Wintersett Skuas and Sarnies 26.08.14

Just having the power of Graham's chair on vis. mig hill was enough to bring in the goodies today!   Well - that and the weather.  Rain over night, then 13°C, dry but overcast with a steady easterly all day. Some sunshine this afternoon.
Anglers CP Vis. Mig Morning Session:  A Shelduck went north at 08.17 hours and then, at 08.48hrs, 2  ARCTIC SKUAS  flew over  before  leaving high north at 09.05hrs.  It was originally thought that one bird was a juv, because we could not see any tail streamers, but photos clearly show that both had streamers so both must be adults - one dark, one intermediate phase.  (What a first tick for Gray's Chair!)
Then a Snipe flew in.  A Dunlin flew north at 10.15hrs.  A Hobby went south at 11.00hrs and a juv. went over at 15.29hrs.  3 Yellow Wagtails went over and a Grey Wagtail was in.  2 Curlew went north at 12.40hrs.
An adult Common Tern was on Wintersett Res,  and an  adult and 2 juvs flew through Anglers.
An adult and a juv.. Common Gull flew south and another adult flew north.  An adult Herring Gull went north. The usual adult Yellow-legged Gull was present and another adult went south at 10.44hrs.
Anglers CP Vis. Mig. Afternoon Session:  A lunchtime Tweet from Calder Wetlands alerted us to 6 SANDWICH TERN flying towards us. We managed to get back on the hill  as they came in from the north at 13.28hrs before they left south at 13.32hrs. ( Tick number 2 for Gray's chair).   This is the largest number of Sandwich Terns ever seen here.
A total of 57 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew through.  22 Swallows went south. 
Also present: Female Goldeneye  1 ACP + 1 WRes + 1 CHRes. The 4 Barnacle/Canada hybrids were in with the Canada flock ACP.   Swift 8 ACP + 1WRes and Teal 6.
Photos of Arctic Skuas by Paul Meredith.