Splash Point & Cuckmere Haven 15/2/17

A very productive seawatch for the first few hours with the highlight being nearly 4000 Guillemots and a Velvet Scoter. However when the sun came out it all came to a halt which was a perfect time to head down the Cuckmere. The same bits still on offer that included the Twite which showed superbly for ten minutes. With the weather again turning for the worse I headed back down to Splash for another seawatch which again was productive, and provided my first Little Gulls of the year.

Splash Point 07.20-09.20

Brent Geese - 330
Auks - 3811 (ca. 90% being Guillemot)
Common Scoter - 20
Red-throated Diver - 117
Gannet - 66
Red-breasted Merganser - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1
Velvet Scoter - 1 drk 08.21
Shelduck - 1
Wigeon - 8
Pintail - 2

Harbour Porpoise - 1

Splash Point 12.00-13.00
Auks - 544 (again mostly Guillemots)
Red-throated Diver - 123
Mediterranean Gull - 4
Brent Geese - 65
Little Gull - 2 adults
Gannet - 7

 Brent Geese

Pintail

Cuckmere
Twite - 1
White-fronted Geese - 32
Cackling Geese - 4

 Twite showing much better today, but only for a brief time further north of its original position.

White-fronted Geese