Archive
Friday, 14 April 2017
Overcast day with rain showers in the afternoon becoming heavier and constant by dark and a F2 SW-W wind.
Migration Watches: 0630-1030.
Despite favourable winds the poor overland movement continued. The day was more of a recovery from the previous day’s exertions.
Totals were 3 Marsh Harrier, 21 Curlew out east, 36 Wood Pigeon, 4 Swallow, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Alba wagtail, 4 Jackdaw, 6 Rook, 2 Hooded Crow blogging, 60 Carrion Crow, 4 Starling, 2 Chaffinch, 48 Goldfinch, Siskin, 77 Linnet and 1 yellowhammer.
Over the sea 2 male Velvet Scoter went north.
Migrant numbers were still poor with 6 Whimbrel, 1 White Wagtail, 5 Wheatear, 1 Ring Ouzel on Beacon Lane, 1 Redwing, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Brambling and 1 Siskin.
Other birds of note were 23 Wigeon Kilnsea wetlands, 4 Gadwall, 11 Teal, 2 male Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck Kilnsea Wetlands, 2 Grey Partridge Churchfield,1 Kestrel, 14 Avocet and 1 Short-eared Owl.
Ringing: 1 Goldfinch.
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Thursday, 13 April 2017
Overcast most of the day with sunny spells and a F2-3 NW wind.
Migration Watches: 0615-1030.
A quiet day overall, so time to prepare for the Welwick Charity Bike Ride on Good Friday (no doubt some good photos to follow!), some overdue repairs to the Heligolandtrap at the Warren and sorting the huge delivery of the 2016 Spurn Wildlife.
Very little on the move. Totals were 6 Curlew out east, 42 Wood Pigeon, 6 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 6 Meadow Pipit in/off plus 4 south, 2 Jackdaw, 15 Rook, 1 Hooded Crow blogging, 31 Carrion Crow, 8 Linnet and 1 Siskin.
Migrant numbers were well down with 6 Whimbrel, 1 Fieldfare, 1’Icelandic’ Redwing at the Warren, 7 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Brambling and 1 Siskin.
Other birds of note were 3 Canada Goose triangle, 374 Brent plus 1 Pale-bellied Brent, 19 Wigeon Kilnsea wetlands, 2 Gadwall, 14 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck Kilnsea Wetlands, 6 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard Easington and 13 Avocet.
Ringing: 1 Fieldfare, 2 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 2 Goldfinch. (7 of 4 species).
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Brambling. Dave Tucker.
Its been delivered! The 2016 report.
Now time to sort the mountain of reports.
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
A sunny spells with patchy cloud and a strong F4-5 W-NW wind.
Migration Watches: 0615-1200.
Difficult in the strong winds, but for once the sea delivered some good birds.
Over the sea 2 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 3 Long-tailed Duck, 25 Common Scoter, 1 Velvet Scoter, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Cormorant, 48 Curlew out east, 2 Snipe west, 4 Gannet, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 57 Black-headed Gull, 7 Auk sp and 1 Razorbill.
Very little on the move over the land. Totals were 4 Sand Martin, 1 Alba Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit in/off, 5 Carrion Crow, 12 Linnet and 1 Siskin.
Migrant were 1 Little-ringed Plover on Clubleys, 5 Whimbrel, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Redwing, 4 Wheatear, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Siskin.
Other birds of note were 1 Canada Goose, 17 Wigeon Kilnsea wetlands, 2 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 1 Shoveler, 6 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine and 1 Black-tailed Godwit.
Ringing: 2 Goldfinch, 1 Siskin. (3 of 2 species).
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Long-tailed Ducks. Ian Smith.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
A sunny mild day with patchy cloud and an increasing a F2-4 W wind.
Migration Watches: 0610-1100.
The spring so far been noticeable for its lack of visible migration, with only a few days of decent numbers of birds moving south. A run of good south westerlies may have the desired effect but, we will have to wait and see.
