Sunny seawatching off Winterton

In a moment of madness today I got up early, went without my normal marathon hairwash etc and took myself off to Winterton for a seawatch.  I managed to get there for 8.30 which is late for most birders but a bloomin' miracle for me at the moment!  It was a gorgeous morning and I felt very smug when Hairy Hubby rang from London where he is working to tell me it was horrbile and overcast.

At first the sea looked very quiet and as there were no other birders there I thought I had probably got it wrong again.  Mind you no doubt all the 'proper' seawatchers had already ticked everything and packed up by the time I arrived.  Any of them who are reading this are probably throwing their hands up in horror at my laziness.  Either that or saying 'why did you go to Winterton, it was much better for Horsey today'  or that sort of thing.  That's the trouble, I really just do not have a clue where to go and when.

Anyway, I had a decent couple of hours, I spotted my own Black Tern and I am 99% I also had a White Winged Black Tern.  Lots of Gannets were out there, mostly immatures to confuse me at a distance.  My seawatching is so rusty it has siezed up.  I think its been pushing two years since I have had a proper seawatch.  What I need is a seawatch buddy.  If I could find the local birders and find out what time they go to Winterton it would help!  I could just latch onto some poor unsuspecting soul and hope they help me.

I also saw another Harbour Porpoise.  I am really surprised to have seen two in so short a time, I suppose that must mean they are always out there but you only see them when the sea is calm.  Other stars of the morning were Arctic Skua which I really had to think about until it decided to harrass the terns, at which point I muttered confidently 'Arctic Skua' like I knew what I was doing. 

I got onto the two female/immature Velvet Scoter which I have seen on Birdguides for a couple of days.  I was well pleased with myself, that is the first time I have seen one all by myself.  I really must start that 'self found' list.....!  I decided to do the right thing and report the sighting to Birdguides when I got home.  I typed in the details, adding the harbour porpoise for good measure and hit send.  Then I got a message telling me that my news was 'local' and they might not use it!  Well, cheers Birdguides, considering you have published two reports of the birds by others in the past week that made me feel really good.  Maybe next time I will just tell myself that I live in Norfolk so I don't have to bother with reports!  Hmmmmf!!