As mentioned in the last summary, the midsummer doldrums are at least punctuated by a little variety here on the coast, with the first rumblings of seabird and wader movements providing enough good reason to make the effort.
Dunlin and Purple Sandpiper
A handful of sea-watching sessions, as well as the last period of the bay monitoring surveys, have provided plenty of opportunity to enjoy passing seabirds over the last fortnight. While there's been a lack of scarcities thus far (it still being early in the season), the expected species have put in enjoyable performances.
Sanderlings
Highlights (aside from the local breeding birds) have included: plenty of Manx Shearwaters, a handful of Sooty Shearwaters, regular Arctic Skuas and Bonxies, good counts of Common Scoters (with a peak of 358 on 27th), a pair of Great Northern Divers heading north (21st), an adult Little Gull and a Velvet Scoter (19th), and impressive numbers of Sandwich, Common and particularly Arctic Terns.
Black-tailed Godwit
Wader passage has indeed become more interesting, without truly kicking in as yet; Whimbrels, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Dunlins, Turnstones, Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers and Curlews have all passed by and stopped off on the Brigg in variable but generally small numbers, while single summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit (at the Dams, 31st) and a Purple Sandpiper (on the Brigg, 16th) have added a little extra glamour.
With plenty of opportunity and possibility upcoming, this should hopefully be the last of the somewhat sedate fortnightly summaries of late - August is here, and there's everything to play for.....
