23rd August 2017

Promising conditions for sea passage (a brisk northerly) produced our most notable selection of the autumn so far, the highlight being the year’s first Long-tailed Skua south (MJP), as well as single Balearic Shearwater and Pomarine Skua (JS), 14 Arctic Skuas, three Bonxies, 148 Fulmars, eight Swifts, a Grey Plover an 132 Common Terns south, and a fresh-in Wheatear on the Brigg.  

An equally productive 22nd was most notable for terns, of which many stopped by on the Brigg for variable periods – these included two Roseate Terns, two Black Terns (and one south), Sandwich Terns (170s, 150n, 220 present), Common Terns (160s, 270n, 60 present) and Arctic Terns 13s, 10n, 15 present) (CW, MJP). Other highlights included a Sooty Shearwater, 259 Common Scoter and two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls north (MJP), and a Stonechat and four Willow warblers were new on Carr Naze.