Terns

For some reason there has been a roost of Sandwich Terns, beneath the seawall, over the last few days. It's not normal for them to gather off Mudbank in numbers but it's very welcome. Today, at least 50 gave fabulous views on the deck, as the tide started to drop.

Off Mudbank today - at least 1 juvenile Arctic Tern and 15+ Common Terns, along with 70+ Sandwich Terns. Also - 1 Osprey, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 6 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1+ Kingfisher, 4 Grey Herons, 2 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 310+ Teal, 1 Pintail x Wigeon hybrid and 2 first-winter Mediterranean Gulls. I didn't count the Wigeon or Pintail today.

Earlier, on Orcombe Point - 5+ Yellow Wagtail, 2 or 3 Tree Pipits, 7 Grey Wagtails, 8 'alba' Wagtails, 2 Wheatear, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whinchat, 10+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows, 4+ Chiffchaffs, 5+ Blackcaps, 20+ Meadow Pipits and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Offshore, at least 6 Balearic Shearwaters and 60+ Gannets along with a large feeding flock of gulls, that were presumably after whitebait. An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the beach and a Wheatear was on the cricket pitch.