A promising north-easterly airflow across the North Sea delivered an avalanche of Russian invaders today in the multiple spritely shapes of at least 34 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS – more than three times our previous day record (and almost as many as the record year total of 38 in 2013!). The majority were in the northern coastal
A day of drizzle and brisk north-westerly to northerly winds becoming drier and a little less windy by mid afternoon. It may have been gloomy but the star of the show was far from it, with a sudden influx of Yellow-browed Warblers in the afternoon totalling nine overall, with two on Carr Naze, four in
A quieter couple of days, with today’s highlight being a Long-tailed Skua on the sea off the Brigg this morning (JP, CW) and a Great Northern Diver off Hunmanby Gap. Yesterday, visible migration in the morning involed small numbers of Siskins, Redpolls, Chaffinches and Tree Sparrows, a Redstart was trapped in Top Scrub, a White-fronted
Strong northerlies for much of the day dictated almost all attentions were paid to the sea, and good coverage was rewarded with some impressive counts. (Note that the following tallies avoid duplication by taking the highest counts from The Brigg and the Gap – for full counts see Trektellen). Sooty Shearwaters totalled 274 north
A day of increasingly strong north-westerly winds and heavy rain from late morning was predictably a non-starter for land-based observations but productive for sea passage, and eight hours from the hide produced highlights including a juvenile Long-tailed Skua south (MJP), a Pomarine Skua south (JS, JP), six Sooty Shearwaters, 38 Manx Shearwaters, strong wildfowl movements
A day of light winds, warm temperatures and thick fog, which hampered observations across the area for much of the time. A small arrival of land migrants included a Redstart on Long Hedge, a Whinchat, three Willow Warblers and two Wheatears on Carr Naze, and 15 Goldcrests, eight Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 10 Song Thrushes
Two days of sharp contrasts – yesterday being exceptionally warm, sunny and humid, and today being dominated by thick fog and strong winds from the northern sector. As a result, today was very much about the sea – at least, for the limited period when it was visible – and despite the poor visibility, a
(With apologies for the short break in transmissions, we’re just back from the Spurn Migration Festival!)… A relatively quiet few days, although the White-rumped Sandpiper was present on the Brigg to 9th at least, where a Yellow-legged Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were also present on 10th (MA et al.). The sea has been uninspiring
An excellent day here at the Obs thanks in no small part to an incredibly tame and accommodating White-rumped Sandpiper (SD, KD et al.) on the Brigg. At times feeding down to two metres of appreciative observers, it’s our fourth record (all since 2002), after the last at the Dams in 2012. An Icterine Warbler
A much quieter day, with a very light variable and continuing warm temperatures offering little new of note. Visible migration was minimal at best, while the sea offered few signs of movement; the Dams kept things interesting, however, with the Curlew Sandpiper and the Pintail in situ, seven Ruff, eight Dunlin, two Green Sandpipers, 35