On the 2nd, Phil Espin recorded 2 Red-throatedDivers north and 11 Little Gulls south during a one hour seawatch out from Pye's Hall.

         This morning at the south end, a one hour seawatch up to the high tide and onset of rain at 1140 saw 2 Red-throated Divers, 7 Wigeon and one Red-breasted Merganser north, while to the south were 40 Wigeon, 2 Teal, one Red-throated Diver and 2 Little Gulls.   Three Skylarks came in from the sea. On the shore or fishing just offshore were 25 Cormorants and 4 Shags.   Also on the shore were 8 Redshanks, 2 Knot, 150 Lapwings, 66 Curlews, 2 Oystercatchers, 20 Dunlin, 130 Sanderlings and 150 Brent Geese.   The only birds of note on the dunes were 5 Grey Partridges, one Short-eared Owl and one Great Spotted Woodpecker, but on the flashes were 5 Mute Swans, 3 Whooper Swans, 8 Teal, 3 Tufted Ducks, 5 Little Grebes, 4 Redshanks and one Common Snipe.

                                                                            Shags

                                                                      Short-eared Owl

                                                                       Sparrowhawk


         A seawatch at the south end just after high tide produced 13 Shags, the highest-ever day total for the area.   Other counts were 25 Cormorants, 5 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers, one Guillemot, 160 Brent Geese, 2 Greylag Geese, 4 Mallard, one Shelduck, one Great Crested Grebe and one Great Skua.   On the shore and beach were 290 Lapwings, 75 Curlews, 5 Redshanks, 4 Sanderlings and 40 Twite, while on the landward side, the best birds were 3 Whooper Swans, one Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrines, one Sparrowhawk, 2 Mistle Thrushes and one Water Rail.

         Two skeins of Pink-footed Geese totalling 96 birds flew south during the morning.   Little of note was on the dunes while only 5 Grey Partridges were of interest on the fields.   On the flashes were 5 Mute Swans, 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Mallard, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Coots, one Little Egret and 5 Redshanks.   On the shore were 36 Curlews, 160 Sanderlings, 500 Lapwings, 60 Brent Geese, 10 Cormorants, 50 Twite and a Merlin which passed to the south.

         Birds seen in the Stonebridge area during the gales included 430 Brent Geese, 13 Shelducks, 5 Turnstones, 230 Lapwings, 100 Golden Plovers, 69 Twite, a Common Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and a
Merlin.
         A late report from the seal wardens concerns a Waxwing at Stonebridge on 27th.

                                                                     Yellowhammer

                                                                               Stonechat

         A walk from Stonebridge to Pye's Hall and then around the realignment area produced the following birds.   Waders were 220 Oystercatchers, 100 Dunlin, 47 Curlews, 210 Redshanks, 27 Golden Plovers and 1,200 Lapwings.   Wildfowl were 1,100 Brent Geese, 3 Pink-footed Geese, 427 Shelducks, 103 Mallard and 70 Teal.   Also of note were 5 Little Grebes, 4 Little Egrets, 33 Rock Pipits, 120+ Twite, 2 Stonechats and a Short-eared Owl.

         There was little of note at the south end this morning.   The best birds on the landward side were 3 Whooper Swans on the flashes and a Common Buzzard over the fields.   There was no sea passage during an hour spent on the tide-line, but birds onshore included 10 Cormorants, 250 Brent Geese, 650 Golden Plovers, one Grey Plover, 45 Sanderlings, 160 Dunlin, 18 Lapwings, 12 Redshanks, 31 Curlews and 61 Bar-tailed Godwits.

         Yesterday (25th), at Stonebridge in the continuous rain, there were 65 Twite, 350 Brent Geese, 20 Shelducks and 135 Lapwings.

         Some late notes from yesterday (23rd) from the Stonebridge area.   The best birds were 118 Lapwings, 350 Golden Plovers, 7 Turnstones, 75 Dunlin, 140 Brent Geese, one Merlin, 400 Starlings, one Snow Bunting and 107 Twite.