Rather cold temperatures again overnight were the prelude to a quite sharp day too, unless you could find a sheltered spot. A seawatch saw a few Great Northern Divers powering their way northwards, with a single bird offshore too, and a Red-throated Diver also on the move. Manx Shearwaters moved steadily southwards, but not in great numbers and all the usual array of feeding species was present. With an incoming tide, and breakers swelling into various bays, local Common Gulls were riding the upwelling water and feeding in a similar fashion to phalaropes, but less speedily and mechanically, by picking small food items off the surface!
By now the main passage of Whimbrel will have subsided and, therefore, the intention to try and establish a possible total number has passed until next season. A previous period of high pressure, giving clear night-time conditions for passage, probably meant birds were moving over at height whilst the weather was favourable. Whilst a few good groups were encountered the expected build up at a couple of locations never occurred. At best a total in the very low hundreds probably passed , whilst in a more usual season I believe we could have well in excess of a 1000 birds move through!
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