Difficult conditions made looking for migrants difficult with very little seen.
No sign of the Iberian Chiffchaff today, but a brief Red-rumped Swallow feeding over Kilnsea wetlands was welcome. It soon moved off north-west towards Easington.
Other migrant were the male Garganey on Holderness Field, 1 White Wagtail and 2 Wheatear.
Over the sea a Great Northern Diver flew north while 5 Gannet went south.
Other birds of note were 17 Wigeon Kilnsea wetlands, 2 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 6 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine.
Ringing: 1 Redwing, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet (4 of 3 species).
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Monday, 10 April 2017
A sunny but cool start soon clouded over with an increasing a F2-3 NW-N wind.
Migration Watches: 0610-1100.
The Iberian Chiffchaff was still showing, singing and calling in the Crown to churchyard area, attracting a steady trickle of birders all day.
Other migrant totals were the male Garganey on Holderness Field, 4 White Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail Sammys, 6 Wheatear, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler while 3+ Short-eared Owl still in the Long bank area.
Moving overland were 1 Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier Sammys, 5 Alba Wagtail plus a good movement of Rook and Jackdaws.
Full update to come.
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Garganey. Tim Jump.
Siskin.John Hewitt.
Sunday, 09 April 2017
A warm day with scattered cloud and an increasing a F1-4 SE-W wind.
Migration Watches: 0610-1100.
A male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF was found singing and calling in the Crown and Anchor car park at 07:00 this morning and continued to sing and show well at times throughout the day, it was trapped and ringed at Kew and is the 2nd Spurn record following one in 2004.
The Iberian Chiffchaff aside it was just about ticking over. Migrant totals were 5 Swallow, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Wheatear, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 1 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrestin the crown carpark, 1 Brambling, 2 Siskin and 2 Redpoll.
Moving overland were 1 Marsh Harrier, 16 Curlew out east, 1 Sand Martin, 5 Swallow, 1 Alba Wagtail, 13 Jackdaw, 3 Rook, 32 Carrion Crow, 6 Chaffinch, 42 Goldfinch, 48 Linnet and 3 Reed Bunting.
Other bits of interest were the 11 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 14 Teal with the male Garganey on Holderness Field, 3 Little Egret, 22 Avocet on Kilnsea Wetlands and 1 Short-eared Owl on Clubley’s while the Ring-necked Parakeet was still in Easington.
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Iberian Chiffchaff. (2 of 2 species).
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Saturday, 08 April 2017
A clear sunny day with a F1-3 S wind.
Migration Watches: 0600-1045.
Pretty much the same as the previous few days, but with slight increases in migrants.
The first Little Tern of the year flew out east over the triangle and a Woodlark was at Sammys Point, a Yellow Wagtail at the Riding School, 1 Black Redstart at the Point, 3 Wheatear, 1 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin and 2 Redpoll.
Moving overland were 1 Common Buzzard, 9 Sand Martin, 3 Alba Wagtail, 5 Jackdaw, 17 Rook, 13 Carrion Crow, 4 Chaffinch, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 20 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting and 1 Yellowhammer.
Over the sea 2 Eider, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Common Buzzard, 9 Sand Martin and 3 Alba Wagtail.
Other bits of interest were the 23 Greylag Geese in the triangle, 1 Pale-bellied Brent with 150 Brent Goose on the Humber, 15 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 4 Gadwall, 9 Teal, 1 Shoveler mainly on Kilnsea Wetlands with the male Garganey on Holderness Field, 2 Grey Partridge, 5 Little Egret, 350 Oystercatcher, 10 Avocet on Kilnsea Wetlands, 4 Short-eared Owl, 15 Magpie triangle while the Ring-necked Parakeet was still in Easington.
Ringing: 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 9 Goldfinch. (12 of 4 species).
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Short-eared Owl. John Hewitt.
Friday, 07 April 2017
A cloudy day with a light variable wind.
