Spurn Bird Observatory

 This was not a visit to Spurn for birding as such, and it was just as well. Persistent northerlies, complete with rainstorms all but ended any hope of significant migration. The ringing was a bust, Paul had already shut the nets by the time I dragged my hungover corpse out of bed. Still, it was lovely to see people who I not seen for almost a year, and the evening socials were more than sufficient compensation for the lack of birds. 
  The only species of note was a pair of European Jays that flew over the road when I was out counting dragonflies. Although normally uncommon at Spurn, this year seems to have a small number sticking around throughout the summer. Dragonflies were very quiet, with just a handful of species. Any hoped-for Red-veined Darters quite simply failed to materialise. 

  It was supposed to be a weeks visit to Spurn, with a wedding thrown in the middle, but in the end that idea all collapsed, and being home with Soil Hill and work seemed the better option. 

-Emperor Dragonfly

Species List: 

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Mallard, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,