Archive
Monday, 11 January 2021
A grey cloudy day, rain in the evening with a modreate south westerly. Watches: 0800-1020.
The best of todays sightings were the re-appearance of 20 Whooper Swan at Sammies on the Humber, which have largely spent their time up near Skeffling. Other decent sightings from the day were a Pale-bellied Brent with 450 Brent (including the leucistic bird), a Pochard and 2 Goldeneye on Kilnsea wetlands, 2 Jack Snipe (holderness field and Sammies), a Woodcock at the Point and 7 Mediterranean Gull and a Kingfisher at Sammies.
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Brent Geese with the leucistic bird. John Hewitt.
Mink at Kilnsea wetlands. John Hewitt. An unwelcome visitor, while infrequently seen the damage to local wildlife is more telling. Since they arrived, Water Voles have vanished and populations of Coot (and Moorhen) have declined,.
Sunday, 10 January 2021
A fosty start with sunny spells throughtout and a light westerly. Watches: 0800-1100.
The usual Black Brant was present with 500 Brent Geese and a Pale-bellied Brent at Kilnsea wetlands along with a Pochard, a Common Scoter, 2 Goldeneye and 6 Mediterranean Gull plus 18 Little Grebe and a Greenshank on Beacon ponds.
The sea had little to offer, an Eider the highlight.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird.
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Common Buzzard. John Hewitt.
Black Brant. John Hewitt.
Rainbow over the Humber. Tony Hull.
Saturday, 09 January 2021
A cold frosty day with blue skies and a light south westerly. Watches: 0750-1005, 1310-1520.
The day was similar to recent ones, but with the return of the 6 White-fronted Geese again and the Black Brant on Kilnsea wetlands among a good sized flock of 860 Brent Geese and 2 Pale-bellied Brent. Nearby 180 Pintail were again at Sammies on the Humber along with 1450 Oystercatcher. Other bits of note in this area were a Pochard and a Goldeneye on Kilnsea wetlands and the Greenshank on Easington lagoon.
Over the sea were 10 Mallard, an Eider, 3 Common Scoter, 21 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 1 Fulmar, 21 Common Gull and 5 Auk sp.
Other sightings included 6000 Knot at the Narrows, a Little Owl at Long bank, 120 Carrion Crow at Sammies with a Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine and a Merlin hunting the area.
Ringing: 1 Robin.
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White-fronted Geese. John Hewitt.
Stonechat. John Hewitt.
Common Scoter. John Hewitt.
Thursday, 07 January 2021
A cold frosty day with blue skies a nd a light south westerly. Watches: 0755-1130.
Out of the blue the 6 White-fronted Geese re-appeared on Kilnsea wetlands, while nearby the Black Brant was present with 700 Brent Geese on Beacon ponds. A fantastic count of 201 Pintail were at Sammies where a Red Kite flew west.
Over the sea it was standard fare with 3 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 3 Eider, a Velvet Scoter, 2 Common Scoter, 12 Red-throated Diver and 3 Kittiwake.
Other bits of note concerned 6 Woodcock (4 together at cliffe farm), 2 Short-eared Owl at Kilnsea wetlands and a Kingfisher, 60 Tree Sparrow, 40 Yellowhammer and 15 Reed Bunting at Sammies.
Ringing: 2 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush.
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White-fronted Goose. John Hewitt.
White-fronted Geese. John Hewitt.
Wednesday, 06 January 2021
A sunny start gave way to cloud and wintery showers with a light/moderate north easterly. Watches: 0750-1045.
Not much change overall, so some counts were returned for commoner speciess in the area, totals of 50 Blackbird, 33 Fieldafre, 15 Redwing and 3 Song Thrush along with a Woodcock, 3 Snipe, a Short-eared Owl, 4 Stonechat, a Chiffchaff, 2 Grey Wagtail, 23 Pied Wagtail and 18 Tree Sparrow
Kilnsea wetlands had 13 Mute Swan, 18 Shoveler, 500 Wigeon, 67 Mallard, 51 Teal, a Common Scoter, 1 Goldeneyey, 12 Little Grebe, 4 Little Egret, a Marsh Harrier, 70 Lapwing, 40 Black-atailed Godwit and a Greenshank.
The sea was much subdued with 3 Eider, 7 Common Scoter, 17 Red-throated Diver, 3 Fulmar, 3 Cormorant, 6 Kittiwake and 2 Auk sp.
