Archive
Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Another day with the cold, strong east north easterly dominating, snow showers in the morning, largely blue skies and sun later. Watches: 0730-1000.
The best of the days action were the Black Brant still present along with 840 Brent Geese, the ringtail Hen Harrier hunting the Sammies area again, a fantastic 524 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, while 23 Woodcock were counted today.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Redwing.
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Woodcock. John Swallow.
Woodcock. John Swallow.
Tuesday, 09 February 2021
Sunny periods with heavy snow showers and a cold strong east north easterly. Watches: 0745-1000.
A further influx saw 97 Woodcock logged today, 20 at Sammies the biggest individual site count. Obviously with so many about, it was inevitable that they would become prey, a Peregrine seen taking one in flight and a ringtail Hen Harrier at Sammies, nearly being succesful. There were also decent counts of 76 Skylark in one flock, 80 Blackbird, 22 Fieldfare and 18 Redwing.
The sea was still poor, but a nice male Long-tailed Duck, 2 Eider and a Grey Heron in/off, were the best of meagre offerings.
The best of the other sightings included, 886 Brent Geese, 3 Pale-bellied Brent, 5 Little Egret, a Marsh Harrier, 3 Common Buzzard, 375 Black-tailed Godwit and the Greenshank mainly around Kilnsea wetlands with 468 Golden Plover, 123 Lapwing, 700 Dunlin and 360 Redshank feeding in fields on Easington straight.
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Goldeneye. John Hewitt.
Monday, 08 February 2021
A cold, coudy, wild day of snow and sleet showers driven by a strong east north easterly. Watches: 0745-1000,
There were maybe small increases for some dislapced species as the cold snap continued the best being 46 Woodcock (10 around the Gas terminal and 9 in Churchfield the best individual counts), 20 Meadow Pipit around the gas terminal, 26 Skylark in one Easington flock and 100 Dunlin in/off and north. The sea was virtually devoid of any birds.
The Black Brant made an appearance on Kilnsea wetlands, after not being seen for a while among the 500 Brent Geese and a Pale-bellied Brent, where the good flock of 290 Black-tailed Godwit remained.and the flock of 1200 Oystercatcher were still on the Humber.and 40 Pintail at sammies.
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Stonechat. John Swallow.
Sunday, 07 February 2021
A cold day with rain showers and a strong north easterly. Watches: 0745-1000.
The besy of the days counts were 28 Woodcock, numbers staying high, maybe with some new arrivals pushed out of the frozen near continent. There were little else suggestive of arrivals with 60 Fieldfare around Easington gas terminal along with 4 Song Thrush and 4 Redwing in the area. There was another great count of 130 Pintail at Sammies, 1200 Oystercatcher on the Humber, 70 Black-tailed Godwit on Kilnsea wetlands and still at least 1 Short-eared Owl hunting the area.
There was even less than usual over the sea, with few Divers about with the rewards for a cold sea watch being a Teal, just 4 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, a Cormorant, 2 Kittiwake and an Auk sp.
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Short-eared Owl. John Swallow.
Short-eared Owl. John Swallow.
Saturday, 06 February 2021
Rain all day with a cold strong east north easterly. Watches: 0740-0955.
It was another good count of 45 Woodcock which stole the day, which was otherwise largely quiet. The best of the rest were 600 Brent Geese on Holderness field, 2 Pale-bellied Brent at Sammies, 120 Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank at Kilnsea wetlands.
Ringing: 1 Woodcock.
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Little Grebe. John Hewitt.
Friday, 05 February 2021
A mixed day with rain, mist and sunny periods with a modarate easerly. Watches: 0745-0945.
Much in keeping with other spots on the east coast there was a great count of 86 Woodcock, (56 of which were counted in fields at Easington alone by thermal imagery, so no disturbance as they fed). Therer were a few less Thrushes about, wtih 6 Rediwng, 26 Fieldfare and 4 Song Thrush, with nice counts of 40 Trre Sparrow and 30 Yellowhammer at Sammies, but the sea was terrible with a Fulmar maybe the most noteworthy species.
The Kilnsea wetlands area as usual was busy with a Pintail, the highlight among decreased numbers of Wildfowl plus 127 Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank.
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Tree Sparrow. Mick Turton.
Thursday, 04 February 2021
After a wet start it was a mild sunny day with a moderate west to south easterly. Watches: 0730-1130.
Colder weather is predicted to move across Europe bringing some heavy snow and maybe the beginnings of this saw an increase in Thrushes with 54 Fieldfare, 25 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush and 3 Song Thrush, while another decent count of 11 Woodcock was made.
Hard work over the sea with just 4 Wigeon, 12 Teal, a Tufted Duck, 61 Red-throated Diver, 14 Gannet, a Kittiwake, a Guillemot, 11 Razorbill and 27 Auk sp.
Kilnsea wetlands was pretty much unchanged with the Pochard, 40 Black-tailed Godwit and Short-eared Owl with a Pale-bellied Brent and 80 Pintail at Sammies.
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Wednesday, 03 February 2021
A mild, but wet all day with lightnorth westerly. Watches: 0740-1115.
The most notable sighting for the day were 15 Woodcock counted in the area, with 5 together in Churchfield the biggest gathering. Other decent sightings included 250 Black-tailed Godwit, a Marsh Harriwr, 2 Short-eared Owl, the Pochard and 4 Goldeneye on Kilnsea wetlands among all the usuals.
Moving were 8 Pintail, 17 Teal, 3 Common Scoter, a Goldeneye, 102 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 13 Gannet, 5 Kittiwake, a Mediterranean Gull and 4 Auk sp.
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Kestrel. Mick Turton.
A very wet and bedraggled Short-eared Owl. John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 02 February 2021
A horrible day of rain driven by a strong south easterly. Watches: 0740-1005.
It was a day to concentrate efforts from the car or hides with both the sea and Kilnsea wetlands recieving attention. Saying that the sea was quiet with just an Eider, 21 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver, 10 Gannet, 3 Guillemot and 3 Auk sp.
Kilnsea wetlands had a great count of 470 Black-tailed Godwit plus 70 Lapwing, 3 Goldeneye, a Pochard, 346 Wigeon, 85 Teal and 8 Shoveler.
The best of other sightings were 2 Woodcock and a Barn Owl.
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Kittiwake. John Swallow.
Monday, 01 February 2021
A mild day with blue skies and sun and a light north easterly. Watches: 0740-1020.
The milder t-shirt weather encouraged many birds into song and the first Small Tortoishelle Butterfly of the spring onto the wing. There was a nice total of 25 Skylark, a few breaking into high song flights, a decent total of 5 Woodcock and 41 Yellowhammer on Marsh lane. It was again pretty much the same as previous days with the Pochard, 3 Goldeneye, 13 Shoveler, 369 Curlew, the Greenshank, a Kingfisher and 7 Stonechat among all the regulars.
On the move over the sea were 3 Eider, 21 Common Scoter, 4 Goosander, 109 Red-throated Diver, 2 Cormorant, 9 Guillemot and 19 Auk sp.
Ringing: 1 Robin, 2 Great Tit.
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Dunlin. John Hewitt.