June and early July - Surf Scoter

June was a disapointingly quiet month overall, with the hoped for late spring migrants no materialising.

A few bits new for my Local Big Year list came early on in the form of Reed Warbler, Barnacle Goose and a Great White Egret all along the Aln Estuary on the 2nd. An early morning walk around Seaton Point on the 3rd produced a Redstart, but annoyingly nothing better.

The best looking evening for migrants was the 8th, and sure enough a Quail was new in singing from the dunes at Seaton Point, whilst a Hobby bombed south past me stood on 'nav pole mound' by the coast - a description species up here and always tricky to catch up with.

Some 'interesting' moult, maybe a lucky escape in the Med, or closer to home?

There was then a few weeks of pretty boring generally: I twitched Tom's very nice summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank on the Aln Estuary and had a decent morning of Swift passage at Howick with 1610 S in 3.5 hrs, but overall it was poor. A distant Minke Whale, possibly two, offshore at Howick were new for me as I continued to get used to my new favoured seawatch location.

Things then changed on the 30th - I'd noticed large numbers of gulls moving south for a couple of days, and some big flocks were feeding offshore at Howick, so opted to spend an evening after work checking flocks at Boulmer. The first flock, conveniently grilled just after leaving the car, revealed nothing on the first couple of scans, but as it often the case, heads turned and birds shifted around to reveal an obviously interesting bird. I've seen enough Caspian Gulls now, of all ages, to know the distinctive jizz and feel, and this bird had everything. I took some phonescoped footage before it took off with half the flock. Thankfully it came back and gave decent views, probably the best and most prolonged views I've had of one with a visiting couple even getting a look.

Comparison of the Caspian with a Herring that's a year older - shows how advanced Casps are pulmage wise. 

    

The initial video on picking the bird up in the flock - a better feel for the jizz than pics

In terms of ID, this bird was fairly simple - it was my search image anyway, and ticked all the boxes, some also described above; typcical bill and eye, slightly darker mantle than HG, long, fleshy legs, dark centered 'thumbnail' pattern on tertials, long primary projection, p10 mirror visible in other images and just an all-round very distinctive jizz. My 7th confirmed at Boulmer, and second this year - it would be nice to get a few more before the juvs arrive.

The next headline bird was altogether less expected. I decided to try an evening seawatch off Howick after work on the 4th of July - with the American Black Tern still just up the coast, this date felt perfect to finally connect. It was a quiet watch, so when a drake Surf Scoter wizzed through my scope view at mid-distance, I really wasn't ready. Normally I can compose myself quickly, get some good shots, and enjoy the bird, but so much was going through my head I ended up with pretty poor pics really. I went to call Stewart, based nearby, but realised it would be gone by the time I ended the call never mind in time for him to rush out, so went back to watch the bird as it rounded the Bathing House and out of view for me. 

Slightly disappointing pics given the views I had, but you can tell what it is.

In total, it can't have been in view for more than a minute, it really was moving, but what a bird! Completely off my radar and not seen anywhere after, it's another portrayal of how seawatching can throw a curveball at any time. It was also the third addition to my self-found list this year, after Pallid Swift and Quail, and became number 178 for #LocalBigYear. 

A Kingfisher then put in an appearance around the rock pools at Howick on the 5th, another year tick and one step closer to 200. Seawatching year-tick targets over the next few months for me are:

1. Sooty Shearwater
2. Balearic Shearwater
3. One of Cory's / Great (both would be nice)
4. Fea's-type Petrel - wishful thinking but getting more and more regular
5. Leach's Petrel - 2 from Seaton Pt in 2020, so the clifftop should help get another
6. Pomarine Skua
7. Little Auk
8. Black Guillemot
9. Long-tailed Duck
10. Garganey - I've missed em on the deck so far this year so why not
11. White-billed Diver
12. Black Tern (American would be nice too)
13. Sabine's Gull - would be a lifer, massive bogey bird
14. Yellow-legged Gull - juvs are pretty easy, and should be doable from the high ground at Howick

Whilst Autumn very much tangible, I'm looking forward to the next few months, no doubt there'll be frustration due to weather, but hopefully there are some good northerlies ahead.