Skua Quest

Seeing skuas is an annual ritual that must be observed. By this time last year I had already seen eight of them: seven Arctic and a Great. 2023 is proving less cooperative. Although I know it will happen sooner or later, later is never what you would choose, right? So I am putting some effort in. Not this morning though. This morning was clearly going to be one of the no-skua kind, so I made an early circuit of the golf course side of West Bay and enjoyed a fantastic walk...

View from the eastern edge of the patch this morning, looking back towards West Bay...

...and east towards Burton Cliffs.

With bright sunshine and barely a breath of wind, migrants were always going to be at a premium, and the only two Wheatears were both in what is proving a very reliable spot for them: the West Pier and rock armour...

Wheatear arrives at the southernmost tip of West Bay...

...and works its way inland, a few yards of concrete at a time.

Skua-wise, this evening's forecast was extremely unpromising - a cool, offshore breeze and showers. I had two choices. One, sit indoors and moan about the rubbish weather for seawatching; two, sit outdoors and do likewise. At 17:30 I was in the seafront shelter, limbering up for a good moan. Two hours later I checked my notes...

13 Gannets, 2+ Guillemots, 1 Kittiwake, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 95 Manxies, 33 Sandwich Terns, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Shelduck, 6 Whimbrel and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit.

No skuas, of course, nor anything new for the year, but not too shabby really. Just a couple more scans, then home...

I know what you're thinking, but no, that didn't happen. However, two Oystercatchers did fly past. Species number 98 for the West Bay & Eype Patchwork Challenge list. Result!

Last night was chilly and clear. Apparently the northern lights were visible for many, but I didn't see them from my naked noc-mig chair. I did hear a load of shuffling and snorting though, and saw our first garden Hedgehog for ages. Here is a ropey phone pic...

Garden Hedgehog, frozen, and on the point of curling up, so I backed off.

The moth catch was pathetic. Just four moths, but remarkably one was a migrant micro...

I am an optimist by nature, but honestly cannot see me adding to the 2023 skua tally tomorrow.

The quest continues...