June proved to be an excellent month for birding, with a mixture of late spring migrants, breeding birds and early signs of autumn passage. Swift migration dominated many coastal watches, while wetlands at Filey Dams and East Lea continued to produce a variety of breeding and passage species.

The month began with two Corn Buntings at Hunmanby Gap and a singing Lesser Whitethroat at Filey Dams, while East Lea was temporarily closed to visitors to allow essential improvements to the entrance steps. Throughout June, impressive numbers of Swifts streamed south along the coast. The largest movement occurred on 28th when almost 800 were counted at Hunmanby Gap, complemented by 460 passing Filey Seafront. Other notable movements included 550 on 4 June and over 400 on 19th.

Raptors featured regularly. A distant ringtail harrier species flew north over Hunmanby Gap on 4th, while Hobbies were reported on several dates over Coble Landing, Carr Naze and East Lea. Red Kites became increasingly frequent, with sightings over Wooldale Drive, Reighton, Glen Gardens and Hunmanby Gap. Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk also added to an impressive raptor list.

The sea produced a steady succession of interesting birds. Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots and Shags remained offshore, while Manx Shearwaters appeared regularly from mid-month onwards. Arctic Skuas were seen on 15th and 26th, and Red-throated Divers were recorded throughout the month. Mediterranean Gulls appeared at the end of June, with singles and later two adults moving south. Barnacle Geese (13 north on 9th), Little Gull, Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe, Eider, Sandwich Tern and occasional Common Terns all contributed to productive seawatching.

Filey Dams enjoyed another excellent month. Little Egrets were seen frequently, while Barn Owl delighted visitors on several occasions. A notable highlight came on 23rd when three Great White Egrets briefly visited the reserve before departing south. Breeding success was evident with Gadwall raising broods of seven ducklings, Little Grebes nesting, fresh Coot broods and fledged Shelduck reported from East Lea. The reserve also held Lapwing, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon and Herring Gulls with young.

East Lea produced the month’s best wader interest. Green Sandpiper and the scarcer Wood Sandpiper were discovered on 20th, with the latter briefly departing before returning. Two Green Sandpipers remained on 23rd and Common Sandpiper concluded the month’s records on 30th. Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Knot and Redshank also featured during June.

The surrounding farmland and scrub continued to support excellent breeding birds. Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were all well represented, with surveys around Reighton Low Fields recording impressive numbers of singing males. Stonechat, Bullfinch, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler (Hunmanby Gap) and Quail (Speeton Gap, Hunmanby Gap reflecting a “Quail year” nationally) all added variety, while Yellow Wagtails, Grey Partridge and several Barn Owls reflected the quality of local farmland habitats. Cuckoo was seen on 28th at Hunmanby Gap. Kestrels nested in the old owl box on the Filey Golf Course and at Filey Dams.

June also produced notable non-avian sightings, including Brown Argus butterflies and Hummingbird Hawkmoths. Butterflies were especially conspicuous in the hot weather. Butterfly migration really picked up at the end of the month. 40 Painted Ladies, 6 Small Tortoiseshells and 100 Red Admirals were seen on 23rd at Reighton Gap. On 25th 4 Brown Argus, 6 Common Blue, 50 Marbled White, 15 Painted Lady, 65 Small Heath & 70 Small Skipper at Low Fields near Reighton Sands. On 26th 25 Painted Ladies, 2 Common Blues and 3 Small Heath. On 27th visible migration at a Hunmanby Gap garden in one hour – 440 Large White, 8 Small White, 2 Red Admiral, 1 Clouded Yellow plus 1 Comma, Speckled Wood and Peacock – plus Broad bodied Chaser, Emperor, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselfly around the garden pond! The same day at Reighton Gap produced 1 Clouded Yellow, 1 Gatekeeper, 615 Large Whites (many small ‘clouds’ of half a dozen or so passing through), 1 Marbled White, 45 Painted Ladies, 120 Red Admirals, 20 Small Whites and 3 Humming-bird Hawkmoths. Red-veined Darters and Lesser Emperors were still present from May. 40 plus Bottlenose Dolphins were reported on 2nd from the Brigg, and several on other occasions. Grass Vetchling at Primrose Valley was new for Filey.

*Filey Dams Restoration Campaign*

Work is now underway at The Dams to ensure it remains a fantastic place for wildlife and for everyone who enjoys visiting this special reserve. As many of you know, FBOG manages The Dams in close collaboration with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, and it is a key site within our reserve portfolio. We are currently focusing on two major pieces of work:

  1. Keeping the wetland wet by reclaiming the dipping pond from encroaching willows, alders, reeds and invasive water plants.
  2. Restoring safe access to the East Pool Hide through the complete replacement of the ageing boardwalk.

These works will cost tens of thousands of pounds. Most of the funding has been secured through grants and donations obtained by YWT, but FBOG has committed to making a local contribution through this JustGiving campaign. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/restoringfileydams

If you value Filey Dams and want to help protect its wildlife and improve access for visitors, please consider donating. Every contribution helps us make a real difference. Thank you for your support.