Saturday 24th February 2018

Cold easterly wind. Just 70 Cormorants noted going out fishing early morning as many will now have moved back to the breeding sites on the continent. An hours sea watching before the sun got in the way produced southbound 4 Brent & Common Scoter with northbound 6 Gannet, 3 Kitts, Red-throated Diver & a fine adult Yellow-legged Gull. A brisk walk around the reserve produced a couple of Ringed Plover but what little else was out there was obviously keeping tucked up in the vegetation out of the wind chill as next to nothing was seen.

Friday 23rd February 2018

Maintenance day so poor coverage. A skylark flying over was the only record worth mentioning. Temperature dropping in a fair Easterly wind is a portent of what is forecast for the next week.

Thursday 22nd February 2018

The Barnies have started moving with two small groups totalling 21 birds heading north-east over the observatory and up the coast. 239 Cormorant went out fishing early on. Offshore an hours sea watching produced southbound 1 Great-crested Grebe, 1 Shelduck & 1 Kitt plus northbound 1 Red-throated Diver with 2 more Red-throats on the sea & 4 Kitts following a Dredger in. A walk round the reserve produced a Purp on the point but little else.

Wednesday 21st February 2018

A "fall" of Buntings this morning. Slight exaggeration but a single Yellowhammer went south then hit the murk over the river then came back into the observatory before departing to the north & a female Reed Bunting was in the bushes out the back. Both species are among the first migrants to appear in the spring, usually from right at the end of February onward, but these days Yellowhammer are so scarce here we barely record any at all. A Lapwing on the reserve could either be a bird moving back to its breeding ground or one that has seen the weather forecast for next week and is moving to fairer climes. Finally 354 Cormorants went out fishing early on and both the Purple Sands & the Rock Pipit were along the river bank on the rising tide this afternoon.

Tuesday 20th February 2018

Rain & poor visibility for the second morning running. 564 Cormorants went out fishing early on with the only other record worth a mention being a Goldcrest heard in the Holm Oaks which may well be an elusive individual over wintering here.

Monday 19th February 2018

Rain & mist. Nothing to report bird wise. Spend the morning on essential maintenance tasks. Abandon ship !

Sunday 18th February 2018

383 Cormorants went out fishing. 35 Black-headed Gull went south could be a sign of spring or just birds moving out of roost. A Shag flew up river but half an hour starring out to sea was little more than purgatory with literally nothing out there moving. 2 Purps are still on the point but thick fog that descended for an hour curtailed any other observations on the reserve and enthusiasm to attempt to plod around again on a busy Sunday morning for the public has curtailed any zeal. Roll on spring !