A day of brisk south-westerlies, increasingly balmy temperatures and a memorably epic movement of hirundines this morning. Peaking for approx 90 minutes (between 0800 and 0930), perhaps our biggest ever count of Swallows and House Martins flooded south, with counters positioned at Carr Naze and Hunmanby Gap nigh-on overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers
Another day of promising conditions on the sea (with the possibility of birds reorientating after yesterday’s north-westerlies) which delivered some good results in seven and a half hours consecutive watching from dawn. Highlights included two Cory’s Shearwaters, both north at distance between 0750 and 0815, a Curlew Sandpiper south early afternoon with Dunlins, and an
With winds due to strengthen and swing into the north-west, most of the attention was focused on the sea today, with just shy of ten hours consecutive coverage yielding some good returns (although arguably there perhaps wasn’t as much activity as might have been expected). Highlights included three Long-tailed Skuas, one early in the morning and
A mild and cloudy morning turning to a wet and windy afternoon, with the highlight coming early on at the Gap where an Osprey headed south (KC, NC); other passage there included over 200 Meadow Pipits south. The Dams held the same cast (two Green Sandpipers, two Ruff, four Dunlin) and there are now five
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (MJP, CW) was the highlight of a still benign sea over the last two days, while a Little Stint remains on the Brigg both today and yesterday with a good selection of common waders (including five Purple Sandpipers today). Two Marsh Harriers were along North Cliff yesterday, while up to three
An interesting end to the month, with some notable arrivals and strong overhead passage. Highlights of the day included a Curlew Sandpiper at the Dams briefly early on (JL), two Little Stints and a Yellow-legged Gull on the Brigg first thing and a Red-necked Grebe north (MJP, BP, CW). Wagtails on or over the Brigg
A hot and sunny day with a south-westerly wind and very little new to report. The Dams continues to hold interest, with the Pintail still, a Little Egret (there and at East Lea), twos of Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, and Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. A Great Crested Grebe was on the bay and three Whinchats
A generally quiet day today saw three each of Whinchat, Wheatear and Willow Warbler on Carr Naze, a Reed Warbler, two Garden Warblers, 15 Willow Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, three Whitethroats and a Blackcap in Top Scrub, and three Arctic Skuas, three Manx Shearwaters and a Bonxie through on a quiet sea. Yesterday, two Long-tailed Skuas
A pleasingly busy few days, particularly regarding waders, which have once again been moving through and dropping in in good numbers. Highlights have included a Spotted Redshank over the Dams on 26th (MJP), a Little Stint on the Brigg today and yesterday (mo) and a very early Jack Snipe reported from the Tip (J&TGD); up
A mainly sunny day before evening cloud with an at times brisk NW produced a brief Little Stint at the Dams late afternoon (JB), where the usual (and impressive) cast of waders remains, with Ruff back up to 20, a second Little Egret has joined the first (with up to five Grey Herons) and an