A northerly wind strengthened during the day; overcast at first, with sunny intervals from late morning and a high of 19 degrees C. These were essentially seawatch conditions, and oft said, the season begins in mid-July – certainly the day featured an uptick in quality.
The undoubted highlight of a morning seawatch was a summer-plumaged Black Guillemot that flew north past the Fog Station at 0915hrs. Number of Puffins tend to peak during July, presumably as non-breeding birds reconnoitre colonies ahead of the next breeding season: a total of 4950 Puffins flying north during the morning was testament to such an increase. Other notable records included a Blue Fulmar lingering offshore, an eclipse drake Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Oystercatchers south, two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, an Arctic Skua, 286 Sandwich Terns north and six Arctic Terns also north. In addition, a Marsh Harrier flew in off the sea. Later in the day, a Cory’s Shearwater flew north relatively close inshore from 1915-1922hrs.
Thornwick Pools hosted 47 Tufted Ducks, including a female with a recently hatched duckling. Passerine records included a Garden Warbler at Oceanview and nine Yellow Wagtails.
A Quail was seen in flight at Bempton, where single Marsh Harrier and Bonxie were also recorded.
