Archive
Friday, 02 April 2021
A cold overcast day with a chilly F4 north easterly. Watches: 0645-1050.
The weather is predicted to be cold for the next few days or so in complete contrast to the fine sunny weather recently. There were less migrants on show with just 6 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 2 Black Redstart, 5 Pied Wagtail, 21 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling and a Siskin.
Moving over the sea were a fairly typical range of species with 9 Eider, 11 Common Scoter, 15 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 4 Gannet, 6 Kittiwake, 3 Guillemot and 5 Auk sp.
Sightings from the Kilnsea wetlands area included a Barnacle Goose, 600 Dark-bellied Brent Geese along with 1 Pale-bellied Brent, a Whooper Swan, 20 Shoveler, the 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Goosander and a Greenshank.
rrow, 5 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling, 3 Goldfinch.Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 House Spa
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black Redstart. Ian Smith.
Black Redstart. Ian Smith.
Thursday, 01 April 2021
A cloudy overcast day with some afternoon sunshine and a chilly F4 north easterly. Watches: 0615-1000.
There was a notable decrease in migrant numbers with 20 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, a Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, a Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail, 8 Pied Wagtail, 8 Chaffinch, a Brambling and 2 Siskin.
The change to the north east saw overland visible migration grind to a halt, the sea having surprsiingly little too with 2 Eider, a Velvet Scoter, 19 Common Scoter, 14 Red-throated Diver, 2 Fulmar, 7 Gannet, 15 Kittiwake, 19 Common Gull, 36 Herring Gull and 6 Auk sp.
Other bits of note were 2 Pale-bellied Brent on Easington stright, 2 Tufted Duck on Kilnsea wetlands and 476 Linnet in the area (400 at Sammy's).
Ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling, 4 Goldfinch.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Sparrowhawk. Thomas Willoughby.
Wheatear. Tim Jump.
Brambling. Jonathan Fisk.
Wednesday, 31 March 2021
An interesting mix of species included the first Willow Warbler and 2 Bearded Tits of the year and a Crossbill in Easington with the Cetti's Warbler still singing at the Point.. The day also saw a Hooded Crow fly south and a Red Kite wandering the area. Full details to come.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black Redstart. Andy Bunting,
Cetti's Warbler. Simon Jump.
Hooded Crow. Thomas Willoughby.
Wheatear. Tim Jump.
Blackcap. Tony Hull.
Tuesday, 30 March 2021
A nice sunny day with a light to moderate south westerly. Watches: 0650-1005, 1345-1410.
The pace of migrant arrivals intenisfied with nice combined totals of 3 Sand Martin, 48 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, 8 Fieldfare, 13 Redwing, 2 Stonechat, the first Ring Ouzel of the spring in Kilnsea, 6 Black Redstart (2 in song), 27 Wheatear, 2 Bullfinch, a Brambling and the Cetti's Warbler still at the Point.
On the move were a male Hen Harrier, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Magpie, 32 Jackdaw, 37 Rook, 71 Carrion Crow, 3 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow, 5 Skylark, a House Saprrow, 1 Grey Wagtail, 6 Alba Wagtail, 32 Meadow Pipit, 9 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 55 Linnet, 24 Goldfinch, 4 Siskin, 2 Yellowhammer and 7 Reed Bunting. The best of the sea was a fantastic 1144 Pink-footed Geese which flew north west though little else of note was seen.
A Great White Egret was on Kilnsea wetlands early morning then flew west up the Humber, the Whooper Swan re-appeared on Easington straight along with 3 Pale-bellied Brent among 340 Dark-bellied Brent.
Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 1 Wheatear, 1 Wren, 1 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Ring Ouzel. Thomas Willoughby.
Male Hen Harrier. Lawrence Middleton.
Wheatear with the lsitening dish backdrop. Lawrence Middleton.
Kestrel. Lawrence Middleton.
Monday, 29 March 2021
A bright sunny day, warm out of the continuing strong south westerly. Watches: 0700-1200.
The nicer weather overall, with reduced wind encouraged some decent overland movement, while migrants arrived (or at least became easier to see?). The first Swallow of the year flew south (they always do), along with a good total of 318 Chaffinch. Also moving were a Collared Dove, 15 Wood Pigeon, 75 Jackdaw, 63 Rook, 16 Carrion Crow, 3 Skylark, 54 Starling, a House Sparrow, 20 Alba Wagtail, 231 Meadow Pipit (209 NW over sea), 2 Greenfinch, 91 Linnet, 13 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, a Yellowhammer and 5 Reed Bunting.
A Cetti's Warbler singing at the Point, was the first in this location, since Spurn first ever record on 30th April 1988. Other migrants included 3 Sand Martin, 12 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, 1 Stonechat, 18 Wheatear, 9 Pied Wagtail, 4 White Wagtail and 34 Chaffinch.
The 5 White-fronted Geese re-appeared yet again in the triangle. 183 Brent Geese were on the Humber along with 66 Shelduck, 21 Little Egret in the area and 12 Black-tailed Godwit on Kilnsea wetlands.
