18th September 2013

The wind was stronger than forecast as observers crossed to the islands this morning but hopes were not too high of a repeat performance from yesterday but a few lingering Leach's were expected.

Despite a slow start to the seawatch with only two Leach's Petrels seen before high tide and none at all for about three hours birds began to appear on the ebb and the final count (by 630pm) was 28 Leach's Petrels, 32 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Red-throated Divers, 28 Gannet, 5 Fulmar and two distant Skua Spp.  The highlight, apart from the petrels, was a Slavonian Grebe found by a visiting birder (DG) off the North End unfortunately it drifted west rapidly and disappeared around towards the Whaleback but not before a very poor record shot (iPhone scoped and heavily cropped) was obtained (see below).

Three Brent Geese were on Little Eye again and waders were much in evidence including 46 Bar-tailed Godwits, 150 Curlew and 3 Black-tailed Godwit noted.

As the day wore on the Leach's came closer to the North End with birds following the surf line on the edge of the East Hoyle sandbank and occasionally resting on the sand.

[DB, SRW + visitors JB, JC, DG & PO] Photos SRW (Slav) and PSW (Leach's from yesterday)