea watching for half hour produced a dozen Red-throats coming & going, seagulls & a Common Scoter which is hardly riveting stuff. Resorting to some maintenance in the compound resulted in a Woodcock being flushed.