Spurn Bird Observatory

Having been away from Spurn for some time I knew a visit would be in order at some point, it was just a question of when. And when a Collared Flycatcher, a potential world tick, was found in the morning I decided to head over, after a morning visit to Soil Hill, to arrive at lunchtime to enjoy what turned out to be a fantastic days birding.

I took a few notes on the Collared Flycatcher;

A particularly cryptic individual, were it not caught it would have undoubtedly gone unnoticed.

The bird was trapped and ringed in the morning, and then re-caught slightly later confirming that it had remained present after the initial ringing process. In the hand the white extension through the primary bases and the wing length were diagnostic of Collared Flycatcher as opposed to Pied Flycatcher. Further details on this can be found here; https://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/news/post.php?s=2020-08-10-1cy-female-collared-flycatcher-10th-august-2020

Unfortunately, I was not present at the birds capture and as such was restricted to poor field views. This already subtle identification was made trickier by the fact that there were three other Pied Flycatchers trapped during the morning, and at least one of these also lingered during the day. The Collared Flycatcher took up residence in front of the trap, which is where I observed from. There was indeed a ringed Ficedula flycatcher in this area but views were poor making it difficult to determine if this was the Collared Flycatcher. I am happy that this was indeed the Collared Flycatcher for reasons I will elaborate on;

Although there are no obvious features, it was clear that this bird did indeed have white extending down the primary bases but this was not always clear and was by no means extensive as in a typical Collared Flycatcher. However, despite this it extends down the wing appearing to reach the primaries nearer the edge of the wing. Given that in the hand the white on P3 was minimal this would have been impossible to observe in the field, but from the few photos I was able to obtain the bird in front of the trap does appear to show white to at least P5 and gives the impression of having white in P4 as well. The trap bird also had noticeably broad white tips to the coverts, which while not diagnostic, are a good indicator and one of the more easily observable features in the field.

Another key feature of this trap bird is that it was a first-year female, as was the Collared Flycatcher. The pattern of the white on the tertials and the lack of black on the rump are clear in the photos I was able to obtain, clearly show this.

It is interesting that were it not caught this bird would have gone unnoticed and it that field identification is more a factor of matching up the features seen to those observed on the bird while it was in the hand, rather than demonstrating obvious Collared Flycatcher features. Certainly an interesting bird.

--Despite the plumage and biometrics, the bird was DNA analysed and it turned out to be a normal Pied Flycatcher, not even a hybrid. As Martin Garner used to say, your always learning--

While the Flycatcher was certainly educational the supporting cast really stole the show with a molting adult White-winged Tern, a very nice Pectoral Sandpiper, Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, 2 Spoonbill, Great Egret, 2 Little Stint and an August Redwing that flew across the road in front of me. The Pectoral Sandpiper was the standout being a favorite bird of mine. Absolutely brilliant birding when it just seemed to never end. 

-Pied Flycatcher

-Pectoral Sandpiper

-White-winged Tern

-Icterine Warbler

-Red-backed Shrike

Complete Species List:
Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Mew Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Little Tern, White-winged Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Common Kestrel, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Icterine Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Common Starling, Redwing, European Robin, European Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Northern Wheatear, House Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

August at Spurn

Obviously a large section of August was spent in Madeira, but my time at Spurn was pretty productive for the most part. A number of nice species were ringed, and I had a great time with the abundance of Dragonflies and Damselflies which had emerged as a product of the warm weather. The most exciting of these was the reappearance of Small Red-eyed Damselfly along the canal after an absence of about five years, the entire time that I had been visiting Spurn. Whilst out photographing them I also found a female Banded Demoiselle, which was a Spurn tick for me and only the 19^th record.

-Small Red-eyed Damselfly

-Banded Demoiselle

Birding remained fairly slow but a cracking male Red-backed Shrike in Canal Hedge on the 8^th August, the day before my departure to Madeira, was a nice treat and made for an excellent start to the autumn. Sadly it remained distant and mobile whilst I was observing it. Ringing remained slow and steady but a Treecreeper was a nice surprise in the nets one morning. A Common Crane flew south over Kilnsea one Saturday whilst I was at work. Of course I abandoned my work and scanned from the foreshore in front of the pub. I was lucky enough to be with Jonny Holiday who had bins with him and was able to pick the bird up.

