March 2023

A total of 109 species so far this year

109 species by this time last year

A total of 79 species for the month was well below the ten-year average of 84.6 species. A few typical early summer visitors managed to get on to the month list with an early Wheatear on 16th and Sand Martin, Swallow and Willow Warbler towards the end of the month. However, the 109 species so far this year was above the ten-year average of 103.1.

30th

Cloudy, mild, light to moderate SW wind. There were three Great Crested Grebes and a Great Northern Diver offshore, two Gannets flew east and five flew west, a Greylag Goose and three Shelducks flew west and there were 19 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included 82 Sanderlings, the Purple Sandpiper, 50 Turnstones but only two Ringed Plovers roosting between the groynes and a Dunlin and 12 Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. Other birds noted included three Sand Martins, our first three Swallows of the year, a Rook west and another with Carrion Crows on the beach and our first Corn Bunting of the year in the grassland bushes.

Corn Bunting – Geoff Burton

29th

Cloudy, mild, light SW wind. An influx of Chiffchaffs and our first Willow Warbler of the year in the scrub. There were two Red-throated Divers, two Great Northern Divers and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. A Fulmar, only our second of the year, and five Shelducks flew west. Waders included our first Avocet of the year which settled briefly on the shoreline by the Obs before moving on west, the Purple Sandpiper on the groynes with Turnstones, and a Dunlin, 14 Snipe and seven Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. Other birds included a female Blackcap, a Jay, and a Rook flying west.

Avocet – Geoff Burton
Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone – Geoff Burton

28th

Cloudy, spots of rain, a light SW wind and rather miserable! A Red Kite that flew west at 7.45 am was additional to the year list. There were two Great Northern Divers offshore, two Mute Swans circled the area, two Greylag Geese, three Canada Geese and a Red-breasted Merganser flew west. The Purple Sandpiper was still present and three Chiffchaffs were also noted.

Great Northern Divers – Andy Taylor

It is always frustrating when interesting birds fly west off the Tankerton slopes as it is almost certain they had passed Swalecliffe unnoticed. Two Spoonbills and a House Martin fitted into this category this morning.

27th

Sunny, cooler, light westerly wind. There were six Brent Geese on the beach and 28 Sanderlings and a Purple Sandpiper along the shoreline. 13 Snipe wee visible on the Marsh Pool. A steady movement, 23 in total, of Mediterranean Gulls heading east. Other birds noted included c20 Meadow Pipits west, five Chiffchaffs and a Jay.

25th

Sunny periods, mild, with a fresh westerly wind. There was a Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and two drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. One Greylag Goose flew west and there were ten Brent Geese offshore. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls flew west. Other birds noted included a Grey Wagtail by the sluice and three Chiffchaffs.

24th

There were two Great Northern Divers and a Red-breasted Merganser offshore, the Purple Sandpiper was roosting amongst a flock of 24 Turnstones and two Jays were also noted.

23rd

Sunny, mild, fresh SW wind. Two Red-throated Divers, two Great Northern Divers and seven Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. Three Shelducks close inshore flew off west. Waders included 21 Oystercatchers gathered on the beach on the incoming tide and 13 Sanderlings along the shoreline. Other birds noted included four Sand Martins west, a Meadow Pipit displaying in the grassland and a male Reed Bunting which dropped into the bushes opposite the Obs before flying on west.

Two Peacocks around the Obs were our first butterflies of the year.

Peacock – Geoff Burton

22nd

There were three Great Northern Divers offshore, two off the Obs and one further west off the slopes and five Red-breasted Mergansers. The Purple Sandpiper was along the shoreline.

21st

The Great Northern Diver was offshore, two Rooks flew west and a Siskin, our first this year, flew west with Chaffinches.

20th

Cloudy, mild with a moderate SW wind. A Great Northern Diver, two Red-throated Divers, five Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. Two Shelducks flew west and there were 42 Brent Geese offshore. Waders include the wintering Purple Sandpiper and a party of four Black-tailed Godwits, new for the year, heading west. Other birds noted included one Sand Martin, 120 Chaffinches and eight Goldfinches west.

18th

Cloudy, steady rain, light southerly wind. The Great Northern Diver was seen, offshore west of the Obs, for the first time this month and there were also c10 Red-throated Divers, three Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. An adult Gannet and six Shelducks flew west and there were 81 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included the Purple Sandpiper was on the groynes at the eastern end of the beach and 15 Snipe and eight Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. A flock of five Sand Martins flying west were an addition to the year list and other birds noted included two Wheatears and a Rock Pipit.

16th

Cloudy then sunny, mild (13.5 degrees C), moderate SW wind. There were two Red-throated Divers and six Great Crested Grebes offshore, two Shelducks flew east and three flew west and there were 71 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included a Grey Plover (for the first time this month), the Purple Sandpiper and 91 Sanderlings along the shoreline. Four Mediterranean Gulls flew west. A male Wheatear on the shingle at the eastern end of the beach was new for the year whilst other birds noted included Meadow Pipits and a Rock Pipit west, eight Goldfinches west and a Chiffchaff.

