This Easter I have put some time in to pursuing the art of sea-watching. It's probably a real "Marmite" activity, you either love it or hate it. For myself I enjoy staring into the open expanse of the sea and then suddenly coming across a tadpole-like stream of Common Scoter (and trying to pick out a Velvet !), or finding a high-flying flock of Brent Geese majestically working their way steadily towards their Arctic breeding quarters. There's something quite magical in witnessing that for me.
So my Bank Holiday weekend started, er well last Thursday actually. Two and a half hours at Splash Point in a light SSW. A steady flow of birds, just about enough to keep an interest. Some of the birds came in quite close, including a nice flock of four (s-p) Red-throated divers and a single Black-throated. Still a few Brents passing east (24 in total), although the majority have already gone through earlier in the year. Most of the (Common) Scoter flocks were quite distant, including one flock of c30 birds containing at least one but probably three Velvet Scoter; but there were a few closer birds where the dark black males were more discernible from the browner females. Four Common Terns were the first for the year for me; Sandwich Terns were passing at a steady trickle. Two flocks of Whimbrel (4 and 5) east gave a bit of variety to the species composition for the day.
On to the Good Friday, where forecasts earlier in the week were giving SE winds, which is what you want in Spring (theoretically at least). In reality the wind turned to NW and the birds....were not to be seen this side of the Channel. The highlight was a Willow Warbler on the end of the west arm of Brighton marina.
Two days later, Easter Sunday, the rain set in for most of the day; when it cleared, the wind had veered round to a light S/SE and it was sunny ! Don't you just love the English weather. Two and a half hours at Brighton marina were productive in quality rather than quantity. Several flocks of Whimbrel (18,20,4), two Swallows in/off the sea, 5 Brents, several Gannets, one Common Tern, 3 Commic and a steady movement of Sandwich Terns. Eight Purple Sandpiper were inside the marina as were 44 Turnstone. But pride of place goes to the close-in Arctic Skua (another was further out, both dark phase), giving great views, and an absolutely stunning summer-plumaged Black-throated diver which flew past really close-by. It's what makes the hours of sea-watching worthwhile !
The weekend was brought to a finish by a further two hours at the marina on the Bank Holiday Monday in a very light ENE. A good selection of species with reasonable numbers of Cmn Scoter, Sandwich Tern, and fewer Gannets. Two (pairs ?) of Shelduck made for a change; I always like watching them migrate over the sea as they're quite striking birds, contrasting sharply with a dark sea background. Four Little Gull were a bit distant but their black hoods and dark underwing were clearly visible. Two Med Gulls were much closer giving themselves away with their soft mewing calls; classy adult s-p birds. Two Razorbills flew close enough to be able to see that one was an adult s-p and the other was a first summer bird (retaining some juvenile feathers and having an overall browner appearance). Good views of a s-p R-T diver were had not too far out. Finally three flocks of Whimbrel flew east (2,4,9), with two calling that beautiful fluty sound that they make (evocative of their more northerly breeding sites such as Shetland) and flying right over my head (fantastic views), whilst four did likewise before landing on Brighton beach.
Sometimes birding is about the expectation, the possibility of what might turn up; sea-watching accentuates that and you've often only got a fairly limited amount of time to get onto the bird, to check it's ID. It's challenging ! Now what's the weather forecast like for the next week or so......
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