-Treecreeper

Upon my return the first migrants of the autumn had begun to appear, with 150 Willow Warblers seen in the area on one day. Wheatears and Whinchats also started to appear, and I went out with spring traps and managed to catch on of each, as well as another Whinchat in Corner Field. Pied Flycatchers also began to increase towards the end of the month, and we caught a few of these in the garden. We also caught a Wood Warbler, a real scarcity at Spurn, which Paul brought round to the pub for me to ring whilst at work. A Kingfisher in Churchfield was probably the ringing highlight of the month, and maybe even the year. A really stunning bird!

-Whinchat

-Wood Warbler

-Kingfisher

A cracking male Black Darter on the 24^th was another dragonfly Spurn tick for me, this time found by Tim at the end Churchfield Heligoland trap, as so many rare dragonflies area. On the 29^th Adam, as he so often does, found a Woodchat Shrike at the Warren. It was extremely elusive and difficult to connect with, but as the morning warmed up it became more active and was soon feeding out, even if it remained a little obscured. During the afternoon I headed off to Hornsea with my parents, and as a result I missed out on ringing an Icterine Warbler. The next day a new bird was in the garden at Kew but sadly never went in any nets, but fortunately it reappeared in the nets later the following morning. I was pretty thrilled when I took it out put it that way, even if it’s not a self-find. That was one of two birds that I ringed on the 31^st, the other being a Red-backed Shrike at Sammies Point that Adam and I caught using spring-traps. What a day that was!

-Woodchat Shrike

-Black Darter

-Icterine Warbler

-Red-backed Shrike

Species List:

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Gannet, Cormorant, Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Swift, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Red-backed Shrike, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Robin, Redstart, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Dunnock, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,

Spurn Week 1

Spurn Day 1 - Wednesday 23^rd August

Having earned a little money from my stint as a Bee-eater warden I decided to spent the rest of my year volunteering back at Spurn, whilst at the same time beginning to train to become a ringer. For my first day I was given a real treat in the Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling that had been found the previous weekend was still present and frequenting the feeders at Driftwood. The light was pretty awful but it’s still a decent Spurn tick. In the evening I headed down to the evening tern roost. It was a fairly healthy movement, but still not spectacular. There were over 4000 Common Terns plus a couple of Skuas and Manxies. All this and just in the first few hours, only at Spurn.

-Rose-coloured Starling

-Common Terns

Spurn Day 2 - Thursday 24^th August

Sadly my first full day at Spurn was spent taking down the Little Tern electric fence. This is the worst job of the whole project, so it was a bummer to spent my first day doing it, but once it’s over then it’s not a concern until next year.

As a result I was only able to spent the evening birding. Instead of going down to the evening tern roost I decided to check the high tide roost on the wetlands. There were a few birds present, the standout of the waders being a nice Juv Little Stint, and a few very nice Ruff. A couple of Short-eared Owl were also quite nice, especially when it perched up near-ish to the hide.

-Short-eared Owl

Spurn Day 3 - Friday 25^th August

In my quest to actually find something decent this autumn I decided to work the point as much as possible. It did not get off to an amazing start, with a Spotted Flycatcher about the best bird that I could muster. A couple of Whinchat and a single Wheatear made up the rest of the migrant contingent. It was a pleasant enough walk though, and something I am deffo looking forward to for the rest of the autumn.

Whilst I was down the point a couple of Great White Egrets had turned up on the Wetlands. Upon my return from the peninsula I headed straight off to see them. They were a little distant but I was able to get substantially better views than the last time I had seen this species at Spurn. In the afternoon we had something of a Spurn mega. Tim retrieved a Southern Hawker from the Heligoland trap in Churchfield. This is the first Spurn record since one in 2013, the latter was found by me and was probably my best find of that year.

