Splash Point and Hope Gap 18/3/10

My first seawatch of the year proved to be awesome with five year ticks being seen and the flock sizes were very impressive aswell. Totals are as follows: 1 Red-necked Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 767 Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 312 Common Scoter, 1 Velvet Scoter, 37 Shoveler, 61 Teal, 17 Pintail, 6 Gadwall, 1 Eider, 24 Gannets, 14 Sandwich Terns, 10 Little Gulls, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Sanderling, 34 Red-throated Divers and 6 Diver spec.

The Brent Geese were extremely impressive with the largest flock reaching 145 and several others above 70. The Black-necked Grebe was distant but enough detail was observed to confirm the id.
Brent Geese at Splash Point, Seaford

Later on in the afternoon after seeing several reports of Wheatears on the pager, i decided to give Seaford Head another go. Along the cliff edge west of Hope Gap, i finally glimpsed the white-rumped beauty, a Wheatear. It was a male and showed ok but was very mobile. Whilst watching this bird, another two Wheatears appeared. It's finally spring!! Also by the coastguard cottages a Firecrest was fly-catching and a Peregrine was also seen.

Wheatear at Seaford Head