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Common Scoter on Kilnsea wetlands. John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 05 January 2021
Sunny spells with wintery showers and a cool moderate/strong northeasterly. Watches: 0750-1545.
There were few Thrushes about after the small influx last week, but a Woodcock was by the sewage works and 3 Snow Bunting remained at the Breach.
The sea started to settle down, but a few bits of note were seen including a Shag, 22 Eider, 21 Common Scoter, a Velvet Scoter, 40 Red-throated Diver, 12 Fulmar, 6 Gannet, 30 Kittiwake, a Great Skua, 3 Guillemot, a Razorbill and 7 Auk sp.
As usual good totals of Wildfowl on Kilnsea wetlands with 25 Shoveler, 500 Wigeon, 43 Mallard, 154 Teal, 2 Goldeneye, a Marsh Harrier, 66 Black-tailed Godwit, 250 Redshank, a Greenshank and 21 Mediterranean Gull.
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Monday, 04 January 2021
Sunny spells and wintery showers with a cold north-easterly. Watches: 0750-1030, 1415-1530.
The day after a bird race, typically record several species not seen on the day. A ringtail Hen Harrier at Beacon ponds, 2 Velvet Scoter and a Goosander south bound over the sea and a Kingfisher all came into that catergory.
In addition to those mentioned above, it was quite decent for other species over the sea with a Wigeon, 19 Teal, 12 Common Scoter, 48 Eider, 46 Red-throated Diver, 16 Fulmar, 14 Gannet, 169 Kittiwake, 5 Guillemot and 100 Auk.sp.
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Male Goldeneye. John Hewitt.
Male Goldeneye. John Hewitt.
Sunday, 03 January 2021
Sunny start, clouding over with rain and a cool Modarate north easterly. Watches: 0800-1000, 1015-1315.
It was the Michael Clegg memorial bird race today and at least 3 teams were out in the Spurn area raising funds for Hen Harrier protection. Totals of 67 and 69 were quite respectable as teams took it easy.
There were a few different bits recorded during the day, 8 Snow Bunting the highlight at the Breach and the Black Brant still in the area, with other decent sightings of an Arctic Skua and Short-eared Owl kept the lists ticking over. Other bits recorded, which are easily missed included 2 Goldeneye, 3 Common Buzzard, 2 male Marsh Harrier, 72 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Mediterranean Gull, a Merlin and 2 Peregrine, while fortunately there are still a few Thrushes about with 10 Fieldfare, 15 Redwing and 3 Song Thrush which can sometimes also be tricky..
The sea boosted lists with 2 Eider, 16 Red-throated Diver, 5 Fulmar, 82 Kittiwake, a Great Skua, 7 Guillemot and 2 Razorbill.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker and Tree Sparrows. John Hewitt.
Saturday, 02 January 2021
After some heavy overnight rain, a frosty morning with a moderate north westerly and showers. Watches: 0750-1010.
Better weather and an intersting mix of species were recorded. The Black Brant re-appeared on the Humber at Sammies, where there were also 111 Pintail and 16 Mediterranean Gull. Nearby there were 286 Greylag Geese around Kilnsea wetlands plus a Goldeneye, a marsh Harrier, 130 Lapwing, 46 Black-tailed Godwit and 250 Redshank.
Over the sea 374 Pink-footed Geese, 5 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 30 Common Scoter, a Goldeneye, a Great Northern Diver, 29 Red-throated Diver, 2 Gannet, 4 Guillemot, 2 Razorbill and 8 Auk sp.
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Stonechat. John Hewitt.
Friday, 01 January 2021
WELCOME TO 2021.
Bright start then a bit of a horrible wet day. Watches: 0745-1015.
The year got off to a good start with the re-appearance? of the 6 White-fronted Geese on Kilnsea wetlands, where there seemed to be a general decline in Wildfowl numbers, with just 367 Wigeon, 45 Teal and 11 Shoveler.
Over the sea 7 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver, 21 Red-throated Diver, a Gannet, 1 Cormorant,a Guillemot, 2 Razorbill and 2 Auk sp.
The best of the rest were a Mistle Thrush over Kilnsea, the Greenshank at Beacon ponda and 2 Stonechat at the Gas terminal.
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White-fronted Geese at Kilnsea wetlands. John Hewitt.