Blown Away at Seaford

 With strong winds forecast, even though they were in a non-favourable direction, I felt a Seawatch was in order this morning, a little bit tardy getting up, so didn't arrive until about 6.20. The forecast was correct and it was very windy, so windy getting out of the car was difficult😱🌀, too windy to watch from the basket, so headed for the small shelter just along the road!! Only to find someone had beat me to it!!! Luckily it's big enough for two and the occupant was happy to share. At this point I will point out that once again, I forgot to ask the guys name, so he will be the other birder (TOB) for the purpose of the blog😏!! He said there hadn't been much through except a couple of Auks, a few Scoter, a couple of Divers and a some Gannets. It continued in that vein for a while I saw 3 Auks, 10 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers and quite a few Gannets. There were also the local Fulmars and Kittiwakes flying back and forth,  things livened up a bit with the arrival of a Med Gull through and a bit later with a few Sandwich Terns. That's how things continued for the rest of the Seawatch with several Med Gulls, a few Common Gulls and several Sandwich Terns  going through. TOB went home to do some decorating so I continued alone, (coincidently Margie has been mentioning the D word lately in regards to our Kitchen, I'm in steadfastly ignoring her mode at the moment, hoping to get through Seawatching season before the pressure reaches breaking point and I have to hold the ladder for her or something 😂😂😂😱).  More of the same plus a flock of 10 Black-headed Gulls which went east then came back. Then a moment of self-delusion, when a large black bird sheared through, I was just about to string Albatross, when I remembered about 2cy Gannets!! This bird popped up several more times, with me failing to get a single picture, even when I thought I'd got some, on inspection of the pics it turned out it had pulled the old switcharoo with a Great Black-backed Gull and they were all blurred anyway!! 😡😢😂

So obviously with the rollicking wind (the weather was bad too😱😁😂😂) the long distances involved and birds going through at about 100mph pictures were at a premium and are poor even by my very low standards, but think they give a sense of what it was like, I've identified the Gulls to the best of my limited  ability, in the unlikely event anyone reads this and knows what they are talking about, please feel free to correct them in the comments!

Fulmar

Fulmar going so quick it almost left the pic😂

Med Gull

Easier to see above the horizon

Common Gull above Med Gull below

2CY Common Gull

Med Gull

Med Gull

Common Gull

Black-headed Gull

2CY Common Gull (I think),this is my fav pic of the day, gives a good idea how high the waves were

Newhaven Lighthouse, was expecting with the wind for there to be huge waves crashing into this, but seem quite calm, must have something to do with the wind direction

Think the large Mirrors indicate these as Common Gulls

3rd CY Herring Gull (I think)

2nd winter (3CY) Med Gull

and again

Great Black-backed Gull

And again

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

and again

With clouds rolling in, me back-aching, (luckily I'd remembered me cushions so my butt was fine!! TMI I know😅) I decided to have a short walk up to Splash Point, going was ok with the wind behind me, lots of Gulls around the basket, mainly various ages of Herring Gull and two Rock Pipits were battling to stay on the ground against the wind, although did provide me with an opportunity for a couple of half decent pics!!

Think they are all Herring Gulls of various ages though one looks quite interesting

Newhaven beyond the surf!

3rd CY Herring Gull

3rd CY Herring Gull, my favourite age of Herring Gull they look well mean!

2CY Herring Gull (1st Winter)

Rock Pipit

At least something posed ok!

Got completely battered by the wind on the short walk back to the car, so gave up and was home by 10!!

Was quite a good Seawatch always enjoy watching Gulls, Fulmars and Gannets in strong winds, you can see what they were designed for, the big Gulls especially seem to enjoy themselves!!

Blackdown Shrike Hunt

 News that the Great Grey Shrike was still at Blackdown, came as a bit of a surprise and having steadfastly ignored  it previously, I felt a trip was needed less I upset the Birding Gods! Having followed the Birdguides directions to the middle of nowhere😡 again!! We back tracked and parked at the Quell Lane car park, We parked up, kitted up and were then faced with a near vertical climb to the Temple of the Winds!!(some controversy here as I suggested that with the the steep climb in the bright sunshine we should lose a couple of layers, which was agreed, however by the time we got to the top, the sun had gone in and there was an icy wind!! This was my fault apparently😏)  Obviously I trotted up like a young Mountain Goat, Margie struggled bless her so I graciously took plenty of stops and even faked gasping for breath to make her feel better, that's just how I roll!!😁 The views from the top are well worth the climb and we were serenaded by a Robin while we admired them and recovered our breath!

Robin singing from the top of the tallest tree!

View from the top (Phone pic)

Nice to see the Gorse starting to bloom, be full on in a couple of weeks (Margie Pic)

Margie's pics of the view below!

 We walked through the trees out onto the Heathland, straight away we had a couple of Stonechats having a barney and the scratchy singing of a Dartford Warbler, with a Shrike to find we did spend the time required to get a decent pic!!

Stonechat

Dartford Warbler

Several Linnets singing as well!

We wandered about, had 3 Woodlark singing, but off the highest tree and the light was harsh!! A Buzzard circled, more Linnets and Stonechats and plenty of great views!

Woodlark

Buzzard

Stonechat

We carried on wandering, went round a corner, boom!!! Great Grey Shrike, gave great views for a couple of minutes before tree-hopping into the distance!! Few pics below

We attempted to follow it, but it had retreated off the main paths, so gave it up and headed back, we ran into another couple of birders and gave them the best directions we could hopefully they got on it!

Were quite a lot of people about now mostly Dog Walkers, we must have seen 30 odd and despite the signs about cattle and ground nesting birds only one was on the lead, and one group of about 6 people had at least 10 dogs between them most of which were rampaging through the heather and gorse and jumping in the ponds, think if that is a normal day, I would imagine it is going to be difficult for any birds  to produce young!!😢

Some nice Ponds on the heath as well! Pics by Margie

With the cold starting to bite we headed back to the viewpoint, going down the slope was a lot easier than going up!! Until!! Yes you've guessed it Cows!! 5 blooming great Belted Galloways right in the middle of the path, with the gate tantalizingly close and the alternative a slog back up the hill, I girded my loins and edged around them!! Margie got some pictures of the action below, though suspiciously she accidently missed my incredible bravery!! Accidently yeah right!!! (Margie says that I was moving to fast to get a picture!!) 😱😲

Interesting log!

The beasts

Stump 

Fairy grotto according to Margie😏

Having made it back to the car we headed home!

Quick mention of yesterday, from the Sofa, the Male Sparrowhawk reappeared in our Garden also a visit from a Rook filling it's boots on some Peanuts I'd emptied out when I changed the feeder!

Male Sparrowhawk

Rook

They are a strange looking beast close up!!