A short seawatch yesterday morning was surprisingly eventful, with a really close (for here) female Eider just of the prom for a while, almost 200 Manxies counted, and my first Artic Terns of the year - two with a single Common Tern - providing the highlights.
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Lovely female Eider in the rain
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A late pm walk at Cogden was good too, with a steady trickle of Sandwich Terns mainly heading east. I counted 50 but must have missed loads when I wasn't looking. A nice light-phase Arctic Skua was interested in them as well, chasing at least two as it went by. Also my first Sedge Warbler of the year in quiet subsong - a species I didn't see at all last spring.
My car was out of action most of today, so instead of work this afternoon I did a big circuit of Cogden and West Bex, hoping for a hatful of migrants. Well, that didn't happen! In 8-10 miles walking the tally was four Swallows, a Whimbrel, one or two White Wags, 19 Chiffs, 11 Blackcaps, zero Willow Warblers, one Wheatear, two Whitethroats and a Reed Warbler. Most of the warblers were probably on territory too, and one of the Swallows. The sea was amazingly quiet compared with yesterday. Barely anything moving at all.
I found myself looking at plants...
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If this is Glaucous Sedge, I've learned a new plant. If not, well...
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And again
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Bad photo of White Wagtail with rump out
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Because of where it is, this could well be Green-winged Orchid, but I will have to come back when it is open
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My second Whitethroat of the year. This one at West Bex; the first was at Cogden
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Whimbrel on the Mere field
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I suspect this is the same Wheatear that was on Cogden Beach yesterday.
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The migrants are arriving, but no flood as yet. Drip, drip, drip, more like.
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