A ESE wind and constant rain was enough to get myself and Bob down Splash this morning for what was to be an extremely eventful morning. During the 5 hours, there was a non-stop movement of Scoter and other Duck species. However the highlight was during the first half hour where a mixture of summer plumaged Grebes were offshore, but soon drifted off east.
Between 06.35-11.35 were:
Slavonian Grebe - 9 (3-3-3 = all settled on the sea - full s/p)
Black-necked Grebe - 6 (5-1 = party of 5 settled just offshore, 1 flew east - all in full s/p)
Common Scoter - 4172 - a constant stream with the biggest flock containing around 500 birds)
Teal - 59
Mallard - 9
Tufted Duck - 6
Gadwall - 16
Wigeon - 17
Shoveler - 31
Pintail - 15
Red-breasted Merganser - 64
Brent Geese - 890
Little Gull - 18
Med. Gull - 1
Red-throated Diver - 49
Common Tern - 42
Sandwich Tern - 20
Arctic Skua - 4
Whimbrel - 3
Black-tailed Godwit - 2 (my 1st record for Splash)
Redshank - 1
Avocet - 1
Grey Plover - 9
Knot - 1
Dunlin - 69
Shelduck - 4
Gannet - 130
