Scottish scoter and Sussex skuas (28 April-04 May)

Friday 28 April. I saw a Reed Warbler on the Downlink and Whimbrel on the Adur and heard a Willow Warbler by Shoreham Library.

Whimbrel with small crab on the Adur

Saturday 29 April. I visited Seaford with David Buckingham where we seawatched from Splash Point from 06:00-09:00 and 11:00-12:00, visiting Seaford Head between. Seawatching we saw 3 Shelduck, 27 Common Scoter, 11 Whimbrel, 114 Black-headed, 3 Mediterranean and 30 Common Gulls, 75 Sandwich Terns, a Great and 2 Arctic Skuas and 48 Gannets. A Wheatear was on the groyne when we arrived and a Willow Warbler came in and barely landed before heading inland. We walk up onto Seaford Head and around the golf course towards the barn. In a rough field just before the car park were 5 Whinchats (3 superb males) and 9 Wheatears but otherwise it was quite with male Stonechat and Lesser Whitethroat best. Early evening I met Matt Palmer in Hove and he drove up to Scotland, picking up Hugh and Geoff off the M25 on the way.

Wheatear on the groyne at Splash Point, Seaford

Whinchat on Seaford Head

Whinchats on Seaford Head

with Wheatear

Sunday 30 April. We arrived at Lower Largo soon after 03:00 and managed a couple of hours sleep in the car. Soon after first light we and 50+ other birders were scanning the bay for scoter. Conditions seemed ideal with little wind, an almost flat sea and an incoming tide. As the light improved many small flocks of scoter could be seen scattered across the bay. Most were Velvet Scoter (at least 200 in total). Scanning through the nearer birds from the car park a drake Surf Scoter was soon found and soon after, with help from Alan Lewis, I saw one then two drake White-winged Scoter. This was the scoter I most wanted to see as I'd not seen one anywhere before. They were not always easy to keep track of even when I'd got my eye in as, despite the calm seas, the small groups of scoter seemed to be constantly changing position and number as they dived and drifted around. It didn't help that there were few markers for directions. We soon heard that the drake Stejneger's Scoter was being seen in the bay 3-400m to the east and hurried along to the jetty where a crowd had gathered. Here my stool came in handy as I was able to sit in front of the crowd while scanning. The Stejneger's Scoter was a bit closer than the White-winged and easier to pick out/follow as it had a more distinctive bill shape and pattern. After an hour of so watching it we returned to the car park for another look at the White-winged and Surf Scoters, briefly seeing what looked like a female Surf being followed by the male. At least 30 Common Scoter made it a five scoter day! I also saw 30+ Eider, 2 Long-tailed Duck, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Red-necked Grebes, 5 Red-throated and 2 Black-throated Divers, 2 Guillemots and 8 Shags. Quite an amazing place and my only other sea duck encounter that came anywhere close was 1000 Common and 2-3 male King Eider, 1500 Long-tailed Duck and 1000+ Common, 200 Velvet and 1-2 male Surf Scoter at Golspie/Loch Fleet on 31 March 1975. We rather reluctantly left, I could have stayed all day but it was a long way back home, and stopped at Whinfell Tarn near Kendal where a drake Hooded Merganser was seen. A smart bird but not a species I can get too excited about despite it apparently being unringed and fully winged. At least it is nearer the west coast than the two accepted birds I've seen before which were both in the SE (Kent and Sussex).

Monday 01 May. Still rather tired, I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where a Spotted Flycatcher in the wood was a pleasant surprise.

Tuesday 02 May. Another visit to Mill Hill with Cookie with Lesser Whitethroat the best sighting.

Wednesday 03 May. I seawatched from Widewater from 06:20-08:50 and, in moderate ENE winds, saw 2 Great Crested Grebes, an Avocet (at 08:12), 20 Whimbrel (another heard), 4 Curlew, 4 Turnstones, 24 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Sandwich Terns, 15 Gannets and 13 Swallows. All were flying east.

Thursday 04 May. I seawatched from Widewater from 06:10-11:50 in moderate ENE backing ESE winds. Flying east I saw 2 Gadwall, 11 Teal, 34 Common Scoter, 29 Grey and 2 Ringed Plover, 65 Whimbrel, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 unidentified medium/large waders, 6 Knot, 3 Sanderling, single Dunlin and Redshank, 3 Kittiwakes, 3 Black-headed and 5 Common Gulls, 12 Sandwich Terns, 6 Pomarine, 3 Arctic and 3 unidentified skuas, 3 Fulmars, 51 Gannets and 8 Swallows. A Red-breasted Merganser flew west and a Great Crested Grebe was on the sea. The skuas were a pale Arctic and 4 Pomarine (3 pale, 1 dark)  at 07:16, 2 pale Arctics closely followed by 2 pale Pomarines at 08:56 and 3 distant Arctic or Poms at 10:50. Other skuas flying east at Worthing were not picked up, being either too far out or slipping by while my attention was elsewhere.