17th July 2011

The weather had deteriorated overnight and a strong westerly wind with squalls becoming incessant rain later meant seawatching was the main priority today. The high tide period produced 57 Manx Shearwaters but visibility was atrocious. After the tide observers making a brief ebb visit found a summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull on the shore, a substantial 'nursery' flock of mainly juvenile Sandwich Terns huddled behind Little Eye where two Yellow-legged Gulls were found with Herring and Lesser Black-backs.

Back on the island a late afternoon seawatch produced 27 more Manxies, plus 3 Kittiwakes, a couple of Great Crested Grebes and a few Common and Sandwich Terns but no skuas or Storm Petrels (the latter will surely appear in the next couple of days if this wind does not abate!)

(GB, GB + PSW, SRW, TGW briefly) Photos to follow