Well what a wet and miserable day. Eventually the heavy rain did ease and turned into a fine drizzle. However with the wind still howling away, there didn't seem much point in checking out the local area, so I decided to head off to The Bill, for the chance of a Shearwater.
The sea was really rough and it was quite obvious that any chance of seeing Shearwaters was going to be tough. In fact I didn't see a single one. The only noticeable sea birds were Gannets, and lots of them heading east, past the Pulpit Rock. Apart from that it was just a handful of Cormorants and a Fulmar.
As I left to go home, a few Swallows were feeding on the field next to the Lobster Pot, where there were also 3 Meadow Pipits, and sheltering in the fields just north of the Observatory were some 80+ gulls with what looked like an equal ratio of Herring to Great Black-backed Gulls.
Late News in: Just as the light began to fade a Hoopoe dropped into the Obs. I wonder whether it will be there tomorrow.
Stormy seas off The Bill today.........
.....with lots of Gannets passing through.........
........of all ages........
.......an adult.....
......and another.......
........and another........
........and more........
......almost in sync.
A Great Black-backed Gull.......
.......which landed on the cliffs close by.
Gannets in flight
And three more.
Birds Recorded: 1 Fulmar, 30+ Gannet, 8 Cormorant, 40+ Herring Gull, 40+ Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 5 Swallow, 3 Meadow Pipit, 3 Carrion Crow, 1 Raven and 8 Linnet.