15th

Sunny and calm. 30+ Common Scoters flew east. The Purple Sandpiper was on the beach, two Buzzards were over the estate and one over the sea, two Stonechats and a male Reed Bunting in the grassland.

14th

Cloudy, rain and strong NW wind. An unpleasant morning with little to report: there were 11 Brent Geese on the beach, a movement of c30 Meadow Pipits west, a pair of Stonechats in the scrub and two Long-tailed Tits at the Obs.

13th

Strong to gale force SW wind. A Grey Wagtail was in the brook and the Cetti’s Warbler continues to sing.

11th

Sunny, frost and calm. There were 12 Brent Geese on the beach and eight flew west along the beach. Two Greylag Geese flew west. three Shelducks were in flight along the beach and a flock of 13 Common Scoters headed east. Waders included 30 Oystercatchers, 13 Sanderlings along the shoreline, 40 Turnstones roosting along the groynes by the caravan park and ten Snipe and eight Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. There were five soaring Buzzards towards Studd Hill. Other birds included a Skylark flying west over the beach, a littoralis Rock Pipit between the groynes, a female Stonechat in the scrub and the Cetti’s Warbler singing in the brambles by the car park.

Mallard – Geoff Burton

9th

Cloudy, steady rain, poor visibility offshore, and a light easterly wind. There were seven Red-throated Divers close inshore by the tidal ponds, three Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. A party of seven Gannets flew west, a pair of Shelduck offshore but there were only two Brent Geese on the beach. A Ringed Plover was in display flight over the beach by the groynes and 16 Snipe were visible on the Marsh Pool. Other birds noted included a Meadow Pipit, a Rock Pipit and a Grey Wagtail, a male Stonechat, Cetti’s Warbler, 50 Carrion Crows on the beach and three Linnets.

Our first significant rain for some time resulted in the brook breaking through to the sea.

The breakthrough – Geoff Burton

7th

12 Greylag Geese flew east and landed on the sea, the Purple Sandpiper was on the beach and an adult Mediterranean Gull was sat on the sea. Other birds noted included a pair of Stonechats in the scrub, Chiffchaff, Rook and Greenfinch.

6th

Cloudy, cold and calm. 120 Red-throated Divers flew east, presumably disturbed, and another c20 were on the sea. There were two Great Crested Grebes, two Gannets, and two drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Four Greylag Geese flew west, there were 42 Brent Geese on the beach and two drake Teal on the Marsh Pool. The Purple Sandpiper was on the beach between the groynes, ten Snipe were visible on the Marsh Pool and eight Redshanks were roosting there. Other birds noted included a Rock Pipit and a Grey Wagtail, the Cetti’s Warbler was heard briefly for the first time since February 15th, a Blackcap was singing quietly in the Elm Wood, a Jay was along the east bank, three Jackdaws flew west, there were seven Goldfinches in the trees along the upper brook and a pair of Linnets were in the scrub where the male was in song.

With little rain, the brook is very low and blocked before it reaches the sea. It will take a lot of rain to beak through!

Thou shalt not pass – Geoff Burton

4th

Sunny periods, cold with a moderate NE wind. Two Gannets flew east. A Shelduck was on the Marsh Pool early morning, and two flew west, and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers also flew west. Waders included 24 Oystercatchers, 15 Ringed Plovers and 59 Dunlin roosting on the beach. The female Kestrel, hunting by the Obs, caught a lizard and dispatched it in flight.

Snipe – Geoff Burton
Kestrel – Andy Taylor
Kestrel with lizard – Andy Taylor

2nd

Cloudy, cold with a moderate NE wind. There were 63 Sanderlings along the shoreline and five Curlew by the Obs. A presumed Great Black-backed Gull unusually had greyish-yellow legs. Other birds noted included excellent an prolonged views of the Water Rail by the wooden bridge and a male Stonechat near the Obs which may have been a migrant as the wintering male hasn’t been recorded since February 13th.

Water Rail – Geoff Burton
Great Black-backed Gull – Geoff Burton

1st

Cloudy, cold with showers, moderate NE wind. One Great Crested Grebe and a Grey Heron flew east over the sea, one Shelduck flew west, there were four drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, 90 Brent Geese on the beach and four Teal on the Marsh Pool. Waders included c30 Sanderlings and the Purple Sandpiper along the shoreline. Small birds were scarce in the cold but included a Song Thrush, two Long-tailed Tits, a singing Chaffinch, a Goldfinch and two Linnets.

There was some “nasty stuff” leaking into the brook from the flap by the sewage works entrance.

Pollution – Geoff Burton