Ringing: 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Chaffinch.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Wheatear. John Hewitt.
Reed Bunting singing. John Hewitt.
Sunday, 28 March 2021
A cloudy wild day, the odd sunny spell and a fierce gale force south westerly. Watches: 0715-1000.
Despite the condiotions better weather is apparently just around the corner, hopefully leading to a big push of migrants through the region. In the meantime there are still 5 Wheatear by the gas terminal and 6 Chiffchaff scattered about finding sheletered areas.
The sea had 3 Brent Geese, 5 Eider, 7 Common Scoter, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 15 Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Gannet, 3 Oystercatcher, 19 Balck-headed Gull and 7 Auk sp.
The kilnsea wetlands area held 277 Brent Geese, 27 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 51 Wigeon, 7 Teal, 2 Tufetd Duck, 6 Avocet and 6 Black-tailed Godwit.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Drake Tufted Duck. John Hewitt.
Canada Goose with Brent Geese. John Hewitt.
Saturday, 27 March 2021
A mild day of sunny spells and a F6 south westerly. Watches: 0630-0920, 1050-1200.
Just the odd migrant about the best being 2 Wheatear, singles of Fieldfare and Redwing, 28 Chaffinch and 5 Siskin.
Some light movementoverland included 6 Pink-footed Geese north west, a Common Buzzard, 4 Jackdaw, 13 Rook, 6 Carrion Crow, 11 Tree Sparrow and 12 Chaffinch, while over the sea 12 Common Scoter, 30 Red-throated Diver, 9 Gannet, 5 Cormorant, a Shag, 22 Black-headed Gull, 175 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Great Skua and 8 Auk sp..
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Friday, 26 March 2021
Heavy rain and a strong south westerly in the morning gave way to heavy showers and sunny spells and the wind moderating. Watches: 0620-0920.
The conditions did little for getting observers out looking for migrants, well not until the afternoon anyway with totals of 7 Chiffhcaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, a Song Thrush, 4 Wheatear, 55 Meadow Pipit and 3 Siskin.
The relative saferty of the seawatch hide had 6 Shoveler, 2 Pintail, 2 Eider, 3 Common Scoter, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 45 Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar, 9 Gannet, 5 Cormorant, 24 Black-headed Gull, 6 Guillemot and 5 Auk sp.
The Kilnsa wetlands area highlights included 3 Pale-bellied Brent among 307 Dark-bellied Brent and 2 Tufted Duck, among much reduced Wildfowl totals with just 50 Wigeon and 20 Teal remianing.
Ringing: 1 Chaffinch, 1 Siskin, 1 Redd Bunting.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Pale-bellied Brent. John Hewitt.
Canada Goose. John Hewitt.
Thursday, 25 March 2021
A nice sunny day, some cloud in the afternnon and a breezy south westerly. Watches: 0620-0920.
There was a bit of a clearout of some migrants, with few Thrushes, but some new bits arrived too with totals of 11 Chiffchaff, a Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest, a Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 6 Song Thrush, a Black Redstart at the Point, 2 Wheatear, 91 Meadow Pipit and a Brambling.
Moving today were 2 Red Kite, 46 Jackdaw, 26 Rook, 11 Carrion Crow, a Skylark, 4 Alba Wagtail, 2 Medow Piipit, 14 Chaffinch, 3 Greenfinch, 20 Linnet, 8 Goldfinch, 6 Siskin and a Yellowhammer, while over the sea 213 Pink-footed Geese, 20 Common Scoter, 19 Cormorant and a Puffin were the best of some meagre offerings.
The best of Kilnsea wetlands were a Pintail, 3 Tufted Duck, 10 Avocet, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank.
Ringing: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Tree Sparrow, 1 Great Tit, 1 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 3 Chaffinch.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Wheatear. Colin Bushell.
Red Kite. Colin Bushell.
Firecrest, Colin Bushell.
Firecrest. John Hewitt.
Point trap with the disused VTS tower in the background. Colin Bushell.
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
Overcast start, clearing to leave a nice sunny day with a moderate south westerly. Watvches: 0625-1000;
A small arrival of grounded migrants today brought our first, 2 Wheatear of the spring to the Point and a Firecrest to Churchfield, along with 26 Chiffchaff, 9 Goldcrest, 2 White Wagtail canal scrape, 25 Blackbird, 23 Fieldfare (18 south off the Point), 31 Redwing, 5 Stonechat, a Brambling and 2 Siskin.
Movement overland was limited to 21 Jackdaw, 12 Rook, 22 Carrion Crow, 151 Starling, 4 Alba Wagtail, 19 Chaffinch, a Ssikin and 4 Linnet, with the sea fairing little better with 3 Eider and 4 Curlew out east.
The Whooper Swan remained in the Kilnsea wetlands area along with the 2 Tufted Duck and 2 Greenshank.
Ringing: 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 3 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 5 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Wheatear. Colin Bushell.
Wheatear. Colin Bushell.