So far we have had a good count, plenty of birds and good weather, good weather for observation (quite windy, somewhat rainy, not too hot). The total of Common Scoter is less than expected, but we have seen more Black Terns, Dunlin, Black-headed Gulls and of many wader species than in 2019 (which was actually a bad years for waders).

Totals below for July only.

Higher totals than in July 2019:
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus, over 90,000, three times the total in 2019
Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea 30% more than in 2019
Common Tern Sterna hirundo almost 4000, more than in both 2019 and 2009, maybe because most terns fairly close and therefore could be identified.
Commic Tern Sterna hirundo/paradisaea 2382, which is between 2009 and 2019, so fairly good.
Black Tern, Chlidonias niger 121 this July, while zero in 2019 and 74 in 2009
Little Tern, Sternula albifrons 103 this July, with only 31 in 2019 and 84 in 2009
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus 2305, more than in 2019, but slightly less than in 2009

Waders, seen fairly well, comparison with the best wader year of the four previous counts, 2009.
Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus 677, slightly less than in 2009
Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola double
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus 1144, slightly more than in 2009
Curlew Numenius arquata 808, 70% of 2009
Greenshank Tringa nebularia 451, double
Turnstone Arenaria interpres only 18, half of 2009
Red Knot, Calidris canutus 92, 30% of 2009
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 465, 20% less compared to 2009
Sanderling Calidris alba 95, 20% more than in 2009
Dunlin Calidris alpina 32,000 with 26,000 in 2009
Little Stint Calidris minuta 21, similar to 2009.
Great White Egret Egretta alba 231, a not unexpected large increase compared to 36 in 2019 and zero in 2009.

Wader exception: Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica only 567 this July, fewer even than in 2019, which was a bad wader year

Similar totals include:

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator, Guillemot Uria aalge and many dabbling ducks Anas

Lower totals include:

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna 130, (with 105 in June) while 164 in 2019 and 162 in 2014, and 352 in 2009) showing a negative trend.
Goldeneye Bucephala clangula and Razorbill Alca torda, half of 2019 July total.
Red-necked Podiceps grisegena and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, slightly smaller. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, half of 2019.
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra, 351,000, but over 82,000 more seen by 4 August

Annika

Dunlins Black-headed Gulls Golden Plovers Red-breasted and Slavonian Grebes