Attention has been focused on the harbour and the sea since the storm. Russ, Brendan Chris and I watched from st Margarets the following day and saw some Little Gulls and up to 6 Leach’s Petrels although fairly distant. Russ also picked out a Euro Storm petrel but I didnt get onto it, a quick check of the valley produced 2 Brambling perched in Top wood but nothing else of note.
Paul Holt called me Saturday afternoon to say he had a/the Juv Sabine’s Gull in the harbour but despite being at home and getting out instantly I missed it but there were more Kittiwakes than I’d seen so far this season and an adult little gull. Sunday was another Harbour and seawatch session – Shakey beach was devoid of large Gulls but 2 adult little gulls fed close in. Nice to watch despite the strong sunlight. 2 Black Redstarts were in their usual spot, the first ive seen for a couple of weeks.
The afternoon was spent looking in the harbour again: 3 Sandwich tern a single juv Common Tern, a Red throated Diver, Adult Little Gull and over 100 Gannet were counted. Thebot Gannets stayed around the Eastern mouth of the harbour and constitute the highest count ive had inside the harbour walls.
Today was a light SW after a night and early morning of heavy rain and rain to the south continuing, with highlights as follows: a Great White Egret flying East first thing, 6 Crossbill west over Langdon, what looks like a different Dartford warbler in Langdon hole whilst walking back home around lunch time – another poor photo below, difficult to get close to!
64 Swallow and 1 House martin West along the cliffs, a high number this late in the year but i still expect to see swallows for another 2 weeks perhaps longer, last year’s latest bird was the 20th Nov i think.
PERDIX BIRDER 