Archive
Wednesday, 03 March 2021
A damp, dull and grey day with the cool light north easterly remaining. Watches: 0655-0935.
The best of the day were 3 Long-tailed Duck heading north past the seawatch hide, while also recorded were 4 Wigeon, 2 Mallard, 2 Teal, 5 Common Scoter, 69 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe on the sea, 1 Sanderling, 4 Guillemot and 2 Auk sp.
The first Lapland Bunting for a while was at Easington lagoon then flew north, but the damp weather largely kept Passerines quiet. The Whooper Swan was again on Easington straight, but other Wildfowl numbers are slowly dropping with 324 Wigeon and 50 Teal counted, but typical increases for ths time of year, 16 Shoveler and 6 Gadawll as breeders returned. There were aslo 3 Goldeneye, 22 Black-tailed Godwit and a Short-eared Owl on Kilnsea wetlands, 11 Little Grebe on Beacon ponds and the Greenshank on Easington lagoon.
Ringing: 1 Dunnock, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch.
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Whooper Swan. Lawrence MIddleton.
Short-eared Owl. Lawrence Middleton.
Hare. John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 02 March 2021
A foggy, dull chilly day with a moderate north easterly. Watches: 0715-0915.
The feel good spring like weather of the last few days was soon forgotten as cold weather returned and overall little change in the birds present. The Whooper Swan and Pale-bellied Brent remained with a Short-eared Owl at Kilnsea wetlands. Further bits of note being a Mistle Thrush at the Point and 40 Yellowhammer at Sammies.
Moving were 4 Eider, 5 Common Scoter, 78 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gannet, 6 Dunlin and 7 Auk sp.
Ringing: 1 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch.
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Short-eared Owl looking miserable. John Hewitt.
Monday, 01 March 2021
A foggy then misty overcast day. Watches: 0700-0900.
It was a day not to be out early, and not seeing much. It was only when the fog thinned out did it become a little easier. The best of the day were 2 Pale-bellied Brent on the Humber, the Whooper Swan on Easington straight and a Short-eared Owl at Kilnsea wetlands, while signs of Wildfowl leaving the area saw just 1 Goldeneye remain on Kilnsea wetlands and the first Woodcock for a few days in Churchfield.
Ringing: 1 Robin, 1 Reed Bunting.
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Yellowhammer. Colin Bushell.
Sunday, 28 February 2021
Early morning frost, followed by fog driven in by a light south easterly, clearing to leave a beautiful sunny day. Watches: 0700-1000.
It was another nice spring like day, which encouraged 4 Tortoisehell Butterfly and a Peacock onto the wing and at the moment feels like the first push of migrants could happen any day.. In the meantime the first singing Chiffchaff was in Easington, always a pleasant song early in the seasson. There was also a good showing for Song Thrush with 11 counted in the area (8 in Easington) which will hopefully bode for a good breeding season. There were also a few bits still remaining with the Whooper Swan on Easington straight, 4 Goldeneye and the Scaup on KInsea wetlands, a Jack Snipe and Greenshank on Beacon ponds and a Pale-bellied Brent still present with 500 Brent Geese.
Ringing: 2 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 1 Robin, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 9 Linnet.
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Yellowhammer. John Swallow.
Peacock. John Swallow.
Saturday, 27 February 2021
Blue skies and sunny with light south westerlies. Watches: 0650-0950.
Highlights from the day included a Hooded Crow on Humberside lane, a Whooper Swan on Easington straight and the Scaup on Kilnsea wetlands.
There was some limited movement over both sea and land, the best being, 2 Mallard, 32 Teal, 6 Eider, a Common Scoter, 49 Red-throated Diver, a Stock Dove, 13 Carrion Crow and 7 Jackdaw, .
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 House Sparrow, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Reed Bunting.
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Stonechat. Micky Maher.
Stonechat. John Hewitt.
Hooded Crow. Colin Bushell.
Roe Deer. John Hewitt.
Tortoisehell Butterfly. Colin Bushell.
Friday, 26 February 2021
A mild day of blue skies and warm sunshine. Watches: 0700-1100.
It was a mixed day with some decent movement, a small increase in Thrushes and grounded early migrants. The best of the day were 2 Lapland Bunting at Easington lagoon, a good count of 17 Stonechat, 319 Pink-footed Geese flew northwest, the Scaup on Kilnsea wetlands and 2 Pale-bellied Brent on Easington straight.
There were increases in some migrants in the area with 6 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 11 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2000 Starling and 21 Meadow Pipit.
Moving today were 2 Brent Geese, a Wigeon, 5 Pintail, 2 Eider, 8 Common Scoter, 26 Red-throated Diver, a Cormorant, 1 Mediterranean Gull, and 3 Guillemot, while overland a Clollared Dove, 80 Wood Pigeon, a Stock Dove, 2 Carrion Crow, 4 Rook, 9 Jackdaw, 12 Skylark, 513 Starling, 1 Alba Wagtail, a Rock Pipit, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 10 Linnet, a Yellowhammer and 2 Reed Bunting.