-Great White Egret

-Southern Hawker

Spurn Day 4 - Saturday 26^th August

Continuing with the theme of working the point as much as possible I headed down the point once again today. Sadly the species composition was much the same as the previous, although I expected nothing less. Once back north of the breach I spent the afternoon doing not very much. In the evening we had a BBQ for the birthday of a Spurn regular. Whilst not likely to be a birding hotspot on the face of it we did have a pretty sweet evening bird wise, with a number of Mediterranean Gulls flying over, a Hobby trying to take out Swallows and the Rose-coloured Starling which dropped into the bushes in Steves garden after spending an hour or so on show with the large Starling flock.

Spurn Day 5 - Sunday 27^th August

After a late night of celebrating a Spurn birthday I was not quick off the mark in the morning. I spent the morning beginning my ringing work by handling my first birds. The vast majority of the birds we caught were Tree Sparrows, although I was also able to handle the only House Sparrow we caught. We added a Willow Warbler to our totals which was also nice, and even posed nicely for a few photos.

In the evening I did a walk around the ponds and wetlands, sadly not much was around although a Common Sandpiper was my first of the year. I also had a Short-eared Owl and a few more Willow Warblers. Ultimately though I failed to see anything overly unusual, besides the usual juvenile Rose-coloured Starling, which was still associating with the large Starling flock around Kilnsea.

Spurn Day 6 - Monday 28^th August

The initial stages of my ringing training involved becoming comfortable handling birds. As a result I spent most of the morning in Churchfield hoping to catch some birds which I could then study and handle. Sadly birds were in very short supply and the only thing we caught was a single Willow Warbler. In the afternoon I was drafted in to cover the new Spurn shop outside the Obs. It was a pretty tedious task and there were sadly no birds involved at all.

-Willow Warbler

Spurn Day 7 - Tuesday 29^th August

After a long and ultimately pointless day venturing into Hull, it was nice to return to Spurn to find that there had been an extremely light fall of migrants. I initially went hunting for the pied flycatchers in the crown car park but failed to connect. I then proceeded to work the canal but to no reward, despite an hour trying. Five Willow Warblers were all I could muster. I ended my search at the Warren where I worked with Kieran, watching him ring what little birds were being trapped. Just as we were wrapping up news came through that Paul had caught an Icterine Warbler. We headed up to see the bird in the hand. Sadly it was not a sitter, but I was able to get a few nice shots of it in the hand. A pretty sweet end to a rather uneventful day!

-Icterine Warbler

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Red-throated Diver, Gannet, Manx Shearwater, Cormorant, Hobby, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Little Gull, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Short-eared Owl, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Robin, Pied Flycatcher, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Starling, Rose-coloured Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Common Emerald Damselfly, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Small White, Green-veined White, 

Spurn Week 11

Monday 22nd August

Having just got back from the Birdfair, I was hardly in a rush to get out of bed and go racing after birds. I got up at the delayed time of about 8, and then set off with Jonnie to go have a look round wetlands. Also immediately it became apparent that despite the winds having changed from east to west there was a massive fall of Willow Warblers. Every bush had a willow warbler in it and at gaps between vegetation they would build up. It was mental. In a loop around wetlands, beacon lane and Kilnsea we clicked 65, but there were so many more. The day total for the log was 350 but that was certainly an underestimate.

In between all the excitement of the Willow Warblers was the stunning array of juvenile waders on the wetlands. The east coast had seen a massive fall of Curlew Sandpipers over the weekend which I had missed due to Birdfair, but finally connected with four extremely smart juveniles today. Also on display were a handful of Black-tailed Godwits, a Wood Sandpiper and a really stunning Ruff. Probably the best Ruff I have ever seen, superb looking beast.

