Sun 24th Oct 21

It was great to get back to some birding after having one of the grandsons to stay and although I missed the Velvet Scoter I managed to pick up 2 year ticks with Goldeneye and Arctic Tern, along with close views of a super Razorbill with PL

Reports from today:

Pete Loud

09:39 Male Goldeneye south, followed by 7 Shoveler.

09:43 2 cracking Velvet Scoter close in past sea-watching hide think they may have landed on the water.

09:50 2 Velvet Scoter are close in on the water off the sluice rocks. 

09:54 Both drakes. 

10:00 Flying off south.

14:28 With the wind moving to the south finch passage was non existent today, although a couple of groups of Chaffinch came in off the sea late morning about 45 in total, with a few groups of Starling also. Most of my time was spent sea-watching. Plenty of Gannets first thing, a single Tern heading north I thought was probably a Sandwich, the light was challenging early on. 2 brilliant Drake Velvet Scoters landed on the sea close in right in front of me, and on our way back from a walk to Frinton Mick picked up a Razorbill feeding close off the sluice attracting some gulls as it was chasing probably sprats to the surface and this bought in a fine juvenile Arctic Tern, a superb couple of minutes. In addition through the morning,1 drake Goldeneye, 6 Common Scoter, 1 Guillemot, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Red- throated Diver, 9 Turnstone, 1 Curlew, 3 Knot, and just a few Brent.

Simon Cox

11:09 Sea watch from shelter 0745-1000: R-t Diver 3, Gannet 21, Brent 14, Cormorant 205 N then 111 N later, prob. different, Goldeneye drake, Shoveler 7, C. Scoter 2  N (dipped on Velvets), Guillemot 1, Arctic Skua 1 high S at 0850, Golden Plover 3, Curlew 1, Turnstone 7 sluice, Med Gull 1 ad, Starling 150 in 2 flocks.