We arrived in Catalonia on Friday evening, to stay with Joe and Gabi in their rented seaside apartment in Santa Susanna. Yesterday was the worst weather I can remember having in Spain – it poured down all day with a moderate north wind. Triple glazing and rain splattered windows made sea-watching difficult but I did have a very productive session in the late afternoon. The highlights of which were: the local Yellow-legged and Black-headed Gulls were joined by Mediterranean and Lesser Black-backed; a steady stream of Gannet; two Great Skua; 50 Golden Plover; four Whimbrel; Scopoli’s & Balearic Shearwater; 800+ Cormorant; a flock of 15 Garganey and, perhaps best of all five Black-winged Stilt. I also had a bedraggled Alpine Swift fly by at eye-level. Not bad for a day spent indoors.