Spurn Day 31

The weather picked up for today, though it remained a little windy. It’s also the last time I am on days for another week. The usual crowd of birds was around, nothing much different. The only notable change were that 4 Common Sandpipers were seen around the banks.

In the afternoon there was a little change in the birding complexion. And I mean a real little. I was scanning the shoreline when I noticed a very small and dumpy wader feeding. I was pretty confident I knew what it was, but had to wait until it flew to be sure; I had found myself only my third Little Stint. It was only a pity that I had to wait for it to fly to be sure. I kept hunting for the bird, but to no avail. I kept thinking I had found it, only for it to stand next to a Dunlin and be near enough the same size. So there we have it, one of my best self finds and only my third Little Stint.

-Little Stint

There was also a good number of terns, but the rosette did not turn up until after I left. I also failed to find the curlew sand, though I did spot a few Ruff which is a spurn tick for me, another new addition now the waders are beginning to move.

In the evening I grabbed myself a year-tick. I had passed a decent Seawatching crowd on my way in, so was hopeful of finding something with them. However, as I was cooking dinner the radio went off: a Short-Eared Owl and a Marsh Harrier chasing each other over the triangle. No shoes I dashed up the stairs to numpties to have a look, and got reasonable views of the owl, though not so much of the harrier. That would be my 182^nd species, and the first time I have ever seen all the British owl species in one year.

-Short-Eared Owl

Seawatching was a disaster. Not only did I miss the first rosette tern but then managed to not see one in a flock of Common Tern that went past. Therefore I managed to miss 4 rosette terns today, I’m not even sure how. My med gull record was also broken today, by at least 15 birds, but certainly more. Alas, I had the count for a mere 2 days. But besides that it has been a really good day, with a lovely self-found Little Stint being the highlight.

The Daily Oystercatcher

Nothing notable to report from their front. The chicks looked really big when the Stint was running behind them, but that was to be expected. The birds spent most of the day sleeping or sunbathing, looking very much like chilled oystercatchers!

Species List:

Beacon Ponds: Little Stint, Ruff, Redshank, Herring Gull, Whimbrel, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Turnstone, Sandwich Tern, Dunlin, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Mediterranean Gull, Oystercatcher, Knot, Grey Plover, Little Egret, Mallard, Gannet, Mute Swan, Linnet, Little Tern, Meadow Pipit, Common Gull, Arctic Skua, Black-Headed Gull, Kestrel, Shelduck, Skylark, Cormorant, Yellow Wagtail, Swallow,