Sunday, 10 May 2026

Failed to Spot

 Yesterday was a bit of a failure all round, first I had a Seawatch down at Splash Point, Seaford from 5.15 (yes in the morning)  til just before 8. Have hardly done any Seawatching this year, every time I've been off work the winds have been wrong or I've been somewhere else! Already a bit late in the season, was very slow, joined by Simon L we saw about 20 Gannets, 9 Sandwich Terns, a few Scoter, 6 Auk SP at least one of which was a Razorbill, a couple of Whimbrel, two small flocks of Sanderling and 3 Swallows "in off"! It looks like I'm not going to see a Skua at all this season! 😢Which is entirely my own fault, although from what I can gather it's been very poor fare this year all round, whether due to the lack of the right wind or simply less birds who knows! 

Newhaven at sunrise

A local Gull

Pied Wagtail

Great Black-backed Gull

Gannet



Flock of Oystercatcher

Common Scoter



Gannet

Sandwich terns


Shag seem to have become a fixture down at Splash


Whimbrel








Giving up I decided to head to Southease to try for the Spotted Sandpipers, that have been there all week, unsurprisingly they seemed to have buggered off!! Though there were about 15 common Sandpipers, to keep me on my toes and nice to have close views of  seven Whimbrel as well. Even more annoying was the report of a Pom Skua at Birling Gap three quarters of an hour after I left, would've have flown right past Splash!! Grrrr! Still wasn't all bad news, the Sun was shining,  I was serenaded for the whole walk by Skylarks, Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers, I also bumped into Paolo O amongst the others present who I hadn't seen for ages! As far as I can tell the Birds weren't reported so likely have gone! So failure not down to my incompetence which is always good! 😁A few pics of the birds I did manage to see below!

Kestrel





Common Sandpipers

Whimbrel


Nice posy Meadow Pipit




Nice with the Blossom

Common Sandpiper

Reed Bunting


Grey Heron, there has been a Purple Heron reported further up the valley but I only saw 3 Grey Heron and a Little Egret

Reed Bunting having a scratch

Linnet





Little Egret, vertical Take-Off



Whimbrel

Couple of Whimbrel

Common Sandpiper



Whimbrel

Newhaven


Painted Lady

Whimbrel



I don't mind dipping, in such a picturesque place, they weren't Lifers and you can't win them all!!!! 




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