Saturday 29th December 2018

After days of flat calm the breeze picked up & the visibility improved to make sea watching more amiable. In 80 minutes prior to litter picking commitments southbound 135 Kitts, 118 Common Gull, 43 Red-throated Diver, 29 Golden Plover, 9 Common Scoter, 2 Guillemot, 2 Oyk, 2 Wigeon, Fulmar, Mallard & Shelduck with northbound 8 Red-throats, 4 Brent, Gannet plus a Bonxie undertaking in some kleptoparasitism. The Fulmar record is notable and only our fourth December sighting since records began with previous ones on 24th & 31st (twice).

Xmas Litter Pick

Litter pick tomorrow Saturday 29th December 0930hrs start. Further information on the events page of www.lbo.org.uk

Friday 28th December 2018

Weather stuck in a rut. 2 Stonechat, Chiffchaff & Goldcrest present and accounted for.

Thursday 27th December 2018

Flat calm again with murky conditions plus a thick bank of fog rolling down the river at one point then clearing. About 5 Redwing were on site early and a Reed Bunting dropped in not long later. Single Skylark south is the only other sign of migration. On site 2 Stonechat, Chiffchaff and at least 1 Goldcrest still present & accounted for.

Wednesday 26th December 2018

Dull, benign weather conditions but it must be getting colder somewhere as 8 Redwing were here first thing. Calm offshore so a couple of Common Scoter & a Great-crested Grebe sat on the sea but no movements apart from 7 Brent coming out of the river heading north. Couple of Songies are singing their hearts out at the north end.

Pleated Inkcap is apparently common but is one of those fungi that look impressive very briefly before going past their best.

Tuesday 25th December 2018

Flat calm frosty morning. A Water Rail was in the observatory compound, 6 Long-tailed Tit were along View Point Road, 2 Linnet, Chiffchaff & Greenfinch still present. Offshore 267 Black-headed Gull moved south pre sunrise presumably coming out of roost. Also moving southbound 11 Brent, 5 Red-throated Diver, Shag & a Skylark overhead. 210 Common Gull in the river is worth a mention as they have probably been forced to the coast by the heavy frost inland.

Monday 24th December 2018

Glorious calm sunny morning. 2 Redwing are todays migrants. Also on site 2 Linnet, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Meadow Pipit & Greenfinch (which is almost a rarity these days). At least 45 Kitts followed a ship in.

Sunday 23rd December 2018

Dreich. Flat calm earlier so a couple of Great-crested Grebe were seen fishing offshore. When the visibility allowed a handful of Red-throated Diver seen coming & going plus southbound 4 Shelduck & a Shag just off the beach.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird.