After what feels like a global tour I finally returned to
Spurn. Because of writing numerous trip reports and working basically full time
in the Crown I have had very little time to get out birding, and even less time
to write it up for my blog. Here follows a quick summary of all the things that
happened at Spurn between my return for May.
May started extremely well. On my first day back I twitched
a pair of Temminck’s Stints on Kilnsea Wetlands. This was the first time I have
seen this species in Britain, and was one of my biggest tarts on my British
list. Sadly they remained on the far side of the wetland, and I took no photos
of them, but still excellent to finally see here.
On that same afternoon a slow wander around Holderness Field
produced an odd yellow wagtail with a noticeable dark cap. My initial
suspicions were that it was a female blue-headed, but after referring to
literature and asking the question on Twitter, it was clear that the bird was
actually a female Grey-headed Wagtail, which is much rarer and far more
exciting. It’s just as well, as I then dipped a male Grey-headed Wagtail on
Kilnsea Wetlands that afternoon.
-Grey-headed Wagtail
On the 26th May a walk round the Triangle
coincided with the finding of a Marsh Warbler at the Warren, so we called in
for a look at that as part of my pre work walk. It was distant and not vocal,
so aside from the fact it had been heard singing earlier in the day, there was
not a great deal to go off. An Egyptian Goose also flew over the triangle,
which is only the second one I have ever seen.
The 29th came and with it came thick fog and a young
male Golden Oriole, still quite green but with hints of yellow peeking through.
It moved up and down the canal in the fog but sadly never went anywhere near
the Kew nets that I had open with a tape on. As with the last bird I saw here
two years ago it was extremely mobile and never sat for a decent photo.
On the 30th May I got my second Spurn and British
tick in my return when a Savi’s Warbler was found at the south end of the Canal
Zone. I was surprised when I was able to get field views, albeit pretty poor
views, but in the evening of the 31st Paul and I went out with a net
to try and catch it. We caught it almost immediately, and it was found to be
extremely healthy with a fat score of 4. It was no surprise that it was not
seen the following day.
-Savi's Warbler
During my time not at work we have had the nets open and have
caught a number of cool species besides the Savi’s Warbler, including Wheatear,
Spotted and Pied Flycatcher. We targeted other species as well, including the
Golden Oriole and Marsh Warbler but sadly we were less successful on that
front.
-Wheatear
Species List:
Spurn Bird Observatory:
Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall,
Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Fulmar, Little
Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Gannet, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier,
Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Ringed
Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Temminck’s Stint, Redshank,
Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull,
Herring Gull, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern, Feral Pigeon,
Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Cuckoo, Swift, Kestrel, Peregrine, Golden Oriole, Magpie,
Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin,
Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Savi’s Warbler, Blackcap,
Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush,
Spotted Flycatcher, Robin, Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Tree
Sparrow, Dunnock, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch,
Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,
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