Glaucous Surprise

I went to sea for a few days this week which went really well but I am not really allowed to say what we saw so I won't. But it was good enough to induce a visit to Spurn for a seawatching and viz-migging afternoon. The weather was a bit hit and miss with strong sun, drizzle, cloud and gusting westerly winds. Not exactly ideal but I persisted.

I managed 3 hours in the seawatch hide by the warren with a couple of other guys. The undoubted highlight was a Glaucous Gull drifting south. I only saw the back end as it disappeared following the road but a big brute it was. There was little else moving save a regular passage of Swallows plus the occasional House or Sand Martin.

The sea was a little more productive with a couple of Arctic Skuas, both adult types with one light and one dark morph. A single Manx Shearwater worked distantly north before settling on the sea. A steady flow of Red- throated Divers went south with 32 in total.

Small numbers of wildfowl were also moving with 10 Pink-footed Geese coming in off. Several small groups of Teal and Common Scoter moved south along with a single flock of Wigeon. All said it was an enjoyable if not spectacular three hours. Hopefully I get the opportunity as the autumn progresses to get out and about a bit more. Infact there is a Pec Sand at Swinemoor so hopefully I can catch up with it today.