-Wood Sandpiper

-Curlew Sandpiper

-Black-tailed Godwit

In the afternoon we ended up sorting out the books from the Birdfair, so I did not get out birding. This was a shame as the peninsula looked really promising today, but alas it did not get done. Although it was a massive shame, it did mean that I was still north of the breach when the news of a Wryneck broke in the afternoon at Sandy Beaches Caravan Park. I steadily made my way over, but the bird was elusive and tricky, not easy to connect with at all. Still, it’s always a treat to see one, and it did not disappoint during the hour or so I spent watching it.

-Wryneck

Sightings List:

Kilnsea & Beacon Lane: Pied Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Mediterranean Gull, Ruff, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, Turnstone, Sanderling, Swift, Whinchat, Robin, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Starling, Swallow, Magpie, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Mute Swan, Turnstone, 

Tuesday 23rd August

Having been unable to do the point yesterday due to jobs that needed to be done, today I set that to rights and made my way down as soon as possible. Fortunately there had not been a big clearout of birds overnight. I was able to count 123 Willow Warblers down the point, an astonishing number and quite an experience. Between the lighthouse and the lifeboat cottages there were at least three birds in every bush. Fantastic! Other migrants were also lingering, including double figure counts of Whinchat, Wheatear and Spotted Flycatcher, plus Pied Flycatcher and Redstart. Painted Lady butterflies were also in abundance and I flushed a Grasshopper Warbler out of the grass at the north end of the peninsula.

The point was fantastic but left me feeling pretty tired out. As a result I didn’t exactly exert myself birding in the afternoon. I headed off to look at the Wryneck in Sandy Beaches. It showed nicely, but always obscured. We were able to get close to it, and I was able to coordinate the twitchers so as to not disturb the bird. I certainly improved on the photos I managed to get the day before, that’s for certain. In doing so I may have sat on an ants nest, which was a massive bummer.

-Wryneck

On the way out we also called in to have a look at the Red-backed Shrike in Cornerfield, but it only showed for a minute or so whilst we were there. We were also looking directly into the sun, so it’s not like my experience with the bird will be long treasured as they often are with this species.  

In the evening book duty called again, but on the way up we were treated to a real spurn rarity in the form of a Budgie. It’s my first species for my Spurn escapes list, a fine species to get the list started. We have christened him Smuggler, an apt name we felt.

-Budgie

Sightings List:

Spurn Peninsula: Kestrel, Yellow Wagtail, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Eider, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Sedge Warbler, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Swallow, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit,

Wednesday 24th August

With the easterlies now petering out Jonnie and I decided to continue with the trench for the Gas Combi Boiler at the observatory. However, when an Icterine Warbler turned up in the Obs garden we were also put on duty checking people for their being friends of Spurn when viewing. The warbler itself was initially elusive and hard work but as the day drew on it became a bit more showy. The wind did not help, as the willow trees which it was favouring were extremely mobile. Still, having visited the bird three times during the day, I did manage to get some photos that were reasonable.

In the evening after a day of trench digging I decided to head down to Seawatching. During the trench digging we were accompanied by Smuggler the Budgie for basically the whole time, offering some entertainment throughout.

-Icterine Warbler

Terns were once again very poor, but I had a smashing evening. I was scanning the horizon for something, anything really, when I picked up a small gull with extreme contrast in the ‘W’ markings in its wings. I immediately panicked knowing full well it was probably a Sabine’s. I called up the other birders in the hide to get on it, but in doing so I immediately lost it. I had to then explain what I’d seen to them, but it was a good three or four minutes before the bird was picked up again. The light was pretty funky but there was no doubt as to the birds’ identity. The same could not be said for its age. The bird was flying from us the whole time and so we could not get much on its head, but I could see no hood, suggesting it was a Juv. A cracking bird to add to the seawatch!

Species List:

Seawatching: Fulmar, Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Teal, Gannet, Knot, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Skua, Sabine’s Gull, Little Gull, Kittiwake, Common Tern,

Thursday 25th August

After yesterday’s successful seawatch I was keen to get down to the Warren fairly early. The numbers of birds were again quite low, but there was a healthy Teal movement (204 N) and a couple of Skuas. However, the undoubted highlights were three juvenile Black Terns that flew out north with the morning terns moving out into the North Sea. Having never seen a juvenile Black Tern before this was quite exciting.

