A long weekend of Seawatching at both Oare Marshes and Hampton Pier at various times and days was my schedule this weekend , here are my personal highlight totals :
24th September : Oare Marshes
8.am to 13.45 pm
Early rain clearing on a strong NW wind
POMARINE SKUA 1 Juv flew into Faversham creek
(New bird for my Oare Marshes bird list)
Great Skua 6+
Arctic Skua 1 Dark Phase
Arctic Tern 2+
Sandwich Tern 35+
Pintail 5+
Teal 100+
Eider 3 on sea near Castle Coote
Med Gull 1 Adult
25th September ; Oare Marshes
7.45am to 10.20am
Strong NW wind
Great Skua 7+
Arctic Skua 1
Arctic Tern 1 juv
Sandwich Tern 5+
Wigeon 5+
Teal 5+
Hen Harrier 1 'Ringtail' Flew up Faversham Creek then over East flood.
Merlin 1 over Swale
Marsh Harrier 2 over Swale
Egyptian Goose 6 flew over Swale towards Nagden
25th September : Hampton Pier
12.11pm to 17.35pm
Strong NNW wind
SOOTY SHEARWATER 1 East picked up first by SC , good but distant views.
Manx Shearwater 4 west
LONG TAILED SKUA 1 juv west in with a group of 4 Arctic Skuas
Arctic Skua 7+ west
Great Skua 15+ west
Black throated Diver 1 west close in, in partial summer plumage
Red Throated Diver 1 west
Sandwich Tern 15+ west
Kittiwake 1 adult west
Gannet 100+ mostly west & mostly juv birds
Common Scoter 6 east
Teal 5+ west
Brent Goose 1 west
Common Snipe 2 west
Golden Plover 20+ west
Probable Leach's Petrel 1 west.
Really distant views of a Petrel species (as far out as the wind turbines) and only got onto the bird late, flight pattern & size looked good, at that range can't think what else it could be ??
27th September : Hampton Pier (should have gone to Oare !!!)
7am to 9.30am
Strong NNW wind
Great Skua 2+ west
Arctic Skua 1 west
Fulmar 1 west
Gannet 50+ west
Little Gull 1 adult west close in only seen by AE.
Common Scoter 10+ west & east
Wigeon 25+ west
Teal 2+ west
Brent Goose 15+ west
Red Throated Diver 2 east
