Lesser Florican - August 2023

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Wednesday 8 April 2015

Seaford Head & Splash Point 8/4/15

At long last a day off and I couldn't have asked for a better start. With no wind a misty conditions I tried Seaford Head where the highlight was a flyover Great White Egret. However migrants were very thin on the ground.

Splash Point produced my best seawatch of the year with great variety which included our first Arctic Skua of the year. 

Seaford Head
Great White Egret - 1 flew high east at 6.28am but then appeared to descend down towards the Cuckmere. Patch Tick
Swallow - 1 in off
Blackcap - 1

Splash Point - 7.20-12.20
Arctic Skua - 1
Common Scoter - 487
Red-breasted Merganser - 18
Wigeon - 1
Teal - 13
Gadwall - 4
Tufted Duck - 5
Shoveler - 3
Black-necked Grebe - 1 flew east then landed on the sea
Brent Geese - 239
Red-throated Diver - 25
Black-throated Diver - 1
Whimbrel - 13
Mediterranean Gull - 15
Sandwich Tern - 152
Common Tern - 3
'Commic' Tern - 1
Shelduck - 2
Gannet - 3
Wheatear - 1 in off
Swallow - 2 in off

Another seawatch this afternoon/evening between 15.15-18.15 produced: 

Little Gull - 42 - about time this species got a move on, these being my first of the spring. This small passage only lasted less than an hour before the wind completely dropped.
Red-breasted Merganser - 10
Brent Geese - 21
Red-throated Diver - 6
Sandwich Tern - 67
Whimbrel - 48
Mediterranean Gull - 12
Teal - 11
Common Scoter - 52
Harbour Porpoise - 1


 Great White Egret over Seaford Head - the light was pretty tragic at 6.30am, but fortunately the top image portrays the sharp 'kink' in the neck and long dagger like bill, which when viewed through the bins was orange/yellow.
 Brent Geese past Splash Point
Common Scoter past Splash Point