Ringing: 2 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch.
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Pintail on the move. Jonathan Fisk.
Thursday, 25 February 2021
A mild day, cloudy to begin developing into a nice sunny day with a moderate westerly. Watches: 0800-1015.
The Black-necked Grebe continued its residence on Kilnsea wetlands, the second longest stayer in the area and the first for the Obs in the winter period. There was no sign of the Scaup, but 3 Goldeneye were present along with 2 Greenshank and 42 Black-tailed Godwit. Nearby the Tawny Owl was still vocal at Kew and some more signs of spring with a Chiffchaff along the peninsula and the pre migration flock of Starling reaching 6000.
Movement overland included 2 Red Kite which headed off south along, 11 Lapwing, 23 Wood Pigeon, 6 Carrion Crow, a Rook, 3 Jackdaw, 4 Skylark, 230 Starling, 2 Meadow Pipit and a Rock Pipit, while over the sea, 42 Brent Geese, 307 Pink-footed Geese, 32 Wigeon, a Mallard, 14 Teal, a Tufted Duck, 2 Common Scoter, 172 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 2 Gannet, 6 Cormorant, 11 Dunlin, 51 Black-headed Gull, 33 Common Gull, 210 Herring gull, 3 Guillemot and 9 Auk sp.
Ringing: 3 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Wren, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Yellowhammer.
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Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Overcast with sunny spells and a mild modaerate southerly. Watches: 0710-1100, 1400-1600.
The Black-necked Grebe was still delighting on Kilnsea wetlands along with the Scaup and 4 Goldeneye, This area also held 700 Dark-bellied Brent including the leucistic juvenile, 2 Pale-bellied Brent, an adult Intergrade Black Brant x Brent, 13 Shoveler, 500 Wigeon and 51 Black-tailed Godwit, with the Tawny Owl still at Kew.
Moving over the sea into the southerly were 7 Pink-footed Geese, a Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, a Wigeon, 3 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 3 Teal, 14 Common Scoter, 47 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gannet, 2 Cormorant, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 37 Dunlin, 87 Guillemot and 14 Auk sp.
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Scaup. John Hewitt.
Scaup. John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Sunny spells throughout, but a gale force south westerly dominated. Watches: 0715-1100, 1450-1620.
A difficult days birding, the strong wind making it difficult to just go walking. The sheltered areas offered some respite with the Black-necked Grebe, 3 Goldeneye and Scaup all still present at Kilnsea wetlands, and a Black Brant again on Holderness field, along with 2 adult intergrades and 2 Pale-bellied Brent among 800 Dark-bellied Brents. Elsewhere 3 Snow Bunting were at Easington lagoon and the Tawny Owl was again in Kilnsea.
Moving were 82 Pink-footed Geese, a Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 3 Wigeon, 2 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 2 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 5 Eider, 4 Common Scoter, 96 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 4 Gannet, 10 Guillemot and 20 Auk sp.
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Pale-bellied Brent. John Hewitt.
Black-necked Grebe. Tony Hull.
Monday, 22 February 2021
It was a great day for birds on the move, with a Geese being particularly prominent. Traditionally in the past, late February was also a good time to see big movements of Lapwing heading south east out to sea, so was pleasing to see this species among an early movement of typical Passerine species too. The best of the days movement included a Woodlark and 22 Barnacle Geese south, 936 Pink-footed Geese north west with also 5 Shelduck, a Wigeon, 2 Mallard, 3 Tea;, 3 Velvet Scoter, 5 Common Scoter, 79 Red-throated Diver, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Gannet, 16 Cormorant, 222 Lapwing, 2 Curlew out east, 11 Dunlin, 151 Black-headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 105 Herring Gull, while overland 156 Wood Pigeon u-turned, 13 Jackdaw, 12 Rook, 21 Skylark, 961 Starling, 2 Alba Wagtail, 25 Meadow Pipit, a Chaffinch, 20 Greenfinch, 32 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 5 Siskin, 12 Snow Bunting, 4 Yellowhammer and 9 Reed Bunting.
The Black-necked Grebe remained in residence along with the Scaup and 4 Goldeneye, while the first returning 5 Avocet were seen. The best of the other sightings included 150 Pintail at Sammies, 1500 Oystercatcher on the Humber, a Short-eared Owl and Barn Owl at Kilnsea wetlands, a vocal Tawny Owl at Kew, a Coal Tit in Kilnsea and 3 Rock Pipit.
Ringing: 1 Robin, 1 Great Tit, 3 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch.
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Black-necked Grebe.Tony Hull.
Black-necked Grebe with drake Goldeneye. Tony Hull.
Avocet. John Hewitt.
Hare. Tony Hull.