The end of summer and the beginning of autumn bought some good sightings. On 1st a Little Egret on bay side of Carr Naze, a species which is taken for granted these days. On 2nd Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Moorhen 16, Teal 8 at Filey Dams and at East Lea: Snipe 3, Redshank 2, Dunlin 1, Shelduck & 3 juveniles, and a Yellow Wagtail. A female Marsh Harrier later perched in the willows opposite the car park hide at Filey Dams. On 3rd four Arctic Tern north, 21 Common Tern, 28 Common Scoter, a Bonxie, a summer-plumaged Red-throated Diver and two Arctic Skua at Hunmanby Gap. At East Lea on 5th two Ruff, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Snipe. Large numbers of Gannets fed in the bay. On 7th ten Black-tailed Godwit were on the main pool at Filey Dams. At the Brigg on 8th there were 40 Sandwich, 10 Common and 2 Arctic Terns. A twitchable Cattle Egret turned up on 9th and stayed until 22nd at East Lea. On 10th a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 50 Sandwich Terns and 23 Turnstone were on the Brigg. At Reighton Sands on 11th: Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25 Swallow, 11 Willow Warbler, 18 Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, 8 Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 12 Whitethroat, 210 Starling & a Spotted Flycatcher. A Hobby was hawking insects over East Lea with the gulls. On 12th a colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull (left leg yellow ringed 126M) was on the Brigg. By this date small groups of waders were frequent at Filey Dams, East Lea and the Brigg including Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Snipe, Knot, Curlew, Redshank, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, and Dunlin. On 13th another Marsh Harrier was in Top Fields. An unusual sighting of three Common Sandpipers at Primrose Valley pond. On 14th a Marsh Harrier flew south over Glen Gardens. Six Crossbill and 2 Whimbrel flew south over Hunmanby Gap. A Cuckoo was at Filey Dams on 15th, with a Lesser Whitethroat and a Common Whitethroat at East Lea. A cream crown Marsh Harrier was in the fields between the Tip and Country Park on 15th. 70 Common Scoter were off Muston Sands. On 16th two Marsh Harriers together near the northern boundary. On 17th a northward movement out of the bay produced 134 Sandwich Tern, 29 Common Tern, 60 Common Scoter, 21 Oystercatcher, single Knot and Whimbrel. In the bay: 430 Razorbill, 22 Guillemot, a Great Crested Grebe, two Teal, and a Wheatear on Carr Naze. A rare for Filey Kingfisher was flushed from rocks in Bay corner. A Hobby flew south at the Gap. 12 Swifts flew over Glen Gardens earlier. An escaped Saker was infrequently seen. A Spotted Redshank flew and called over reedbed scrape toward Dams on 20th. A Cory’s Shearwater flew north close in off Carr Naze on 21st. with two Arctic Skua, four Manx Shearwater, two Common Scoter, and many Commic and Sandwich Tern. There was a large passage of Fulmar and Gannet. The autumns first passerine scarcity a Barred Warbler was briefly in cliff top bushes just south of Martins Ravine. Two Red-legged Partridge were seen on 23rd, in the field adjacent to flood defence system. Another Kingfisher was at The Bay flower meadow pools. A Whinchat was near Carr Naze pond on 24th – 30th. A small passage of hirundines was at Muston Sands: 70 House Martins, 20 Swallows plus 8 Swifts. A male Merlin was also on Carr Naze. A single Tree Pipit flew south over the Country Park at 08:20. On 25th a cream crown Marsh Harrier flew west over back of Filey Dams. Two Marsh Harriers and a Tree Pipit flew south at the Gap. On 26th a Spotted Redshank over the Gap. Also 400 House Martins, 110 Swallows, 21 Swifts, and 30 Siskin south. An immature Caspian Gull on sea and in flight off Brigg end, seen again on 29th. Two Spotted Redshank appeared at Filey Dams. A Mediterranean Gull flew south over Country Park. Two Greenshank on 27th at Filey Dams. At Hunmanby Gap: 5 Whimbrel, 1 Golden Plover, 85 Swallow, 2 Siskin south. Meadow Pipits (17 present, 2 south), 200 Linnets, and one Corn Bunting also present. On 28th a Sedge Warbler in hedge by Hunmanby Gap car park. 14 Ringed Plover with 3 Snipe flew over The Gap on 29th. 7 Red-legged Partridge were by the flood defence. On 31st a Marsh Harrier south at Hunmanby Gap, with 170 terns at the Brigg end, majority Common but some Arctic and a few Sandwich Terns. Finally a Wheatear was on Carr Naze.
