Scotia

Was back up in the Moray firth this week. Another successful trip with some storming sightings but yesterday was dore for the last 4 hours. Best bits of the first day were 25+ Sooty Shearwaters, 3 Manxies and 3 Whimbrels and a Grey Phalarope. Mammal wise it was sparse save 15 Minke's. Stars of the day however were suprisingly the fish. First up was a surprise Sunfish waggling its dorsal at us. Only a small fish but hey giants awaited. 4 Basking Sharks greeted us at the mouth of Wick Harbour. 3 were between 2.5-3.5m. The 4th was enormous and I wouldnt care to guess how big. And i got a few pics. The second day had a few highlights (2 Storm Petrels, 1 possible Leaches - distant!) but was largely quiet. The best were mammals with a Minke spitting distance from the boat and 3 distant Bottlenose Dolphins motoring past.

Whilst there a good fall occured in Yorkshire plus a Syke's Warbler in Northumberland. No fewer than 4 lifers including three potential county ticks. Today I tried to right this. Got home and a shower & shave later I was at Hornsea Mere with the Little Gulls watching the juv White-winged Black Tern. Corker and about time! Got some photos and these will be on here shortly. Also an Avocet and an extremely wild Ruddy Shelduck. From here I visited Flamborough where I failed to see the Icky & RB Shrike due to no scope. Doh. What I managed was a couple of Whinchats and a Spotted Flycatcher. Also a medium sized juv accipiter flushed off a kill and although female Sparrowhawk is most likely I coulndnt rule out a juv small male Gos. Natch!

Just before I went a dip of Dotterel at West Carlton was annoying. The Tern took the UK list to 310 and Yorkshire to 276. 4 year ticks (phal, tern, Little Gull and Spot Fly took the year list to 202)