I made my way up the Triangle towards the Obs and Wetlands. A smart female Merlin sat on a tree at the bottom of the canal was pretty fine. Up at the wetlands there remained one Wood Sandpiper, and it had been joined by a Spotted Redshank preening itself behind the main Redshank flock, meaning photos were all but out of the question. I also had a look at the Barred Warbler that had been found at the back of the pea field behind the hide. It showed nicely but only for a short while. I really wanted to see the Corn Bunting that had been frequenting the field but I was not able to pick it out.

That being until after lunch when doing some odd jobs for Rob at the Obs when a radio message came through about a photographed YB bunting in that same pea field. We headed on up, and spent about half an hour scanning the field. It soon became apparent though that the bird photographed was just a funny looking juv Corn Bunting. Disappointing obviously but Corn Bunting is my 228^th species this year, meaning I have now broken last year’s total.

In the evening after continuing with the Odd jobs I headed off down to the Seawatching again. It was very much the same as the morning, although the black tern had been replaced by Little Gull. There was finally something of an evening tern passage with about 1500 going south. A juvenile Pomarine Skua also went south, adding to the excitement.

Species List:

Seawatching: Teal, Gannet, Shelduck, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Black Tern, Oystercatcher, Fulmar, Great Skua, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Skua, Sanderling, Common Tern,  Black-headed Gull

Kilnsea Wetlands: Willow Warbler, Redstart, Cuckoo, Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Knot, Ruff, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Barred Warbler, Whinchat, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Woodpigeon, Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting,

Seawatching: Teal, Arctic Skua, Common Scoter, Oystercatcher, Fulmar, Gannet, Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Little Gull, Pomarine Skua, Red-throated Diver,

Friday 26th August

Started at Seawatching but again it was quiet leaving us with nothing really. I headed back up to the observatory with Jonnie, before we headed up to Kilnsea wetlands and Easington Straight. The Gulls on the straight were of the usual assortment, with mainly common species. A few Mediterranean Gulls were thrown in the mix including a cracking Juv.

Wetlands was also fairly quiet, it not being high tide. The superb juv Ruff was still there, a real beauty, and three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, plus the regular Wood Sandpiper. No new waders but still a fantastic selection to say the least.

Species List:

Kilnsea Wetlands: Teal, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Mute Swan, Mallard, Wigeon, Sandwich Tern, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Redshank, Yellow Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Mediterranean Gull,

Saturday 27th August

Another day which promised much but delivered little. Seawatching was once again quiet but there were a couple of juvenile Pomarine Skuas that went north, so that was something at least. Once we had finished there, Jonnie and I headed up to Easington Straight to look at gulls, but sadly they were largely hiding behind a mound of earth. We did count Mediterranean Gulls though and we got a good count of 50.

In the afternoon we mainly spent around the Obs, doing odd jobs and just chilling. However, that all quickly changed when news came through of a first winter Caspian Gull on the wetlands. We drove up and got to see the most perfect form of Caspian Gull you can possibly get. My only other two sightings of this species pail into insignificance compared to this bird. It was prefect, the best you could have hoped for.

-Caspian Gull

Species List:

Seawatching: Pomarine Skua, Gannet, Teal, Fulmar, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern,

Kilnsea Wetlands: Caspian Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Redshank, Dunlin, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull,

Sunday 28th August

With a surprise BBQ planned for one of the Spurn regulars this evening I did not get to spend much time out birding. This was not a massive problem though as once again the weather that promised so much migrant fall disappointed. The best of it was a LT Skua on the sea but I was not watching when it went past, so missed it.

Birds I did see included Manx Shearwater and Sooty Shearwater as well as Arctic and Great Skuas. A Stint sp. flew north. A Little Stint seen on Holderness field was presumed to be the same bird. It was a nice enough way to spend the morning birding before I actually had to start doing stuff.

Species List:

Seawatching: Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Sandwich Tern, Manx Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Gannet, Fulmar, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Little Stint,