Migrations watches: 0625-1045, 1330-1400.
Rather out of the blue a male Western Subalpine Warbler appeared in the morning by the Numpties watchpoint at the Warren, then rapidly moved off north, being trapped in Churchfield soon after. It then skulked around Kilnsea before settling in a hedge behind Driftwood. A Great-grey Shrike also at the warren on the wires, moved to the Riding school area.
Other migrants today were the male Garganey on Holdernes Field, the first Swift of the spring on Beacon Lane, 1 White Wagtail at sammys, 1 Wheatear, 1 Fieldfare, 68 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Brambling.
On the move were 1 Gannet, 2 Cormorant, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Swallow, 13 Magpie back north, 1 Rook, 10 Carrion Crow and 14 Goldfinch.
Other birds of note were 1 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Gadwall, 25 Teal and 1 Shoveler.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Tit, 1 Brambling, 4 Goldfinch (11 of 8 species).
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Subalpine Warbler. Jonnie Fisk.
Subalpine Warbler. Steve Valentine.
White Wagtail. Steve Valentine.
Thursday, 06 April 2017
A nice sunny day with a F1 NW wind.
Migration Watches: 0616-1115, 1515-1615.
Pretty much the same as the last few days, but the first decent flock of Curlew headed out east. This is a fantastic sight and sound if you are out and about at Spurn over the next couple of weeks, which can sometimes involve hundreds of birds.
Migrant totals were the long staying male Garganey still on Holderness field, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Wheatear, 1 Stonechat, 2 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler.
Moving overland were 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Skylark, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 1 Alba Wagtail, 6 Jackdaw, 8 Rook, 28 Carrion Crow, 2 Chaffinch, 21 Goldfinch, 1 Siskin and 9 Linnet. 2 Egyptian Geesealso went south, an almost annual species in recent years, while a Ring-necked Parakeet u-turned back north at the Warren.
Over the sea 1 Cormorant, 20 Curlew out east, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Other bits of interest were the 21 Greylag Geese in the triangle, Brent Goose flock on the Humber, 18 Wigeon, 3 Gadwall, 29 Teal, 16 Mallard, 2 Shoveler mainly on Kilnsea Wetlands, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Merlin, 2 Little Egret, 21 Avocet on Kilnsea Wetlands, 16 Magpie triangle, 23 Tree Sparrow Churchfield.
Ringing: 1 Wren, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting. (3 of 3 species).
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Avocet. John Hewitt.
Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Generally cloudy, but sunny spells in the afternoon and a F1-2 NW wind.
Migration Watches: 0610-1015.
The annual spring increase of Brent Geese, which seems to be a staging gathering began and brought a new Black Brant to the Humber. Last spring the flock suddenly and spectacularly all departed out east early May in the morning.
Migrant totals were the male Garganey still on Holderness field, a Long-eared Owl trapped in Churchfield, 1 Wheatear, 2 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow warbler, 3 Goldcrest and 1 Siskin.
Moving overland were 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 1 Alba Wagtail, 4 Jackdaw, 3 Rook, 38 Carrion Crow, 2 Starling and 10 Linnet.
Over the sea 1 Red-throated Diver was the only bird of note.
Other bits of interest were the 20 Greylag Geese in the triangle, 2 Black Brant with a Pale-bellied Brent and 620 Brent Geese on the Humber, 34 Wigeon, 3 Gadwall, 28 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 4 Little Egret, 450 Oystercatcher, 22 Avocet on Kilnsea Wetlands, 1500 Dunlin on the Humber, 1 Peregrine, 2 Short-eared Owl at Beacon Ponds and 17 Magpie.
A Ring-necked Parakeet was in the garden of Willow Cottage in Easington.
Ringing: 1 Long-eared Owl, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch. (4 of 3 species).
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Common Buzzard. John Hewitt.
Long-eared Owl. Jonnie Fisk.