Estuary & Sea Watch

Thurs 6th July. Palnackie Harbour; 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Redshanks, Little Egret, Grey Heron & 2 Swifts overhead. Burrow Head; 1330 to 1600. With strong SSW winds we thought seawatching might be productive. On arrival over 60 Kittiwakes sat on the sea & good numbers past during the sea watch. Steady passage of Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Gannets, 2 Black Guillemots, Shags & 3 Fulmars. At 1430 we picked up 2 Storm Petrels not that far out & in view for several minutes. Strangely no Terns or Skuas. I have had 3 species of Skua here in the past in similar conditions. Wheatear on the headland. Fri 7th July. Isle of Whithorn; Wind in the south of the compass so not that many seabirds but Manx Shearwaters past very close in here. Much the same as Thursday but no Petrels. 3 North Atlantic Seals in the harbour. Chris & Pat Baines