Strumble

I watched from 1500 to 1620 (the later part of the watch aided by a bright moon!) with winds around F6 WNW and large rollers crashing onto Mackerel Rock. There was a light but regular passage of both razorbills and guillemots very close to shore, with a trickle of kittiwakes (c30% 1st winter birds); around a dozen gannet, all adult plumage; large numbers of herring gulls and great black-backed going to roost, and four red-throated diver.

I note from my records that five years ago tomorrow (8 Dec) in similar conditions, but watching from early morning to mid-afternoon, among other birds I had 57 red-throated diver, a couple of velvet scoter, a 1st winter glaucous gull, 14 leach's petrel, a balearic shearwater, a little gull and a single puffin. December can be productive!