With strong S winds forecast, we decided to sea-watch from 06.55 to 09.30 and we then visited Belle Tout wood which was fairly sheltered. Just to make certain the sea-watch went off with a bang, the Bomb Squad exploded an unexploded bomb on the beach which went off much louder than expected. The sea-watch produced small numbers of sea-birds included our first two Arctic Skuas for the year and 3 close partial summer plumage Black-throated Divers. Yesterday Firecrests were again present in the wood. Met up with Bob who had a brief Coal Tit calling and a Blackcap.
Red-throated Diver 12 E
Black-throated Diver 3 E in partial s/p
Gannet 163 E
Brent Goose 149 E
Gadwall 2 E
Pintail 2 E
Common Scoter 140 E
Moorhen 1 crossed the East Dean -Birling road (Our first record since 2005)
Curlew 4 E
Arctic Skua 2 d/p E (1@07.20 & 1 E @07.50)
Mediterranean Gull 2 E
Black-headed Gull 25 E
Common Gull 120 E including many 1stW plumage birds
Kittiwake 70 E
Auk Sp, 2 E
Firecrest 8+ B/T wood area
(taken by Brenda Kay)
Boom-the unexploded bomb is exploded by the Bomb Squad
