The highlight of the last few days was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull which followed a fishing boat north past the Brigg this morning (MJP) – the first this year. A dark-morph Arctic Skua went south yesterday (16th) on what has been a quiet sea so far this July.
Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (Mark Pearson)
The 14th saw the first returning Purple Sandpiper on the Brigg end with various other waders which included eight Turnstones and 22 Redshanks, while the Little Ringed Plover from the previous day remained at East Lea. Knot and Whimbrel have trickled through daily in single figures, as have Yellow Wagtails, Manx Shearwaters and the odd Common and Arctic Tern. One or two Grey Wagtails have been recorded daily, with Common Sandpipers at the Dams and East Lea.
Purple Sandpiper (Mark Pearson)
A further six European Storm-petrels were trapped overnight on 13th/14th and another three on 15th/16th, bringing the overall tally this week to 30 from five sessions.