The day began with heavy rain followed by dryer but overcast skies, a blustery southerly wind and temperatures that reached 12 degrees C. Seawatch highlights included 116 Wigeon, 85 Teal, a Tufted Duck, 141 Common Scoters and two Goldeneyes flying south, with a Long-tailed Duck and a Red-breasted Merganser moving north. Ten Little Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull were also recorded. Elsewhere, two Long-tailed Ducks and a Velvet Scoter were off South Landing/Hartendale, together with a Mediteranean Gull and four Gadwall.
The two Dusky Warblers remained (Golf Course Willows & Hartendale), but the day’s main feature was a mass arrival of Blackbirds: 4160 flew west off the headland in a mere 30 minutes between 1623-1653hrs. The north side of the headland between Holmes Gut and Sixpenny hosted 450 grounded Blackbirds, along with two Chiffchaffs and two Twite. Additional sightings included five Woodcock, ten Waxwings, a Siberian Chiffchaff (Golf Course Willows), a Ring Ouzel, ‘northern’ Bullfinch and two Snow Buntings.
Buckton hosted single Merlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier.
