4th April, 2018 Beachy Head Overcast with sunny periods, mild S 5-6

Another busy day sea-watching. We sea-watched from 06.40-11.10 with a twenty minute break to rest my eyes when we covered Shooters Bottom. RE covered Birling lane and walk to Belle Tout wood and the Cornish Farm track.
Good numbers of Common Scoter and Brent Geese were moving throughout the watch, but very few Kittiwakes unlike yesterday. Highlights included a very close Manx Shearwater,giving exceptional views and the closest I have ever seen one off Beachy.  Also another Black-throated Diver in summer plumage. RE had a small flock of 15 smallish Grey Geese fly high over Birling going E., but otherwise the area was very quiet and no sign of any summer migrants

Red-throated Diver 14 E
Black-throated Diver 1 s/p E with a Red-throated Diver
Great-crested Grebe 1 on the sea
Fulmar 6
Manx Shearwater 1 E @ 07.00 at very close range.
Gannet 67 E
Grey Goose Sp. 15 high E over Birling (RE)
Brent Goose 501 E
Common Scoter 1,800 E
Peregrine 1
Arctic Skua 4 E
Little Gull 2 E
Black-headed Gull 10 E
Kittiwake c40 E
Sandwich Tern 237 E
Commic Tern 4 E

Brent Geese again on the move.

 

Good movement of Common Scoters with 1,800 recorded.