With strong onshore winds blowing all night, hopes were high for a good seawatch today, but surprisingly it wasn't a seabird that made the day but a party of 9 Ruff which flew along close inshore from the east before towering up and seemingly heading inland. These were the first that I had ever recorded on the patch so naturally I was very delighted with this record.
Seabird wise it was actually pretty disappointing although about half a dozen Manx Shearwaters, plus good numbers of Arctic and Great Skuas kept the interest going. Other waders noted included a Purple Sandpiper, plus Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey and Golden Plovers, Knot, Dunlin and Turnstone, and duck included good numbers of Pintail and Common Scoter, plus Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck.
