Great start to the day - albeit not until 0750hrs, so perhaps deserved to see a big fat zero. A hard life being a musician and the hours we have to keep. Unfortunately no-one else available early doors other than a visiting birder checking the outfalls. The second part of a good day was a wader fest over high tide
Some nice pics from Janet taken over the last few days at Middleton
North wall 0750-0915(with 10 minute break)
Slavonian Grebe - one in full summer plumage flew in from the south and landed next to a skeer near a gang of Eiders. Fortunately no heat haze by that stage and the features were immediately obvious in superb light (for those of us who scratch their heads on the flight views - not being used to them!). Began feeding and disappeared behind a skeer when distracted by Arctic Tern movement. Hopefully can be found further up the Bay
Arctic Tern - 46 in (5+7+16+7+11)
Sandwich Tern - NONE!!
Eider - c280 (count distracted)
Swallow - c45
House Martin - 1
Sand Martin - 5
Black-headed Gull - 35 purposefully in - dribs and drabs
Little Gull - summer adult in with BHG
Purple Sandpiper - feeding below seawall with Turnstone then moved towards harbour entrance
Grounded
Willow Warbler - gang of 5 in the bushes by the sandworks - flew into centrica
Wheatear - 2 north wall, 4 Ocean Edge
Whinchat - two males together reported by birder in Nature park - not there mid-morning
No time to really search round
Others
Sanderling - 1 Red Nab
Dunlin - 280 Red Nab near high tide
Knot - one Red Nab
Whimbrel - 7 Red Nab, then north
Turnstone - 350-400 wooden jetty
