November 25th - 200th species for 2015
Matt and I arrived at the Towers as it was getting light and were soon joined by Derek Smith. The wind was not as strong as had been forecast and we only had a trickle of birds moving through. I lasted for three hours and left Matt and Derek at 1015. Most birds were flying W and those seen whilst I was there included 5 Shelduck, 25 Gannets, 167 Cormorants, 110 Herring Gulls, 34 Great Black-backed Gulls, 224 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Great Northern Diver, 14 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver (200th) seen on three or four occasions, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Kittiwakes, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 5 Sanderling, 4 Pintail, 1 distant large auk and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
After his seawatch Matt walked inland and found 6 Redwings, 20 Blackbirds, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Wigeon, 10 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail, 2 Green Sandpipers, 140 Gadwall, 1 Goldeneye and 1 Grey Wagtail.
This afternoon we walked from Chamber's Wall to Coldharbour and found 1 Grey Heron, 2Kestrels, 3 Stonechats, 1 Kingfisher, 6 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares, 18 Blackbirds, 6 Grey Partridges, 1 Little Egret, 5 Turnstone, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Little Grebes and 2 Redshank.
We still have a Coal Tit visiting out garden feeders.