Wednesday 7 September 2011

Seawatching Excitement!

Some exciting seabirds have been seen in Devon during the last few days. The most significant being a record number of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater, with 304 birds seen from Berry Head yesterday!

Recent seabird excitement from Budleigh over the last few days includes:

Monday 5th September
1 Sooty Shearwater

6+ Arctic Skua
1 prob Pom Skua

Today Weds 7th September
Some cracking views of 4 Balearic Shearwaters this morning as they fed no more than 250M off-shore in with 60+ Gannet. They were on view continually between 07.15 - 08.30 and even the Mrs managed to twitch them on her bike before work! Another 5 Balearic Shearwaters also passed west during the morning. However, the real gem was a stomping adult Pomarine Skua that came in really close to investigate the feeding frenzy! Also on the sea this morning were 2 Sandwich tern, 1 Common tern, 1 Arctic Tern, a 1st winter Med Gull and 6 Common Scoter.

On the nearby Otter Estuary, highlights were:
5 Juv. BT Godwits
1 Barwit
1 ad Med Gull
10 Little Egret
8 Teal
3 Wigeon

A brief look at the sea this evening with Doug produed another 2 more distant Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Common terns heading west.

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