I was checking the birds in South Bay this morning when John turned up but we couldn't pick out anything among the usual gulls: ca 120 Black-headed,a few Common and Herring and two Meds.
So it was up onto the castle for a seawatch.
Despite dark and heavy cloud and a fierce south-westerly visibility was reasonable for almost an hour until the rain set in. During that time we managed 10 Gannets,one of which flew into North Bay and disappeared behind the pier before emerging to continue over College Rocks and past the point. Also a Common Scoter and a Shelduck, but the strangest sight was a flock of ca 350 Starlings, coming south very low offshore, which turned and headed inland before reaching us.
After John left I tried to continue but the weather closed in and I only managed a couple more Gannets and two very close Curlews.
Purple Sandpipers now up to five.